glass "pebbles"

[zenmonkeyman]

Cool work Lobo!  Thanks for the advice and encouragement, everybody.  I thought I might be able to knock some edges off one of these things by scoring it with a glass cutter and hitting it just right...  It shattered into a potential emergency room nightmare.  I still think it must be possible to break off the edges and have nice platforms, but it will require some trial and error.  I've been watching the dumpster for glass bottles, but it seems everybody's going to really thin glass.  Rumor has it beer bottles destined for drinking establishments are made of thicker glass?  But what I find in the parking lot on Sunday morning is pretty thin.

[Outbackbob48]

I go to old dumps that I remeber seeing in my youth.   Most old farms dumped stuff in the nearest ravine or gully . You can get some nice glass out of these places , I really like the old clorox bottle bottoms, an don't forget nice blue mason jars. I'm so old now have trouble remebering yesterday let alone my youth   Later Bob

[StevenT]

Zen, my two cents worth would be to echo that you should give up on the little disk. Especially since you are just learning. Those things come with all kinds of special challenges that a person just stating out would have no idea how to work them.  Go with the other suggestions provided for sources of glass.

And to answer another question that was asked.... computer monitors (CRT types) work just as good as old TV tubes. There is another thread that outlines the precautions with the phosphor coating inside the screen.

[wildman]

I have had luck with old beveled glass out of mirrors I just started knapping and the glass is very forgiving I could send a few pieces if you can't find any

[zenmonkeyman]

I just finished off a nice square bottle of Amaretto liquer, and the  glass seems quite thick, so I may have some good starting material here.

[jamie]

if you decide to whack one of those again. stand one on end with a soft flat stone as a base, hold it by the edges, wear gloves (good ones) and glasses. and hit it with a sharp blow on the top with a soft hammerstone. chances are it wont work because of the imperfections in the glass but if it does work it should split in roughly two pieces giving you an edge to start work ing on. its the same method used to split river cobbles.

[david w.]

glass makes a good point. just ask my fingers

[zenmonkeyman]

You guys are great!

You offer to send me materials, you offer good advice, and you make me laugh.  I love the company I'm keeping around here.