jasperfanatic
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2019
Posts: 456
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Post by jasperfanatic on Apr 1, 2019 21:55:07 GMT -5
I've had a batch of larger-ish (2"-2.5") obisdian chunks in the rotary for the last couple of weeks, and when I got a little absorbed in checking them out. Many different types that I don't even know what names to apply to them or to describe them. Some relation to some of the different types I'm sure, but most I couldn't easily place in to a group. Anyway, one chunk was like a double flow/sheen type. The top half had some swirly oranges, patches of gold sheen, and then some thin bands of what I thought was also sheen. The top layers were definitely gold sheen, but a band/layer seemed like it had a little color to it. The bottom half, where this colorful sheen was, was black but had what I can only describe as micro snowflakes throughout...like ash or bubbles or something. I carefully cut it up and tried to isolate that suspicious layer, polished it up, and I think it's fire. Maybe a low-grade fire. It's not like pictures I've seen for sure, but there is definitely some color in it.
Can you get a layer of fire in sheen?
Here's a quick video shot of it. I had to take it down pretty far to even expose as much as is visible here because of the ash/bubbles, which you can still see some of...I just didn't want to make it any thinner. There's less color in the video, but even in person it's not "bursting" with color like some photos I've seen.
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Post by Rockoonz on Apr 1, 2019 22:57:05 GMT -5
Gold sheen with bits of mahogany are pretty common in obsidian from the fire obsidian area at glass butte. The fire often is a single stripe in a large piece.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2019 1:22:30 GMT -5
There is also an area near the "Fire" pit, across where the main road runs, where the "Fire Sheen" pit was/is located. That material had gold, sometimes with threads of color, sheen layers. Attractive, but not as colorful as the Fire obsidian area, and definitely more mahogany in that. Yours is gonna be a flashy (pun intended) cab!
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Post by MsAli on Apr 2, 2019 9:37:45 GMT -5
Looks similar to the one I did. Good gold with just a hint of color. Mine has those ash spots in it as well.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,681
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 2, 2019 10:49:31 GMT -5
I hound Glass Buttes a lot and get permission (Coons) to hound the Mahogany pits, The gold sheen does contain fire once in awhile...I have a few pieces that have fire! As for the Fire Obsidian pit, Coons has the claim on it and I won't go there unless invited with him or his Dad tagging along.. Emory sure can work with the fire Obsidian, its like magic, very professional about working it out of the stone..
Nice piece your working... The fire can show up as fast as you can burn it out, so be careful...
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Post by Pat on Apr 2, 2019 11:17:30 GMT -5
RTH member tntmom has posted extensively about handling obsidian. She has provided details.
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jasperfanatic
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2019
Posts: 456
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Post by jasperfanatic on Apr 2, 2019 21:32:14 GMT -5
I hound Glass Buttes a lot and get permission (Coons) to hound the Mahogany pits, The gold sheen does contain fire once in awhile...I have a few pieces that have fire! As for the Fire Obsidian pit, Coons has the claim on it and I won't go there unless invited with him or his Dad tagging along.. Emory sure can work with the fire Obsidian, its like magic, very professional about working it out of the stone.. Nice piece your working... The fire can show up as fast as you can burn it out, so be careful... It's definitely not like anything Emory is working with, that's why I was thinking that maybe it was a low-grade fire. I don't have a lot experience with obsidian, but this particular piece is definitely not like any of the other gold sheen I've seen and there is definitely hints of green/blue/red in it - very cool. I hear you on how fast it can go, I noticed the edges retreating as I was shaping and the dome is so low now I don't want to do much else with it. It really is fascinating material. I spent a full hour surgically removing this little patch trying not to mess something up, when those planes swirl around it can be a challenge getting in there and extracting the piece you want.
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jasperfanatic
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2019
Posts: 456
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Post by jasperfanatic on Apr 2, 2019 21:33:45 GMT -5
Looks similar to the one I did. Good gold with just a hint of color. Mine has those ash spots in it as well. Didn't those spots drive you nuts? The material on this was slightly milky too, was yours? I wanted it to be so much clearer, a less obstructed view...but it's still pretty awesome!
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Post by MsAli on Apr 2, 2019 21:44:27 GMT -5
Looks similar to the one I did. Good gold with just a hint of color. Mine has those ash spots in it as well. Didn't those spots drive you nuts? The material on this was slightly milky too, was yours? I wanted it to be so much clearer, a less obstructed view...but it's still pretty awesome! I actually really like them. It's like looking into space. The 2 I didnt were not really milky but I need to cut some more slabs off it and what I have left is more "spotty" so maybe it will be milky too
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jasperfanatic
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2019
Posts: 456
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Post by jasperfanatic on Apr 23, 2019 14:58:01 GMT -5
For what it's worth, or perhaps to help others identify what they bump in to, this is "fire" (though low grade) as per a real authority on the matter - I showed it to Emory last weekend In addition to an amazing amount of other knowledge he so graciously shared, he confirmed what fossilman said in that gold sheen can have fire at times, which is what this little piece came from.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,681
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 28, 2019 9:39:03 GMT -5
For what it's worth, or perhaps to help others identify what they bump in to, this is "fire" (though low grade) as per a real authority on the matter - I showed it to Emory last weekend In addition to an amazing amount of other knowledge he so graciously shared, he confirmed what fossilman said in that gold sheen can have fire at times, which is what this little piece came from. Glad you had it ID'ed…. Two thumbs up
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