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Post by stoner on Mar 6, 2006 20:30:53 GMT -5
Hi all. Got a chance to do some slabbin' on my big saw today. Man, that felt good. This is a rock I got from Tony and if anyone knows what it may be, speak up. He found it in the Santa Cruz Mts here in the Bay Area. Then I tried cutting up a chunk of jade he was having problems with on his 12" saw. I don't know Tony, I think this must be green diamond cuz it took forever just to cut this one slab. Then I thought I'd try and clear my blade of any buildup from the jade by cutting some of the Mahogany obsidian. Here's two close up. And here's all of the slabs I cut. Thanks for looking, Ed
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Post by Bikerrandy on Mar 6, 2006 20:43:05 GMT -5
I love the obsidian! One of these days I'm gonna start cutting up some of mine.
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thehawke
freely admits to licking rocks
My Lord and Master
Member since January 2006
Posts: 866
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Post by thehawke on Mar 6, 2006 20:44:56 GMT -5
LOL! I know what you mean. I have 50 lbs. of obsidan (mixed) to play with when I get around to it.
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Post by Cher on Mar 6, 2006 20:50:58 GMT -5
Wow Stoner, that first chunk is awesome, you need to send Tony back to where he found that and look for some more, that's absolutely gorgeous. The mahogony obsidian is pretty amazing too. So what's the story on the jade, why do you think it was so hard to cut?
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Post by Tweetiepy on Mar 6, 2006 21:57:36 GMT -5
I'm awestruck - beautiful stuff - like the jade too - that mahogony obsidian is red? Thought mahogony was brownish??? very nice!
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Post by Cher on Mar 6, 2006 22:00:28 GMT -5
It looks more like mahogony or brownish colored when it's in big chunks, more orange when it's cut into thinner slabs.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,484
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 6, 2006 22:11:08 GMT -5
Ed: The way it was explained to me, the jade is so difficult to cut because it's so tough and fibrous it tends to draw the steel of the blade over the exposed diamond in sort of a glazing effect ( rhodonite apparently does this too). When less diamond surface is exposed the blade cuts slower. I have lots of problems with some jade too. I guess I'd classify that top stone as brecciated jasper. It seems to occur from Ventura county clear up to Washington in various spots all throughout the coast ranges with only a few varieties ( ie Stone Canyon, Squires Ranch etc) having kind of official varietal names.....mel
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Post by gemkoi on Mar 6, 2006 22:13:15 GMT -5
Nice pics!, the frist is some sort of breccaite jasper, theres allot from calidornia. That jade is real nice. And taht how you know it real jade, it makes you saw sing. When i frist got into the hobby of it, i found a collection with both CAli JAde, and Cali Serpentine. They looked identical, so i thought i was all jade. UNtill i cut it, seeing how fast the serpentine cut, then put a piece of real jade on the saw, and came up with you question. AFter a while i found out that JAde, it hard and very dence in the crystal makeup. That why carvers love it! Thanks for sharing stoner.
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Post by stoner on Mar 6, 2006 22:22:19 GMT -5
I've cut other pieces of jade from Tony and didn't have this much trouble. I think this is just one hard piece, in fact, the reason I'm cutting it for his is cuz his 12" saw couldn't handle it, just bogged down. My 18" didn't bog down, just took forever to cut. I use a gravity feed on my saw. I was thinking of breaking up some of that red jasper and seeing how it tumbles, but I'll probably cab a piece first to see what kind of a shine it takes.
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RedwoodRocks
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2003
Posts: 762
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Post by RedwoodRocks on Mar 6, 2006 22:29:04 GMT -5
Ed, nice slabs! I have of Tony's jade and found the same thing, it takes a long time to cut. Sabre, thanks for the explanation, I thought something was wrong with my saw LOL. Cal
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Post by stoner on Mar 6, 2006 22:44:36 GMT -5
There WAS something wrong with your saw!
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Post by driftwood on Mar 6, 2006 23:10:36 GMT -5
Your right some jade is harder then the other, the real solid ones with no fractures are the tough ones. The slabs look awesome. Tony
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Post by rockyraccoon on Mar 7, 2006 0:16:20 GMT -5
yeah it looks like fun to me stoner!
kim
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Post by rockds on Mar 7, 2006 0:18:13 GMT -5
nice looking slabs, the 1st ones look great
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