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Offline HoBow

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Purple Fluorite
« on: April 21, 2009, 04:12:53 pm »
Is fluorite knappable?  I have some fist size purple rocks I found  up in Kentucky that are quite nice----I have attached some pictures I found on the web that resemble the ones I found.....

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Jeff Utley- Atlanta GA

Offline sailordad

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Re: Purple Fluorite
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2009, 06:22:35 pm »
send me a hunk and ill let ya know ;D

personally i dont know,i am quit new to knapping but i am sure someone with knowledge wil chime in soon
you could just  try it and let us all know too
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Offline cowboy

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Re: Purple Fluorite
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2009, 07:13:32 pm »
Man that is some purty stuff! Same as amythyst? Looks all fractured up inside in which case it won't work for knapping. Might want to just leave it whole and put on the mantle to admire later :).
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Offline HoBow

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Re: Purple Fluorite
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2009, 08:20:25 pm »
These are two rocks of a trunk full that I actually brought home.  Apparently southern Illinois and Kentucky and somewhere in Africa are the only places in the world that has this exact stuff (color, base, etc....).  I got it at the base of a new opening of a coal mine that was getting ready to help open up.....he said they were taking away football size rocks that were pure like the all purple piece....there was also some clear and greenish hue colors.

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Jeff Utley- Atlanta GA

Offline Hillbilly

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Re: Purple Fluorite
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2009, 08:52:55 pm »
I don't know if flourite would knap or not, just depends on whether it has a conchoidial fracture. From what I can remember, I think flourite is fairly soft-about a 4 on the Mohs scale. Amythest is just purple-colored qartz, it's pretty hard, about a Mohs 7. That flourite sure is some pretty stuff, though.
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Offline Dauntless

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Re: Purple Fluorite
« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2009, 07:02:48 pm »
If it is homogeneous, it should have conchoidal fractures and alll stone is knappable to a certain extent.  Even fresh bone can serve if it is thick enough.
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Offline StevenT

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Re: Purple Fluorite
« Reply #6 on: September 14, 2009, 04:11:35 pm »
Jeff,
I was searching back through the post hunting for anything on purple rock. Came across this post and I know it is was a few months back, but I was wondering if you ever tried to knap the big sold fluorite like in the one picture? You said you gathered up a trunk load of the stuff... so I as wondering if it knapped and if you still have a bunch of it?
Steven
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Offline HoBow

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Re: Purple Fluorite
« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2009, 09:09:53 am »
Sorry Steven, found out this stuff is not knappable.  It does not have a conchoidial fracture.  I've seen necklaces made out of the stuff, but not sure how they did it. Perhaps they polished it down...
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Jeff Utley- Atlanta GA

Offline StevenT

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Re: Purple Fluorite
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2009, 10:33:08 am »
Would you still have one of those big purple chunks you wouldn't mind parting with. I would sure like to see if I could come up with something.
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Offline HoBow

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Re: Purple Fluorite
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2009, 10:47:02 am »
I have moved since then, so I would have to find it.  I'm not sure where I put all that rock, so it will take me a week or so.  How big of a piece are you looking for?  You looking to trade?
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Jeff Utley- Atlanta GA

Offline StevenT

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Re: Purple Fluorite
« Reply #10 on: September 21, 2009, 12:16:45 pm »
A piece big enough to possibly be cut into a small slab that I may be able to grind and flake. It would all be a trial and error thing, so some room for error would be nice.

I am rather new at this, so have limited access to trade items, but if I could produce something you could use..... yup!
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