(Cooked) common opal (some points, poor pic sorry)

[Ahnlaashock]

I pulled up a page with knapping opal listed, and a picture of a gem grade knapped knife blade, but it is a commercial site with knapping opal for sale, with prices listed.   I don't know if posting the address of such a site is permissible, but if it is, I will post it for everyone to look at.  It is not a mine owner site.  it is a dealer site.  The knife blade is excellent. 

[TRACY]

Nice looking points Ed! I've knapped some and it seemed softer than obsidian but makes a sharp point.


Tracy

[Bryce]

I would rather knap local stuff. Ed lives about 45 mins NW of me is why I asked.


Thank you though, very thoughtful:)

[Ahnlaashock]

Understood.  Wish there was local opal to knap.  If you find any of the local material from St. Louis County, it will often look like the highest gem grade black, but it will be in thin layers as crack filling, and it is worth so much as specimens, that you would be crazy to try and work it. 
I am likely to order a couple of kilos of material for myself in the next little while.  I really like working opal, cutting or knapping.  I have already requested prices on material from the site. 
I worked four little points out of raw Burlington today, and my hands say the opal suits them better too! 

[bubby]

I've used it a few times and like said it is soft and needs a light touch, same thing with opalized petrified wood but it has more color and imo it makes a prettier point, should be able to get the opal petri wood up there bryce

[lostarrow]

I pulled up a page with knapping opal listed, and a picture of a gem grade knapped knife blade, but it is a commercial site with knapping opal for sale, with prices listed.   I don't know if posting the address of such a site is permissible, but if it is, I will post it for everyone to look at.  It is not a mine owner site.  it is a dealer site.  The knife blade is excellent.

 Can't post a direct link but can name the company for someone to look up, I believe. Best to check the rules under "please read this"

[Ed Brooks]

Ahnlaashock that is some pretty rock I have not found anything like that color wise. Thanks Traper, Tracy I can see my self getting better (slowly), Bryce PM sent. thank you all for looking. Ed

[Ahnlaashock]

The company is Australian Opal Mines, and I have seen pictures of at least four knife blades now made of opal either on his site, or in pictures in my correspondence with him. 
I placed a 9 ounce order of three different types, and will use that to judge what grade is best for my use. 
The one I posted pictures of, is so thin, that getting flakes to run to center, is going to eat up about half or so of the size, unless I get lucky. 
There is a chunky piece on Ebay that might make a point too. 

[vinemaplebows]

Ed,

          You finding it in western wa, or eastern? I use to get some outside of Enumclaw off forest service road 70...way back in the hills. You can find it in Vantage as well as wood.


Vmb

[Ed Brooks]

VMB, I find this stuff on the Wet side in Pacific County. Ed

[Sparrow]

I've a couple of hundred pounds of the stuff I got out of a road cut over here in Garfield County (Washington) Some is pretty good and some kinda grainy,the bigger pieces (30 / 40 lbs.) have a better grain and flakes straighter. I've given some away and made quite a few points that are nice,not a real tough material though.I have brown was given some White and I have heard about some green,but hadn't gone to the place and looked for it yet.  I still have Yosemite Ben in line for some of it,hope to send it eventually.  '  Frank

[Tower]

Here are some pics of the common opal Sparrow sent me.
.
Here are some.

[Ahnlaashock]

How easily does it work? 
It looks like these are some of the blends I talked about earlier.  Somewhere, I have a chunk from somewhere in the Northwest, that has black almost moss patterns in a base that looks much like the larger piece you posted a picture of.  It wasn't much good for lapidary because the dendrites would undercut badly.  When it warms up, I will see if I can find it. 
I also have a piece that is from Illinois, that has green moss in it from wall to wall.  Soft as that one is, I doubt it would knap at all. 

[Ed Brooks]

Tower. Those are awesome.

[Ed Brooks]

I followed a how to on cooking chert by Iowabow (thank you) the:  link http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,40945.0.html

I did exactly like he said well best I could remember when I got to it. I  dug a hole put 2 inches of sand in it, put my rocks in the sand put 2" of dirt over that built a camp fire and pretty much left it for 2 days. well not so exactly like he did, but it worked. My opal works a lot better. I only put a couple small junk pieces in there as I was thinking it would make a soft rock even softer, not the case.
I do not know the temps, this may give some of you guys a clue to the temp tho. I had some agate / carnelian and some jasper. the carnelian just started getting glassy and the really thin small pieces of jasper (dime size) just started to flake good. I'm going to try this again as soon as the ground thaws out around here. Ed.