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Post by accidentalrockhound on Feb 23, 2018 9:46:44 GMT -5
Just a question. Has anyone worked this material? Is it overated? It is absolutely beautiful! I have been trying to win a piece off the bay with no luck. The pieces i been trying to bid on are very bright and bold with lots of colors. So far i have been out bid everytime. Is it worth the 25$ to 35$ a lb. Price range it is bringing in is it limited to the amount coming out the mine. Bottom line is it worth the price it is going for?
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Post by MsAli on Feb 23, 2018 10:14:47 GMT -5
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Post by HankRocks on Feb 23, 2018 10:30:02 GMT -5
I am not familiar with this material but it seems expensive to me. Just curious about the "fractures" and whether or not it holds up for cabbing.
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Post by rockjunquie on Feb 23, 2018 11:04:37 GMT -5
I've seen a whole of cabs of it- I'm gonna assume that it cabs easily. It used to be more pricey. The prices seem to be coming down now.
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Post by MrP on Feb 23, 2018 12:27:24 GMT -5
I got a good price on several pieces a couple of years ago. I found the material to be hit and miss. The good stuff cabbed nice but other pieces wanted to crumble. I always try to cut some thins slabs to make matching earrings and those slabs did not want to stay together.......................MrP
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 23, 2018 13:00:27 GMT -5
Bought a chunk in Q a few years ago. I've tried cabbing it and it fell apart. Haven't tried it again.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2018 13:29:52 GMT -5
First of all, it is not agate. It's a mix of fluorite and other stuff. Soft, crumbly and more difficult than most agate to cab. After preforming on a trim saw, try skipping the coarse wheels (or you'll risk tearing it apart). Some interesting patterns for sure, and can make striking gems. Some of the chrysocolla veins are so crumbly that I wonder if others who do lots of cabs in this material may be stabilizing it first?
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Don
Cave Dweller 
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on Feb 23, 2018 16:05:43 GMT -5
There are two different materials being marketed under the kaleidoscope moniker, one from Oregon, a predominately red and orange jasper, and one from Utah, which is not agate at all, but a mix of Fluorite in shades of blue/green/purple. I really feel that the folks selling the Utah stuff as "agate" are really doing a disservice to the lapidary community by not being upfront and telling people what it actually is. Kaleidoscope Jasper:  Kaleidoscope Fluorite:  |
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Dr DG
fully equipped rock polisher
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,848
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Post by Dr DG on Feb 23, 2018 19:50:59 GMT -5
I work with it, think it over rated, will not buy anymore, just my thought.
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Post by HankRocks on Feb 23, 2018 19:54:21 GMT -5
Now that you mention it, it does have a Fluorite look to it. All those fractures(?) look like trouble to me. Would be skeptical of buying any for Cab work, of coarse I am not a "Cab" guy.
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Post by melhill1659 on Feb 23, 2018 20:02:44 GMT -5
Well it’s your lucky day accidentalrockhound! I happen to have some. PM me your address an I’ll send you a piece.    I have a half finished dopped cab right now. Can’t testify to the polish since I haven’t made it that far but mine it’s crumbly. |
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Post by accidentalrockhound on Feb 23, 2018 20:37:26 GMT -5
Thanks everyone. I did a little net searching and have come up with kaleidoscope agate, kaleidoscope jasper, kaleidoscope plume agate, kaleidoscope picture jasper and 1 or 2 more i can't remember?? The last 2 weeks there has been some really nice chunks on the bay. Right now a 7# 9# 11#. All have been from the same seller.
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Post by accidentalrockhound on Feb 23, 2018 20:38:44 GMT -5
Well it’s your lucky day accidentalrockhound! I happen to have some. PM me your address an I’ll send you a piece. I have a half finished dopped cab right now. Can’t testify to the polish since I haven’t made it that far but mine it’s crumbly. Pm sent thanks a bunch! |
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Post by accidentalrockhound on Feb 23, 2018 20:48:12 GMT -5
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Post by melhill1659 on Feb 23, 2018 21:13:50 GMT -5
You are welcome. What good is having all of these rocks if you can’t share them. rockjunquie I haven’t forgotten about you either! Y’all let me get this weekend over (our Gem&Mineral show) an I’ll get the slabs in the mail next week. |
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Post by parfive on Feb 23, 2018 21:26:01 GMT -5
Wasn’t the illustrious rhodescabbin the King of Kaleidoscope?
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Post by melhill1659 on Feb 26, 2018 21:08:23 GMT -5
Well it’s your lucky day accidentalrockhound! I happen to have some. PM me your address an I’ll send you a piece. I have a half finished dopped cab right now. Can’t testify to the polish since I haven’t made it that far but mine it’s crumbly. Pm sent thanks a bunch! Please resend PM your slab is ready to be mailed. In my sick fog I can’t find where I wrote it down. |
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Post by harvestmoongems on Feb 27, 2018 1:39:48 GMT -5
First of all, it is not agate. It's a mix of fluorite and other stuff. Soft, crumbly and more difficult than most agate to cab. After preforming on a trim saw, try skipping the coarse wheels (or you'll risk tearing it apart). Some interesting patterns for sure, and can make striking gems. Some of the chrysocolla veins are so crumbly that I wonder if others who do lots of cabs in this material may be stabilizing it first? Thanks for your input. Nothing irritates me more than when people give incorrect information on what rocks, gems, crystals, etc are called. It happens all the time so thank you! |
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