rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 135 
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jun 10, 2019 18:23:13 GMT -5
Here's a few examples of the KY agate I've collected this year. First, a good example of the most common color, yellow, but has some nice red/pink highlights:  One with yellow & black. The KY material seems to often change color after cutting, with a lot of black colors fading to grey. This one, & usually ones with yellow & black, has stayed black:  This is a common inky grey type from certain locations, but I like them:  This one, grey & white, might look plain, but I find it very attractive & it makes me think of the smoke from a genie in a lamp 😅. The crystal pockets are very sparkly in person & have metallic inclusions:  Some often ignored red KY moss:  A large & really pretty yellow & red one with brecciated/broken & reformed center of agate in calcite & some iron rich dark material:  & finally, the best one so far, a nicely sized brilliant red one with many shades of red:  Thanks for looking! |
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Post by Peruano on Jun 10, 2019 18:34:48 GMT -5
Nice variety, I think smokey grey is cool.
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Post by MsAli on Jun 10, 2019 19:36:14 GMT -5
I love the yellow and red but thay last one is pretty sweet
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jun 10, 2019 20:19:37 GMT -5
All are nice but that last one, WOW.
Chuck
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quartz
Cave Dweller 
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,359
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Post by quartz on Jun 10, 2019 22:11:05 GMT -5
You sure have nice colors and variety there, thanks for the show. vivid yellow with red around edge does it for me, looks like a bomb went off in the middle of it.
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Post by Garage Rocker on Jun 10, 2019 22:11:51 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing your finds, I know how hard it is to find those things. That last one is definitely a terrific find. I like the banded grey agates as well, though. You've got a good variety on display there and, I agree, the KY moss is underrated.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jun 10, 2019 22:40:58 GMT -5
Beautiful KY specimens! That last red one -- WOW!
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 135
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jun 11, 2019 12:24:07 GMT -5
I'm glad ya'll enjoyed seeing those & thanks for the comments! Thanks for sharing your finds, I know how hard it is to find those things. That last one is definitely a terrific find. I like the banded grey agates as well, though. You've got a good variety on display there and, I agree, the KY moss is underrated. Yes, takes a lot of time & access to the right places to find those rare guys! & I think a lot of our KY material is underrated. But since life in rural KY is quite a bit 'different' than the more 'civilized' parts of the US, the agate & other gemstones are a real blessing for those of us living here. & also allikat, drummond I.R. & hummingbirdstones, that red one is certainly one of the very best rocks I've found anywhere, & it came from the little piece of land I bought in the KY agate zone which was very exciting! To Peruano, glad that you also like the smoky one, it's also very unique from my other finds. & quartz, I agree, the big yellow & red one is pretty wild in the middle! I need to polish it but it's really tricky since it has calcite, agate & some softer metallic stuff all combined, heh... |
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Post by fernwood on Jun 12, 2019 6:02:52 GMT -5
I like the yellow/black and the moss one.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723
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Post by Fossilman on Jun 12, 2019 8:31:02 GMT -5
Kentucky material is always a nice agate to see and cut...
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Post by greig on Jun 12, 2019 8:53:55 GMT -5
Awesome agate! I really like the bright yellow colour. Thanks for sharing.
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,688
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Post by NRG on Jun 13, 2019 13:15:37 GMT -5
All are amazing. That last one knocks me dead in the dirt. Bravo!
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 135
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jun 13, 2019 16:00:27 GMT -5
I like the yellow/black and the moss one. Good to see the yellow & black one appreciated, it has some really interesting features, but I found it split open & left behind by some other collector. I wonder if those ones without distinctive banding would more accurately be called geodes rather than agate. If I had to guess from appearances, I would call that yellow/black one jasper, but I remember a knowledgeable geologist saying that jasper doesn't exist in Kentucky. Thanks greig & NRG, & yeah, finding the red one took my breath away too 😱. Fossilman, I agree, KY's are a lot of fun to cut because each slice usually shows really different patterns in one stone. Another thing that I've noticed is that Kentucky agates are easy on my saw blade. Even though they are supposed to be on the harder side of the agate scale, my blade has showed almost 0 cutting edge wear after putting on a new one 8 years ago. Before that, while I was living in Washington State, seemed like I needed to put a new blade on every 2-3 years or so by cutting those Pacific Northwest rocks. Maybe the contrast of calcite and agate 'sharpens'/hones the saw blade somehow.. |
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Post by pauls on Jun 13, 2019 16:54:01 GMT -5
They are really nice.
Interesting your comment about the rock changing colour after you have sawed it, I have the occasional Queensland Agate that does the same. Starts out dull gery then changes to pink in minutes.
I find that cutting Agates with Quartz layers or centres sharpens my blade.
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Post by victor1941 on Jun 13, 2019 17:16:21 GMT -5
Those are some really nice samples that should make fantastic cabs or polished for display. Show us more!
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rockhoundoz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2017
Posts: 135
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Post by rockhoundoz on Jun 15, 2019 11:48:12 GMT -5
They are really nice. Interesting your comment about the rock changing colour after you have sawed it, I have the occasional Queensland Agate that does the same. Starts out dull gery then changes to pink in minutes. I find that cutting Agates with Quartz layers or centres sharpens my blade. Gotcha, the quartz centers would also make sense since most of the Kentucky pieces have quartz centers. If that's the case, I wonder if it's caused by the multi-directional orientation of the quartz crystals. Also always cool to hear about Queensland agate! As I'm sure most rockhunters would agree, agate creek would be a dream destination for collecting. I always assume that the color changes are due to electron states of the metals that color the agate. KY agate often changes color when cut, & then again after being out in the sun. & thanks victor1941, should have some more to post before too long, jusy gotta make time for the saw : ). |
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 16, 2019 8:01:30 GMT -5
Wowsers! That yellow....
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