|
|
Post by miket on Mar 31, 2021 9:15:21 GMT -5
I call those Fairburns, and very cool finds! Some people may not- I think it all depends on who you talk to. And I try to be selective anymore, too. I've picked up lots of rocks that will probably end up as landscaping. Sometimes I even leave my backpack behind...but then I just end up with my pockets full of rocks anyway!  |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Mar 31, 2021 9:30:56 GMT -5
Excellent finds! Even being selective, you came home with some really nice rocks.
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Mar 31, 2021 9:37:32 GMT -5
I call those Fairburns, and very cool finds! Some people may not- I think it all depends on who you talk to. And I try to be selective anymore, too. I've picked up lots of rocks that will probably end up as landscaping. Sometimes I even leave my backpack behind...but then I just end up with my pockets full of rocks anyway! Thanks Mike! I've tried it without my backpack also...but I end up looking like one of those "hip" teenagers with their pants sagging past their butt!  Excellent finds! Even being selective, you came home with some really nice rocks. Thanks Robin! Every time I'm out, I'm looking for a find for you. I kinda figure you're wanting something a little nicer than these though...as in something you don't need a loupe to see the fortifications! LOL |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Mar 31, 2021 9:46:26 GMT -5
I call those Fairburns, and very cool finds! Some people may not- I think it all depends on who you talk to. And I try to be selective anymore, too. I've picked up lots of rocks that will probably end up as landscaping. Sometimes I even leave my backpack behind...but then I just end up with my pockets full of rocks anyway! Thanks Mike! I've tried it without my backpack also...but I end up looking like one of those "hip" teenagers with their pants sagging past their butt!  Excellent finds! Even being selective, you came home with some really nice rocks. Thanks Robin! Every time I'm out, I'm looking for a find for you. I kinda figure you're wanting something a little nicer than these though...as in something you don't need a loupe to see the fortifications! LOL I'm in no hurry ... you don't need to be, either.  |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Apr 10, 2021 20:35:53 GMT -5
Went out hounding at Railroad Buttes today. I went to the East Buttes...quite a ways out there. It was in the mid-60s today and is the last nice day forecasted for the week. I found some nice prairie agates, some bubble gum agates, a few pieces I don't know what they are, but they'd make nice cabs or tumbles. I didn't get any pics of those. But I did get pics of these two. One is a questionable Fairburn Agate, but the other one definitely is a Fairburn Agate. Both of them have fortifications on opposite sides of each rock. So, they're kinda begging to be cut. So, I might do just that when I get back on the saws. Both of them:  Smaller of the two:    Bigger of the two:     |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Apr 10, 2021 21:52:49 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Apr 10, 2021 21:55:40 GMT -5
Rocky Horror Picture Show! LOL - That's awesome! LOL |
|
|
|
Post by stephan on Apr 10, 2021 22:22:37 GMT -5
Nice finds! Love the fortifications. Are those black species in the rock, or surface? They look like mini-dendrites.
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Apr 10, 2021 22:41:55 GMT -5
Nice finds! Love the fortifications. Are those black species in the rock, or surface? They look like mini-dendrites. Thanks Stephan! Okay, those black specks are on the surface. I wish they were dendrites! LOL - I've tried every way I can think of to get these off of the rocks I find out at Railroad Buttes. I've tried scrubbing them with brushes and brillo pads, soaking in Dawn dish soap, soaking in Vinegar, and soaking in Lime Away. Nothing is removing these black specks. I'm not sure exactly what they are...so I don't know the right way to get rid of them. I was going to create a thread asking if anyone has any clue on how to remove them... |
|
|
|
Post by stephan on Apr 10, 2021 23:15:44 GMT -5
Nice finds! Love the fortifications. Are those black species in the rock, or surface? They look like mini-dendrites. Thanks Stephan! Okay, those black specks are on the surface. I wish they were dendrites! LOL - I've tried every way I can think of to get these off of the rocks I find out at Railroad Buttes. I've tried scrubbing them with brushes and brillo pads, soaking in Dawn dish soap, soaking in Vinegar, and soaking in Lime Away. Nothing is removing these black specks. I'm not sure exactly what they are...so I don't know the right way to get rid of them. I was going to create a thread asking if anyone has any clue on how to remove them... Well, if they are on the surface, cabbing them should do the trick. |
|
|
|
Post by miket on Apr 11, 2021 4:59:00 GMT -5
More nice finds...I'm not a bit jealous!  |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Apr 11, 2021 9:01:04 GMT -5
More nice finds...I'm not a bit jealous!  Neither one was really all that spectacular...you're just jealous I got to go out! LOL I'm probably going to cut both of them and hope there's more on the inside. I'm definitely curious. The bigger of the two had what looked like a small depression with a couple little pebbles stuck in it. Last night I fiddled around and pulled those pebbles out...but it wasn't a small depression. It is a major cavity in the rock...like MAJOR. I spent 15 minutes trying to shine a flashlight into the cavity and see down in it, hoping I'd see more fortifications in it...but I can't see much of anything... |
|
|
|
Post by miket on Apr 11, 2021 9:11:39 GMT -5
More nice finds...I'm not a bit jealous! Neither one was really all that spectacular...you're just jealous I got to go out! LOL I'm probably going to cut both of them and hope there's more on the inside. I'm definitely curious. The bigger of the two had what looked like a small depression with a couple little pebbles stuck in it. Last night I fiddled around and pulled those pebbles out...but it wasn't a small depression. It is a major cavity in the rock...like MAJOR. I spent 15 minutes trying to shine a flashlight into the cavity and see down in it, hoping I'd see more fortifications in it...but I can't see much of anything... Don't forget pictures if you cut, please...😁 |
|
quartzilla
Cave Dweller 
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,240
|
Post by quartzilla on Apr 11, 2021 21:26:59 GMT -5
Nice finds! Love the fortifications. Are those black species in the rock, or surface? They look like mini-dendrites. Thanks Stephan! Okay, those black specks are on the surface. I wish they were dendrites! LOL - I've tried every way I can think of to get these off of the rocks I find out at Railroad Buttes. I've tried scrubbing them with brushes and brillo pads, soaking in Dawn dish soap, soaking in Vinegar, and soaking in Lime Away. Nothing is removing these black specks. I'm not sure exactly what they are...so I don't know the right way to get rid of them. I was going to create a thread asking if anyone has any clue on how to remove them... Looks like maybe organic material? Either way maybe try a brass brush. I use one to get staining off the epidote crystals I find. Epidote is softer and more brittle than quartz and is safe for me to use, even with the epidote’s cleavage. |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Apr 11, 2021 21:34:32 GMT -5
Thanks Stephan! Okay, those black specks are on the surface. I wish they were dendrites! LOL - I've tried every way I can think of to get these off of the rocks I find out at Railroad Buttes. I've tried scrubbing them with brushes and brillo pads, soaking in Dawn dish soap, soaking in Vinegar, and soaking in Lime Away. Nothing is removing these black specks. I'm not sure exactly what they are...so I don't know the right way to get rid of them. I was going to create a thread asking if anyone has any clue on how to remove them... Looks like maybe organic material? Either way maybe try a brass brush. I use one to get staining off the epidote crystals I find. Epidote is softer and more brittle than quartz and is safe for me to use, even with the epidote’s cleavage. Thanks for posting this! It seems to me to be some kind of organic material. I'll definitely try the brass wire brush. Any cleaning agent, or just water? |
|
quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,240
|
Post by quartzilla on Apr 12, 2021 7:24:17 GMT -5
Looks like maybe organic material? Either way maybe try a brass brush. I use one to get staining off the epidote crystals I find. Epidote is softer and more brittle than quartz and is safe for me to use, even with the epidote’s cleavage. Thanks for posting this! It seems to me to be some kind of organic material. I'll definitely try the brass wire brush. Any cleaning agent, or just water? I just use a little Dawn dish soap with the brush. Hope it gets those beauties sparkling clean😀 |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Apr 13, 2021 23:01:58 GMT -5
I was digging through my prairie agate slab bag and found this one I forgot I slabbed.  It just got moved up on the "to do" list. The oval is solid, but there might be a fracture line on the teardrop. I'll cut the oval first and see if the teardrop looks solid or not. I'm pretty stoked about this one.  |
|
|
|
Post by Garage Rocker on Apr 13, 2021 23:11:57 GMT -5
I was digging through my prairie agate slab bag and found this one I forgot I slabbed. It just got moved up on the "to do" list. The oval is solid, but there might be a fracture line on the teardrop. I'll cut the oval first and see if the teardrop looks solid or not. I'm pretty stoked about this one. I think you've got a winner in that oval. Nice composition, I'd be hard pressed to ID that stone once finished. The bottom half looks a little iffy, hope it holds up for you. |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Apr 13, 2021 23:18:48 GMT -5
I was digging through my prairie agate slab bag and found this one I forgot I slabbed. It just got moved up on the "to do" list. The oval is solid, but there might be a fracture line on the teardrop. I'll cut the oval first and see if the teardrop looks solid or not. I'm pretty stoked about this one. I think you've got a winner in that oval. Nice composition, I'd be hard pressed to ID that stone once finished. The bottom half looks a little iffy, hope it holds up for you. I got a little overzealous drawing that teardrop on there. As soon as I did, I saw the fracture line right below the oval...and it extends into the teardrop. I'll cut the oval out first, and look at what's left of the slab and will likely choose a different shape from the bottom portion. If I hadn't been the one to cut that prairie agate, there's no way I would have ID'd it as such! LOL |
|
|
|
Post by Garage Rocker on Apr 13, 2021 23:21:12 GMT -5
I think you've got a winner in that oval. Nice composition, I'd be hard pressed to ID that stone once finished. The bottom half looks a little iffy, hope it holds up for you. I got a little overzealous drawing that teardrop on there. As soon as I did, I saw the fracture line right below the oval...and it extends into the teardrop. I'll cut the oval out first, and look at what's left of the slab and will likely choose a different shape from the bottom portion. If I hadn't been the one to cut that prairie agate, there's no way I would have ID'd it as such! LOL You get that oval out of that slab, you won. The rest is gravy. |
|
