In the shop 1/22/2013 - WOW! MARCASITE

[Redrummd]

I have a new stone I was able to get a small amount of that I have never seen this version of before and that is Marcasite in Quartz. I was able to get a few slabs from a collection that are probably 90% Marcasite which is mostly iron. In fact I have attached a photo of long stack of magnets sticking to the side of one of the scales.

I believe I will be having problems getting good photos as the Marcasite acts as a gold colored mirror. You can clearly see the camera and my hands in a couple of the photos I took.

So, let me know what you think of this stone.

I also included a photo of the heater being guarded by my two shop dogs with my wife's new puppy up visiting. I think Ginger was over doing the heater protection a wee bit....

 

[testdw]

Mike,

The Marcasite in Quartz looks very interesting. It's difficult to be sure exactly what it would look like in hand, but the gold colored mirror effect looks dynamic. It also looks like it has a great polish finish. I think you have another winner that I would be interested in purchasing.

Thanks for the dog photo. I looks like Ginger runs the shop.

Happy Days,
Dennis

 

[Redrummd]

I am hoping Lance drops in on this thread as he was in my shop when I was doing the preform scales for this knife and I gave him a polished piece to take with him.

 

[hohenstreetroa]

Amazing stone, Michael! These pics will hopefully allow you to see the mirror-like reflective properties of this stone. Some pictures are with the flash & some without, some of the polished side of the stone, some of the raw side. LOOK CAREFULLY and you will notice some of the quartz areas... enjoy...
Link to my photobucket:
http://s1215.beta.photobucket.com/user/militarypreacher/library/Visit with Mike Nov 2012 Marcasite

 

[Redrummd]

Lance, Wow, great job on the photos.

Thanks!

 

[testdw]

Lance,

You have 2nd calling in life.......photography. Great photo's to see the Quartz and the mirror reflective qualities. They are extremely helpful to see the Marcasite characteristics. Now I know for sure that Mike's new stone will be outstanding. Thanks for all your time, Lance.

Dennis

 

[dgedra]

Michael,

This is a most interesting (and beautiful) material. The excellent photos by Lance really help capture its visual properties. Since Marcasite is mostly iron, do you find it more dirty/messy to work with than most materials? My Dad was a machinist for many years and told me that working with iron was significantly dirtier work than working with steel as it created lots of black iron dust... The finished 110 is nothing short of stunning and will certainly be in high demand.

Thank you to all for sharing.

Dave

 

[Redrummd]

Double post due to computer time out!

 

[Redrummd]

This Marcasite and the black Psilomelane are both UGLY to work with. They turn everything black and if there is the tiniest hole in my gloves my skin is literally dyed black and it takes a couple of days to wear off! My fingernails and cuticals are black until I cut off the sections exposed.

 

[testdw]

Mike,

Those 3 blue knives also look like excellent beauties. What stones are they? The smaller Case knife seems to be well Agatized.

Dennis

 

[Redrummd]

The photos have int he background a Case barehead Peanut in Arizona Wood. There is a Buck 110 with Bouse Az Chrysocolla, a Buck 110 with Peruvian Malachite/Chrysocolla and a Case Seahorse with Vulture Mt. Chrysocolla in Quartz.

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

Really cool!

We have that material locally and it is just incredible in person when polished up. That is a really choice piece for the scales! Nice work.

 

[testdw]

Mike,

All four of those look great. Especially like the Case Seahorse Chrysocolla in Quartz ...... looks like my cup of tea. Anxious to see the photos.

Dennis

 

[Redrummd]

I just listed the knife on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=321067811845&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

 

[9blades]

First off that's a beautiful knife!

And it made me think of this little gem I found while I was walking along the railroad track......


It's a piece of copper iron sulfide.

 

[Redrummd]

I finally remembered to actually post pictures of a knife finished with this Marcasite in Quartz! The dark looking spots in the show side first photo is a reflection of something. It is tough to take pictures as the Marcasite has a mirror like polish that looks like an antique mirror.

 

[Redrummd]

Darrell Gulin took a couple of photos of the knife I have listed on my website and combined the two photos into one. Here is his photo of the knife and this stone.