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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 11:32 am 
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The pics above remind me that my slab of dino bone apparently is still at the Italian Customs, or somewhere in Italy (I bought it almost 2 months ago and I had to fill a pile of paperwork for 26$ (including shipping!) worth of merchandise :) ).
But a few months ago I used my first petrified wood slab to make my first knife. Which went to my dad for his b-day. :D
Unknown wood, but sure it's pretty.
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I now have a couple of little slabs of beautiful "orange sycamore" fossile wood. Now I only need to decide what to do with it since one piece is ~1mm shorter to cut the 58mm victorinox knife scales... #-o

I also have a piece of low grade dino bone I got as a freebie, and I used it to practice with. It DOES smell funny when you cut it! If you can extract the essence and make it into a perfume... I foresee the ads: "My secret in bed is just two drop of T-Rex No. 5". Who in the world wouldn't enjoy to smell like a brontosaurus? :lol:

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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 12:11 pm 
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Opalized Jawbone Section
Pleiosaur sp.
Coober Pedy, Australia

An opal replacement of a plesiosaur jawbone originating from the classic region known for white opals. While cellular structure is still clearly visible on the surface, a small “window” has been polished on the skin to display the cutting-quality gem material within. A brilliant array of spectral hues and broad flashes of play-of-color abound. Sure to entice either the serious gem opal collector or collector of opalized fossils.
Weighing approximately 232.50 carats and measuring 6.0 x 6.0 x 2.0 cm.

courtesy of Bonhams Natural History Auctions:
Sale 16089 - Natural History, 22 Jun 2008


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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 12:16 pm 
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Fantastic!

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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 12:44 pm 
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The well-known Coober Pedy clam shell opals are considered to usually have the brightest and best opal from the locale. Many have been cut into gems. The area called the Shellpatch produced many opalized fossils of sea creatures that lived in the ancient Great Artesian Basin.

Amazing opalized plesiosaur fossils are found in Australia as shown here http://217.138.0.100/media/172461/enlarge and here http://picasaweb.google.com/ericpg1946/ForeignMuseums#5459004128091687874

Here's range of opalized fossils found around Andamooka: http://www.andamooka.au.com/page5.html

The famous black opal "nobbies" found at Lightning Ridge are believed to be the opalized replacements of ancient seaweed bulb "floats." Anyone who's cut much Lightning Ridge opal is used to finding opalized twigs and much other fossilized plant material.

Nearly all the precious opal from northern Nevada in the U.S. is in the form of wood replacements or casts. Some of the most beautiful and rare are the black opal pine cone casts.

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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:21 pm 
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Gorgeous specimen Barbra!

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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 10:02 pm 
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Red horn coral, Utah
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Horn coral in matrix, Utah
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Orthoceras fossil
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Coprolite
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Stromatolite, Wyoming
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Not a true fossil, but a replacement, pink chalcedony limb cast, Hot Springs in Texas.
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Turtella agate
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Petrified wood
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Gary Green
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Stromatolite
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Dino bone
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Petoskey Stone, fossil coral, Michigan
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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:58 am 
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Fossil dino bone looks also nice for handles...
There it is a victorinox with dino bone scales:
Image
Just finished, the epoxy is still hardening :D

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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:58 pm 
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Let's revive this thread!

Here's some of my latest:

Hell's Canyon Herringbone Wood
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Indonesian Fossil Palm Wood
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And I finally cut a cab from one of the Dino Bone slabs I brought home from Denver.
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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 4:21 pm 
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Inspired by Maialetto, I ordered some agatized dino bone and made these knife scales this weekend. It was the first time I used my dremel for cabbing, I have used my faceting machine in the past. I used the faceting machine when I could and used the dremel for the indentation.

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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 4:35 pm 
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Nice knife. I finished one yesterday too!
I also use the dremel when I need to cut indentations or concave shapes... but I try to find knives that do not need it (very few around...).

Fossil sycamore wood. Therefore perfectly fit for this thread. :mrgreen:
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This one gave me some troubles, but I was able to finish it.
It's somehow strange, since the wood grain is so well preserved that the scales look made out of fake plastic wood. :D

Another fossil material I'd be curious to work with is the fossilized stromatolite found as "Mary Ellen Jasper". It looks very nice.

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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 5:16 pm 
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Nice work on the knives both of you!

But where are the toothpicks and tweezers like those that slide into the handle of my Swiss Army Knife, Maialetto? :twisted:

I ran across this old cab yesterday and meant to post it in this thread but forgot. You guys reminded me. It's fossilized (silicified) whalebone I used to collect from the beach near my old house in central California (San Luis Obispo area). Somehwre I have a coffee can full of the rough. The colors in this piece are typical and most shows well-defined structure.


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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 8:08 pm 
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Cool thread! Keep 'm coming! =D>


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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Sat May 12, 2012 3:45 pm 
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This morning I did another knife that is already becoming a conversation starter here at home... :lol:

I started with this:
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To get this finished product:
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It looks like it's a crappy knife. Literally. But the dinosaur poo ("coprolite") used for the scales was very well fossilized and no residual unpleasant smell was left. :mrgreen:

As also seen with the other examples posted by Jamey above, coprolites can have some nice colors and patterns.

Some ~100 My ago, a dinosaur, after pigging out with those juicy giant fern buds, went behind a tree and let the gastro-itestinal process follow it course. And we still have the testimony of the life of the 'saur today. I go daily to the restroom, do my things, and flush the toilet, my testimony never to be seen again, for the eternity... Sure it something that makes you think. :-k

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Last edited by maialetto on Fri May 18, 2012 8:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2012 8:25 pm 
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Argh nuts. Wrote a heap yesterday, hit submit but I must've moved away before it was accepted. I'll blame the kids seeing as it was Mother's day. :mrgreen:
Wonderful eye candy all.
That Hells' canyon is fascinating material Ryan.
marco, if you want to create something new, I'll leave it in your hands. :wink:

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 Post subject: Re: Fossils that are used as Gems
PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:28 pm 
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A coupla months ago I bought a slab of fossil dino bone, since I liked the piece and the price was honest.
I still have to think about what to do with this slab since it's beautiful as it is... with all the colors visible in one whole piece, and the cool structure of the bone. I'm very reluctant to trim and cab it, eventually... :cry:
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"Mmmmmhhh, brontosaurus spareribs... Giurasseliscious..." :P

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