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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jul 3, 2018 11:31:09 GMT -5
Make sure you post pics of them. I'm living my secret glass life vicariously through this thread!
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 3, 2018 11:38:35 GMT -5
well just vicariously check out this brew hummingbirdstonesLooks more like Damascus glass. Glass melted and did not mix at boundaries which is exceptional. Color division on fine layers like this is rare meaning the import glass must be some fine material. Got to do spearhead out of this because of the exposure of layers along edge. Link of start to finish www.flickr.com/photos/67205364@N06/43119415522/in/album-72157692859522140/lightbox/start before melt  melt, bottom side  finish sawn spearhead blanks, edge views   |
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Post by 1dave on Jul 3, 2018 11:50:04 GMT -5
Winners!
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 3, 2018 12:58:40 GMT -5
I posted a trade - 4 blanks for one of them a finished glass spear in trade. 5 minutes 4 offers, many more followed. Got em waiting in line now he he. computer sounds like fire works just a beeping away  |
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Post by fernwood on Jul 3, 2018 13:22:27 GMT -5
Yes, foreign markets often copied names of US manufacturers. Tacky??? Glad the knappers are back on to you. Lol, tacky a seriously colloquial southern expression meaning "lacks in taste or etiquette". Mom used that word on me from the day I was born. I know what tacky means. I just do not agree that the colors are what I would consider tacky. Just appreciate all that vintage Fiesta ware. It provided some brightness during dark times (WWII) when it was first introduced. |
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Post by fernwood on Jul 3, 2018 13:24:21 GMT -5
Yup. Reel them in, one at a time. You went fishing and were successful.
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Post by MsAli on Jul 3, 2018 14:10:02 GMT -5
WOW color me impressed! You did it! Now will be patiently waiting to see what they all do with it
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 3, 2018 19:02:49 GMT -5
fernwood MsAli Still rolling in. Operative word was 'Damascus'. No man can turn away from Damascus pattern well known in the knife steel realm. Sorta like the word 'diamond' for a lady. 
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Post by MsAli on Jul 3, 2018 19:40:45 GMT -5
fernwood MsAli Still rolling in. Operative word was 'Damascus'. No man can turn away from Damascus pattern well known in the knife steel realm. Sorta like the word 'diamond' for a lady. That is awesome. Got them hooked like a fat cat
PS: not all women are impressed by diamonds.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 3, 2018 20:16:32 GMT -5
MsAli likes obsidian. All pretty rocks ?
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Post by MsAli on Jul 3, 2018 21:39:31 GMT -5
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jul 3, 2018 22:30:44 GMT -5
Thanks for the color show jamesp! Much awesomeness leaking out of those melts. They really grab your eye. It does look like glass damascus slabbed up for those blanks. I like the bright colors and how they stayed separated. The pink you put in there gives it a cohesive look. Good job on that!
Can't wait to see the points these guys send back to you. They are all bat shit nutty about trying it. Too funny (and an excellent score for you). Now you've gone and created a knappy monster. 
MsAli - not a fan of diamonds either and they're my birthstone (although I wouldn't say no to one of those red ones). Colored stones are where the action is in my book. Couple of stones left off of that list: Bixbite and Sweet Home Rhodochrosite. Aries = red
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Post by MsAli on Jul 4, 2018 0:34:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the color show jamesp ! Much awesomeness leaking out of those melts. They really grab your eye. It does look like glass damascus slabbed up for those blanks. I like the bright colors and how they stayed separated. The pink you put in there gives it a cohesive look. Good job on that!
Can't wait to see the points these guys send back to you. They are all bat shit nutty about trying it. Too funny (and an excellent score for you). Now you've gone and created a knappy monster. 
MsAli - not a fan of diamonds either and they're my birthstone (although I wouldn't say no to one of those red ones). Colored stones are where the action is in my book. Couple of stones left off of that list: Bixbite and Sweet Home Rhodochrosite. Aries = red
I have a love for Green My birthstone is Aquamarineathough and I do love them. I wouldnt say no to a red diamond either. Just think of the colors they discarded because they considered them "flawed" |
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 4, 2018 5:11:17 GMT -5
MsAli hummingbirdstonesI have heard that near perfect ruby and near perfect emerald are far more valuable than diamond. I know @gemfellar could probably answer that question. The best stone for a lady is the one that makes that particular lady content lol. The perfect stone can give a man a lot more contentment than the stone gives her. Only us mins can answer that one.
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Post by fernwood on Jul 4, 2018 5:18:36 GMT -5
Diamonds do not impress me. Except for colored ones, set in rose gold. My first engagement ring was a Star Sapphire with 2 tiny diamonds. The most recent was an Amethyst in a unique gold setting.
I like colored stones for faceted rings.
Those knappers are really on to your glass.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Jul 4, 2018 5:55:58 GMT -5
Happy 4th folks. The fact that this glass color laminates so well, is opaque, has wacky colors and is hard and almost bubble free makes it perfect for the knapper boys. I will have to figure out how to reduce the plates to shards easier. That is the labor issue. And washing it clean. From what I can tell the way the color ratio on this entire load of glass would be perfect for making these color mixes. Half the load of at least 25 colors of plate glass could be be broken into shards. Half looks to be a couple thousand pounds. Kept separated by equal weights color and within each color screened and separated by size of shard say 1/2" and smaller, 1/2" to 1 1/2", and 1 1/2" and larger. With those size shards and being color separated there is a plethora of easy to melt slabs and brick color/pattern combinations. I need 75 buckets, 25 colors and 3 sizes of each color and presto. For 2000 pounds would require a trip to Home Depot to purchase 75 - 5 gallon buckets with lids. Each bucket filled 2/3rds full of glass. Or probably more practical, 1000 pounds/25 colors/3 sizes and use 2 gallon buckets filled 3/4 full. 4 spearhead blanks/pound @ 1000 pounds = 4000 blanks at $12 to $18/blank. 1/4 of that should finance glass hobby and some. A few left over pendants/melts from first melt slab in coarse tumble. Gave the better ones away for samples. Got 2 bricks and a repeat but larger Damascus in the cooker for today. Curious about the bricks... Note that the colors on the blanks are closer to primary. That was due to a 50F increase in top heat.  |
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 4, 2018 6:08:35 GMT -5
Diamonds do not impress me. Except for colored ones, set in rose gold. My first engagement ring was a Star Sapphire with 2 tiny diamonds. The most recent was an Amethyst in a unique gold setting. I like colored stones for faceted rings. Those knappers are really on to your glass. These(tacky) full color mixes are what turns me on Beth, fun factor. Apparently the knapper boys too. The problem with glass is getting stable opaque for knapping. I guess this striker glass is just tough material. Starts out clear and goes to opaque. Tried researching striker glass but can not find info on mechanical properties. The one real beauty of a fine clear diamond in brilliant cut is the rainbows it sends out. Because of the high refractive index of diamond it splits light into the richest spectral colors. This guy is probably correct: "In the visible region of the spectrum, I think that the highest refractive index (of a normal material) is that of diamond (≈2.5). Cubic Zirconia (looks a bit like diamond but cheaper!) is also above 2" It is not a good idea to give a lady a cubic zirconia for a wedding ring. |
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Post by fernwood on Jul 4, 2018 6:17:39 GMT -5
Give me an opal with lots of flash any day over a diamond. Oh, I have the perfect opal ring with a tiny diamond.
I think the striker glass becomes opaque due to multiple heatings at certain temps. I found that out with certain glass I turned into ceramic polish. Had mixed the powdered glass with clear glaze, then applied to the pottery. Not totally powdered, but find sand like pieces. Where there as a concentration of the glass, the glaze was opaque. Where there was more of the glaze, it was more clear. This was mostly done with some broken cobalt blue plate pieces I found.
If you find more info on the striker glass, please share.
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Post by fernwood on Jul 4, 2018 6:22:36 GMT -5
The most opaque piece was a cobalt blue, Shirley Temple pitcher. Made by Hazel Atlas glass in the 1940's. Now am wondering of the decal caused the glass to be more opaque. Yes, the pitcher was in my families old dump, in pieces.
Funny thing about that dump. I found some glass pieces that were in great condition. Still using the salt/pepper shakers I found. Beer mug style with Aluminum caps. Also a 1930's milk glass mixing bowl. How that stuff survived, I will never know.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jul 4, 2018 9:26:00 GMT -5
MsAli hummingbirdstones I have heard that near perfect ruby and near perfect emerald are far more valuable than diamond. I know @gemfellar could probably answer that question. The best stone for a lady is the one that makes that particular lady content lol. The perfect stone can give a man a lot more contentment than the stone gives her. Only us mins can answer that one. There are a lot of gemstones that are more valuable than diamond. Russian alexandrite and emeralds are a couple. Certain color sapphires and of course, gem quality opal. There's more but I haven't had enough coffee yet to think of them. |
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