I
have walked the creek beds for months but to no avail. I heard that various
types of agate and jasper could be found in British Columbia near Salmon
Arm so I packed up and drove the eight hours but came home unsuccessful.
Without a steady source of materials I have been forced to buy some stone
off of the net and a local rock shop.
Due to this situation I am quickly beginning to prefer sawed slabs. They have some benefits as they are already thinned, thus avoiding irregular shapes, somewhat easier to pressure flake (sometimes) and most importantly, less waste; thus saving where it hurts the most. However, there is nothing like the feel of taking a regularly shaped stone and beating on it until it forms the desired shape.
Below I attempt to describe the stones that I have worked and those that I am still waiting to work on.
Click on any of the pictures to view a larger image.
Agate - Brazilian
Comments: Before heat treatment pressure flaking only resulted in small scarring flakes near to the edge, but after I was able to send smooth flakes well into the center of the stone. They really didn't require much force to flake off and felt like butter with a hot knife. Due the different colors, I look forward to working with this stone more.
Color: Brown, white and clear. This see through stone has many unique designs in it which varies per slab. Note some people dye the stone into many colors.
Montana Agate
Comments: Once heat treated it seems to flake easier than agates, much like obsidian even! It is a beautiful stone and clear (or black) with lots of waves and speckles in. It is currently my favourite stone. Heat treat this stuff and work it gently.
Color: Clear and/or and not with black streaks or specs.
Agate - Moss, Green
Comments: Green Moss Agate is hard to work and has another major difficulty; These rocks are often riddled with crystals which cause hollow spots within the rock. When flaked off they cause pieces to break. A close examination of the rock prior to working it is therefore, necessary.
Color: This type of agate does in fact look like moss between two planes of glass. It is green and white and when placed to the light is clear with speckles shining.
Agate - Moss, Red
Comments: Red Moss Agate is hard to work and has another major difficulty; These rocks are often riddled with crystals which cause hollow spots within the rock. When flaked off they cause pieces to break. A close examination of the rock prior to working it is therefore, necessary.
Color: This type of agate does in fact look like moss between two planes of glass. It is red and white and when placed to the light is clear with speckles shining.
Agate - Polka Dot
Comments: I have only tried a few pieces but love it so far. Will write more as I learn from it.
Color: White with black, red and brown speckles. Some almost have a purple hue.
Burlington, MO
Comments: This stuff is absolutely beautiful! However, it is not for the beginner. It does flake nice but the flakes are hard to see and it has a grainy feel and many tuff spots that require absolute concentration.
Color: Many colors; white, pink, browns, yellow and lots of lines and specs.
Dacite
Comments: I have only tried a few slabs of this stuff and it was hard to figure out. It is like a very waxy obsidian. It requires no heat treatment and works much the same.
Goldstone and Fiber Optics
Comments: Fiber optics and goldstone are the best! They flake with no heat treatment and are easier than glass or obsidian (Note that you must be way more careful). It is amazing and very easy to work although the "shine" makes edge work difficult.
Flint
Comments: Once heat treated it seems to flake easier than agates, but with more effort than obsidian. I found that different types of flint work better than others. I had some difficulties with some of the pieces but other's flakes seemed to just fall off. The picture here is of Arkansas flint and is lousy! For good flint go to Texas or the UK. Remember that every rock is different.
Color: White, grey, brown and black. (Many other colors also)
Hickoryite
Comments: It is tough stuff and not meant for knapping. This type of stone just loves to eat copper tools but if worked with thought it can be worked.
Color: Brown with stripes and colours.
Keokuk
Comments: Works like grainy flint.
Color: Pink.
Knife River Flint
Comments: It great stuff when treated at about 450 degrees. Works like glass.
Color: Brown.
Glass Bottles
Comments: Every knapper's favourite source! While I am working agate on a hot day, I am often enjoying one of my favourite beverages. What makes it great is knowing that once I am done, I will have more material available. In fact, I have even changed brands of beer simply for the bottom. For bottles you want a flat bottom with minimum logos or writing. Other glass objects work just as well, if not better, like aquarium glass. However, clear glass is more difficult as finding the ridges and flakes is sometimes a chore.
Color: Varies.
Jasper - Fancy/India
Comments: This is a great jasper, way better than picture or scenic jasper which is tuff stuff. Some of it has sandy green stuff or crystals so a sharp eye may be necessary. It is very colorful and comes in greens, yellows, reds and more.
Color: Mixture of red, green, yellow, white and lots more - all in one.
Jasper - Red
Comments: I have tried several pieces. Two of them were impossible and soon shattered or scared terribly so I left them for re-heating. The other flaked but only in small distances, with great effort and didn't come off as smoothly as agate. This type of jasper is largely garbage. Don't waste your time or money.
Color: Red and some white.
Jasper - Picture
Comments: I have tried several pieces. They require extended heat treatment and are still difficult to flake but are very pretty.
Color: Brown with nice patterns. Expensive.
Jasper - Scenic
Comments: I have tried several pieces. They require extended heat treatment and are still difficult to flake but are very pretty.
Color: Brown with nice patterns. Expensive.
Jasper - Sunset
Comments: Only tried a few and overheated it to crumbles. If heated properly, this stuff works great. A careful eye is necessary as with color comes problems, i.e look for cracks..
Color: Green, orange, yellow and red.
Novaculite
Comments: It requires heat treatment reaching temperatures of 700 oF or higher. Once treated it is great. Without heat, it hinges like crazy and is very tuff stuff.
Color: White and Grey. Other colors too but I haven't worked them.
Obsidian - Black
Comments: Obsidian is the easiest stone to knap and is even easier than glass. Flakes come off smoothly and with little effort. Care is necessary though, especially when applying percussion as obsidian is not too forgiving of mistakes.
Color: Black.
Obsidian - Burns Green
Comments: This obsidian is beautiful. This one looks like frog skin and others have a slight blue streaks through them. This type of obsidian is hard to acquire though. Thanks for the slabs Jae!.
Color: Green, some light blue.
Obsidian - Mahogany
Comments: It requires less pressure and flakes perfectly, which, due to the lighter color, can be seen with greater ease. It is does have a habit of scarring easier though.
Color: Varies per stone. Some are beautiful brown while others are black and clear. The second type, when put to the light, can resemble a zebras back with lines of gray and black showing through the clear stone.
Obsidian - Snowflake
Comments: While it flakes easily, these darn little snowflakes (ashes) make it difficult. They are hard to force through and can have some imperfections causing the stone to break. Again, extra care must be exercised. I personally do not like this stone.
Color: Black with speckles of white in them that do in fact resemble snow flakes.
Obsidian - Peacock
Comments: This type of obsidian can be more waxy and delicate than the others. It flakes easier and with more color. I love it but can't afford it.
N.B. This is a magnificently colored stone but, unless polished (with the added risk of dulling or breaking the piece) it doesn't shine as good. Since it is quite a bit more expensive, it is not worth knapping unless it came to you for free or you can afford it.
Color: Similar to black obsidian but has shades of color running through it that really shine when polished.
Obsidian - Rainbow
Comments: This type of obsidian can be more waxy and delicate than the others. It flakes easier and with more color. I love it but can't afford it.
N.B. This is a magnificently colored stone but, unless polished (with the added risk of dulling or breaking the piece) it doesn't shine as good. Since it is quite a bit more expensive, it is not worth knapping unless it came to you for free or you can afford it.
Color: Similar to black obsidian but has shades of color running through it that really shine when polished.
Opal - Oregon
Comments: This stuff requires no heat treatment and works very easy. A delicate hand is needed.
Color: It comes in a variety from brown to clear.
Petrified Wood
Comments: This stuff, once heat treated, works great! There are many types though and some are good, and others aren't.
Color: It comes in a great variety of colors and designs.
Petrified Palm Wood
Comments: This stuff is certainly meant for experienced individuals. It is extremely temperamental and grainy and hinges easily. But with concentration it can be worked. It is beautiful material.
Color: It depends but could include white, orange, brown black with lines and specs.
Toilet Chert - Johnstone
Comments: This material is obviously an old toilet. It works great for practice and is highly recommended for practicing on. Water treatment aids this stone. Lets waste this stuff instead of depleting our resources on good quality stone. But, like Derek said, "Stay away from the brown stuff!"
Untried Stones
Some other stones that I know of that can be knapped but that I have not yet tried are? If you are struggling, feel free to send me a couple of pieces and I can let you know if it can be worked and how to.
Below shows a picture of a chert mine in Alberta, Canada used by the local Native Americans for hundreds of years. It is nothing more than a mountain side covered in stone. They abandoned it 500 years ago for obsidian and knife river flint from trade routes. Vegetation has now grown over the chert on this private land. The only thing I found was poor quality chert, grizzly bear droppings and tracks.
Additional Resources
This Page Was Last Updated October 04, 2007
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