Author Topic: Quartz  (Read 4638 times)

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Offline Marc St Louis

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Quartz
« on: August 03, 2011, 10:00:34 am »
My wife and I went to an Algonquin nation gathering a few weeks ago and on the way back home we saw this odd formation of rock, naturally we had to stop and have a look.  Mixed into this odd looking stone deposit was a small quantity of some very nice and clean Quartz.  I was only able to collect 1 piece but I was able to make this point out of it.



Quartz is hard to work but the finished product is sharp.

Still don't know what the other deposit is
« Last Edit: December 31, 2019, 08:45:19 am by Marc St Louis »
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Offline Tower

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2011, 10:58:32 am »
Sweet. That would make a nice necklace.
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Offline cowboy

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2011, 12:39:35 pm »
That is some pure looking quartz Marc. Almost like salt. I have a big chunk i found in NC. Never tried to knap it, may have to now, hmm..
When you come upon a track or trail you do not know, follow it to the point of knowing.

Offline Lee Slikkers

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2011, 01:20:03 pm »
Nice work Marc...I have a nice sized rock that I think is Quartz and I've always wondered if it was knappable.  I'll have to snap a pic or two and see if you folks agree that is what it is or not.  Thanks for sharing.

~ Lee

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"The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: 'What good is it?"
— Aldo Leopold
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Offline AncientArcher76

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2011, 10:52:07 am »
I forgot u knapp Marc... looks good for a tough material!   As mentioned a necklace would look amazing at the same time would look just as good busting through some meat!  Cheers!

Russ
Time, dedication, cuts, tons of broken rock, a wife, and perhaps a few girlfriends are some of what it takes in becoming a skilled flint knapper!!!
 
"Ancient Art"  by R. Hill

Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2011, 01:42:14 pm »
Perhaps it would look good as a necklace but I wouldn't do that in its present shape, it's too sharp and pointy.  I would dull the point and abrade the edge first.  No it went on an arrow, part of a set I'm making for our chief.





As a side note.  A archeologist recently found a site near me and after some cleaning and digging he found a vein of Quartz that you can plainly see had been worked on for tools but the abos of that region.  I plan on going to have a look see and try and get permission from their chief to take samples back with me.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2019, 08:46:39 am by Marc St Louis »
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Offline Lee Slikkers

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2011, 05:10:22 pm »
Marc (or anyone else) can you tell from these photos if this is Quartz or not?







The edges do feel a bit "granular" and can be scraped off like grains of silica or sand.

~ Lee

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"The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: 'What good is it?"
— Aldo Leopold
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Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2011, 11:54:37 am »
Looks like Quartz to me Lee.  A lot of the Quartz up here is not suitable for tools but you do find some nice deposits sometimes.
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Offline Lee Slikkers

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2011, 12:50:11 pm »
Thanks Marc...I split off a bunch of spals of this stuff so I guess now that I have a little rock to learn on I better read up and see if I can't make a decent head.  The rock I got these from is about a 200lb rock so these is plenty more to practice on.
~ Lee

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"The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: 'What good is it?"
— Aldo Leopold
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Offline jamie

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #9 on: August 08, 2011, 08:35:14 am »
great work marc. quartz is excellent material if you can keep the piece together to finish it. its as sharp as obsidian in my opinion .
"Man is a tool-using animal. Without tools he is nothing, with tools he is all."

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Offline mullet

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #10 on: August 08, 2011, 10:41:40 pm »
 That's a good looking set of arrows, Marc. I've made some pretty points from quartze crystals from North Carolina. And you are right, it is sharp.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Offline beetlebailey1977

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #11 on: August 08, 2011, 11:35:34 pm »
It looks like a killer to me Marc.  Good work.
Happy hunting to all!
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Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2011, 12:39:49 pm »
Thanks guys.

That Quartz point is indeed sharp, not quite as sharp as Obsidian though.  The other points are made from some rock I got from Paul.
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Offline cowboy

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #13 on: August 09, 2011, 05:30:55 pm »
Oh, I didn't realize that was from some of my rock Marc - makes em look just that much better ;D. Good looking arrows! How did that stuff work out for you as far as some blades?
When you come upon a track or trail you do not know, follow it to the point of knowing.

Offline ordcorpdw

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Re: Quartz
« Reply #14 on: August 10, 2011, 11:13:45 pm »
I have a large piece of quartz sitting on a shelf. Does it fracture like chert and obsidian? I also live near the town of Quartzsite. whole lotta quartz there. Never tried it.