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[wampidy]

I had absolutely no experience with malachite so I have been working through the learning curve and trying not to ruin any of what I bought. I completely cut up the botroidal piece and a couple of slices off the big piece. A few days ago I was grinding some of it on the 100 pad and smoked the motor on my drill press that runs my flat lap.

This is the point I had gotten to when the motor went.


On my wheel machine all I have is a sic grinding, 100 soft diamond and a 3000 soft diamond. Yesterday (I think) lol I did a little grinding on the 100 soft wheel then quit. Today it crossed my mind that the stone is fairly soft so maybe I could do some good with the 3000 wheel. I worked on it for a while and it looked like it was cutting slowly so I kept going. I tried to dry it off after a while and could not figure out why it would not dry off. DUH I had a wet shine on that stone that blew me away.



It is not finished and I would not want to work it all that way because it is slow but I can see a 100 grind, 400 grind to smooth it out then go straight to the 3000. I will be trying my 8500 and 13000 when I get my machine going again but I don't think it will help any.
Jim

[Itsandbits]

Haven't touched any myself either but lowest I'd go is 400 if that is what 3000 will do!!! WOWSER!!!!!!!

[lithicbeads]

Obviously you are addicted which begs the question - what makes you feel so strongly about malachite? I love this piece  , good shape , wonderful eyes and polish.

[wampidy]

Obviously you are addicted which begs the question - what makes you feel so strongly about malachite? I love this piece  , good shape , wonderful eyes and polish.

I have never worked with another stone that is this soft but polishes so good and easy. Really fun to work with and I think it might be easy to carve and polish if I can find subject matter that will look good with green lines. Lizards maybe.
Jim

[Enchantra]

I think it might be easy to carve and polish if I can find subject matter that will look good with green lines. Lizards maybe.
Jim

Dragons, snakes, geckos, fish...

[RxScram]

Jim,
I still can't get over that shine... amazing!

I think you'd be surprised at how many things look good with green lines... I've got a big cat (leopard) carved out of malachite, and I think it's quite lovely! Actually, for Christmas this year, everybody in my family is getting a different carving of their favorite animal in Malachite... a couple of owls, a couple of turtles, a fish, a cat, a couple of elephants... and they all look good in green!  :-D

[Gergis]

Thats some hot malachite!

[bgast1]

Beautiful  Just so you know I have read all kinds of warnings about cutting Malachite as to it's dangers to your health, but if you wear a mask/respirator and gloves you should be fine. I myself have ignored both and I am still fine (well I guess it depends upon who you talk to). Yet I have heard of people getting sick just from cutting it once.

[Helene Fielder]

Your right about it easy to carve.   I did one a few months ago.   The scratches come out easy with sic paper.  I have a large piece of Congo malachite that was purchased just for carving.  I talked to the dealer and he said lots of malachite has weak points where the different hues of bands meet.  He helped me select a solid one.   I can send you a piece off of it if you like. 

Right now I am in love with bryozoan fossil, Turkish stick agate, calico agate and most things petrified.   I keep looking for a fine grained golden petrified wood with strong vertical lines.   My heart is fickle so I may love another next week.

[MrsWTownsend]

Beautiful  Just so you know I have read all kinds of warnings about cutting Malachite as to it's dangers to your health, but if you wear a mask/respirator and gloves you should be fine. I myself have ignored both and I am still fine (well I guess it depends upon who you talk to). Yet I have heard of people getting sick just from cutting it once.

This is very true.  Malachite contains copper, silica and arsenic; the powders inhaled from the water over spray can make you sick just like cutting dry can.  A lot of people wear respirators, eye protection AND rubber gloves when working this stone.

I still love it though, and your cabs are beautiful!  I am surprised it polished so well at that grit too.  Like Amanda said, many reptiles come in green- so do plants...  But who cares???  Anything in Malachite would be wicked cool!