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Post by snowmom on Sept 20, 2014 11:30:14 GMT -5
Ok I am a victim of jade fever. I have been reading everything I can find regarding Jade and how to identify it One thing I read over and over is that " if you hit jade with a hammer it rings like a bell" . Does the rock itself ring or is it the hammer that rings? I have some stuff here at the house which 'thunks' and some which will clink and cause the hammer to ring. I have not hit any rocks which themselves ring. Am I misunderstandingthe description? I have heard shale tinkle and clink when knocked loose on the beach.... somebody describe to me what I'm looking for, or better yet, got a video or audio? somehow I just don't "get it". Thanks!
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Post by mohs on Sept 20, 2014 11:46:16 GMT -5
you saw that video that was playing the rock xylophone? someone mentioned that the rocks were jade they made a nice sound
Keep hammering those rocks you metamorphose into something else or make them magnetic
Interesting to hear what happens
Ed mostly
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Post by washingtonrocks on Sept 20, 2014 12:06:00 GMT -5
snowmom, as Ed mentioned in referring to that cool video juzwuz linked to, a true jade will have a melodic ring to it when struck with a hammer...The rock itself that is, not the hammer. This "ring" is especially evident if you can clink two slender shaped pieces of jade together. It'll register a lovely, high-pitched melodic note. It should also be noted that if you are attempting to break a jade with a hammer, take with you some patience and a little elbow grease. The first time I attempted to bludgeon a piece of nephrite I about broke my wrist haha. A sledge hammer might be a better tool.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 20, 2014 16:04:34 GMT -5
Yup, it's the jade itself that rings. When I used to go out with the Porterville, CA club to hunt jade, the jade lenses were often vertically bedded in the host rock. You could just take your hammer and bop likely looking pieces and you'd hear, thump, thump, ding. The ding was the jade, the thump usually some form of serpentine rock. Like Washngtonrocks says, jade boulders can be real hammer breakers. Sometimes the dang hammer rebounds so hard it about throws ya over backwards and I've seen a few handles broke off too *L*. Some of the good looking boulders we found were car sized and believe me, we tried to break off hunks but to no avail. Eventually one has to concede the boulder has won the battle *L*.....Mel
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bcrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 418
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Post by bcrockhound on Sept 20, 2014 16:36:03 GMT -5
Good thread, snowmom. That's one tip I've read about too that I can't seem to understand in practice. This will help.
Edit: Then again it may be because I'm basically tone deaf!
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Post by snowmom on Sept 20, 2014 16:40:50 GMT -5
my jade wannabes. I smacked them all. they click like billiard balls but the hammer is what rings. if I hit one rock with another I also get clicks, no thunks, but no rings. Anybody recognize this stuff? I love the surfaces on them, and the ridges and dips where they were obviously formed between other rocks and filled a cavity.. what does this? Chalcedony, jasper, mystery stuff. Thanks to all of you who have gotten me this far. Will be interesting to see where we all end up!
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bcrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 418
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Post by bcrockhound on Sept 20, 2014 17:32:02 GMT -5
Some of that looks like the basalt here. Super smooth, almost pure black or greeny lumps. Heavy. I've picked up a few too.
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spiritstone
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Member since August 2014
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Post by spiritstone on Sept 20, 2014 20:05:51 GMT -5
What I have seen and heard is true as they are mentioning. Take the two jade slabs or rocks and tap them together. They shouldnt chip unless you really smack em hard together. If they are jade, they do make a higher pitch sound and a vibration to the ear. Kind of a ping or ting sound. lol Very good tip that is brought up by all.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 20, 2014 21:03:10 GMT -5
Just a little safety warning. Nail hammers are not meant for striking rocks. That's why they make "rock" hammers. Steel in nail hammers is often times too brittle for such contact and the hammer can shed big hunks of steel off the head if you slug a hard or tough rock. Especially true with Chinese made steel you find in cheaper hammers. Seen a steel fragment go into a fellow's leg that had to be surgically removed and I heard it was not a fun experience.....Mel
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Post by Jugglerguy on Sept 20, 2014 21:44:40 GMT -5
Snowmom, I have a rock hammer you can borrow to bang on your rocks. Come and get it!
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Post by snowmom on Sept 21, 2014 6:13:53 GMT -5
great advice and thanks Mel and Rob. I am asking for a rock hammer for Christmas! (and a hardness testing kit, and... and...) BCrockhound, I keep hearing basalt, so I am guessing this is what it may be. WashingtonRocks suggested epidote/olivine with the basalt, some of the greenish rocks I have surely look the right color. I will probably have to submit a few slivers for testing and be done with it. I love them whatever they are!
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panamark
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,343
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Post by panamark on Sept 21, 2014 16:57:31 GMT -5
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Post by Jugglerguy on Sept 21, 2014 18:30:20 GMT -5
Yep, you can really bang rocks together well, Mark. The second video isn't working for me though, so I'm not sure about your ability to post videos of banging rocks together. Tell your wife I enjoyed the video.
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panamark
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2012
Posts: 1,343
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Post by panamark on Sept 21, 2014 19:54:49 GMT -5
Yep, you can really bang rocks together well, Mark. The second video isn't working for me though, so I'm not sure about your ability to post videos of banging rocks together. Tell your wife I enjoyed the video. ROFL. Should this be called "remedial rock knapping?" My only response to my wife was "hey, someone asked for this" We can't all be as academic as James, LOL
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2014 20:29:27 GMT -5
No wonder why that never worked for me, I could not tell the difference in any of them except for the hammer hitting the last black rock. Going to have to continue letting the hammer hit me in the head I guess. Jim BTW Thanks for taking the time to put that together though, someone that has better hearing may be helped.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,456
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 21, 2014 21:22:12 GMT -5
In my old age, I've gotten much more careful even in hitting rocks with a rock hammer. My eye opening experience was in the north Cady's. I was trying to knock a spall off a big agate boulder to see if it was glassy or not and didn't even feel the super sharp small flake that hit my leg and went through my pants. Just felt my foot get wet and looked to find my whole boot full of blood. Cut was as clean and perfect as a scalpel cut. It was such a clean cut, it didn't even hardly leave a scar......Mel
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Post by snowmom on Sept 22, 2014 5:49:13 GMT -5
thanks for the warnings, I appreciate it and am safety oriented. I'll take precautions and use the right tools from now on. More on the rocks above. I took several likely small ones out to the garage and put them in the tumbler. They are definitely basalt, at least the heavy black ones (jury still out on the green stuff). The outer layer seems to be silicified and the inner layers go from black in some cases to brown. Still seem to polish up nice... almost prettier with the silica. Most of the rocks here will become victims for doing houseplant bonsai or will be turned into poor man's suiseki. Black rock puzzle solved once and for all, now on to the greens. Thanks everybody for your input and for your concern for my safety. Very appreciated!
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Post by snowmom on Sept 22, 2014 6:00:26 GMT -5
Panamark, thanks so much for the video/audios... it is not what I expected it to sound like at all, but helps very clearly to differentiate the sound of one kind of rock over the other. I am sound oriented rather than visual in nature, so that was extremely helpful! Thanks so much for taking the time and trouble to do that! But now I have to go down and smack all the rocks together again and listen closely. I do believe most of them are basalt, but some of them look so much like the jade you are using for demo I have to go back and check again. For my all my jade consultants: Here is another question. I polished these with a microfiber cloth and many of them charged the cloth so that when I took it from the rock I got all sorts of static sparks... is that something that will happen with jade or will any silicate type rock do that? I suspect the latter, since I know one can use glass to create a charge as well...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2014 6:49:20 GMT -5
Do like we used to do when we were kids with balloons. Charge up the rocks and see if they will stick to your head. I am sure jade will fall off unless you let the blood dry real good before you turn loose of the rock. Best if this is done while sitting because you do not want the rock to fall on your foot and injure it. (the foot, not the rock) Jim
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Post by Pat on Sept 22, 2014 11:46:40 GMT -5
This is very helpful. thanks for posting. I've also heard that jade is heavier than you would expect for its size. Also heard that it is colder to the touch than other rocks.
Someone please correct me if I am wrong!
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