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Post by broseph82 on Aug 24, 2021 15:50:54 GMT -5
Long shot here, but has anyone had any luck stabilizing this stuff? It’s a sister stone of labradorite but it definitely doesn’t break off like lab. I usually have thick slabs (1/2”+ thick) and this stuff will shape wonderfully. It isn’t until I have to make a concave into the sides that it decides it wants to split apart. Crazy thing is it doesn’t seem like a porous stone so I don’t know if a stabilizer would penetrate. I did make a doublet with some art resin but the Hyper still acted up and didn’t want to work.
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brotherbill
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2018
Posts: 388
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Post by brotherbill on Aug 24, 2021 16:20:16 GMT -5
I agree with you in that I can't see any benefit in stabilizing hyperstene. Unlike labradorite there are seldom any obvious healed or unhealed fracture lines.
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Post by broseph82 on Aug 26, 2021 10:15:25 GMT -5
I agree with you in that I can't see any benefit in stabilizing hyperstene. Unlike labradorite there are seldom any obvious healed or unhealed fracture lines. The benefit would be to seal up the stone that likes to crack and break off on the inside. |
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rime
off to a rocking start
Member since August 2021
Posts: 11
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Post by rime on Aug 29, 2021 6:25:58 GMT -5
Decided to register an account after seeing this thread, I'm a fan of this material and have wondered how to stabilise it myself for a while. My experience is there is a little porousity, but it's usually in fractures running against the layers, which are unlikely to prevent it splitting along the layers. Hypersthene is a little weird in that there is a cleavage plane that runs perpendicular to the sheen, and it's what seems to create that hardwood grain texture when you polish it. How thick was the art resin you used? I've noticed pieces do take on water a little, so it's possible there might be a way to force thinner epoxies into the cracks... I'll see if I can fast-track getting the epoxy I am planning to coat my sanding domes in to test it with a thinner.
Maybe also trying just a layer of epoxy on the surface at the step before the cleavage chipping happens, to either strengthen the exposed area or just directly polish it might produce something satisfying. Otherwise... I'm feeling it might be best to make a doublet if you are carving along the layers, they can be very easy to split and if you are getting lifting or heating you are really risking that. |
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