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Author Topic: Hell's Canyon Pet wood  (Read 1644 times)

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brentnewton

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Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« on: February 20, 2019, 11:08:30 AM »

Anyone have experience cutting much of this stuff?  Its pretty and takes a nice polish ... only its very brittle.   I don't think its fully siclified.  I'd be afraid to set it in a ring ... might be ok in a pendant or earrings, but one good whack in a ring and its toast. Its that brittle.  I've been thinking of preforming it, then soaking in HXTL or Opticon 224 ... then finishing.  Any thoughts?   I have a lot of this rough ... its pretty and I want to do something with it, just its so cotton-picking brittle.
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hummingbirdstones

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2019, 03:58:18 PM »

You could just pack it up in a box and send it to me.  I'd be glad to take that brittle crap off your hands.   :LOLOL:
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Robin

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2019, 05:14:52 PM »

It parts easily along the growth lines so a gentle hand on the wheels is needed.  I've cut a few cabs from it and had no real problems -- except for the one I dropped on a concrete floor.  I recut the part I could find and the other will probably show up when I do my annual shop clean-up.  It's unique and rare material so care in cutting is worth it.  And along with Hummingbirdstones I'll be happy to take some excess slabs off your hands.
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Redrummd

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2019, 05:35:50 PM »

Heck I do knife scales with it after Hxtal treatment.....  If you have any you want to get rid of I would be willing to take it off your hands.....

Kaljaia

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2019, 06:48:14 PM »

Super pretty stuff! (No I don't want any) but I understand why others are all over it :D hope it works up well for you!
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- Erika

I rock hunt in the Antelope/Ashwood area of the John Day river basin in Oregon.

brentnewton

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2019, 05:19:23 AM »

Thanks for the advice!   I think I'd probably better keep what I have left.  If someone can help me figure out how to do it I'll donate a couple slabs to the group to be auctioned.  I want to cut some of it ... but have way more than I'll ever cut.  Do you all do auctions???
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hummingbirdstones

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2019, 05:43:15 AM »

We do!  Basically you put up the piece to be auctioned and set a time limit.  Whoever wins the auction sends the payment via PayPal to the forum PayPal account and once it gets confirmed that the payment's been made, you send the item to the winner.
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Robin

brentnewton

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2019, 06:08:07 AM »

Do I send you pics???
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brentnewton

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #8 on: February 21, 2019, 06:14:18 AM »

Wait ...  you said I put up pics.  Where?  I don't have enough posts to post in buy/sell section.
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brentnewton

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2019, 06:25:31 AM »

oh ... I have 48 posts :).  I have a big mouth.  You may have to help me figure out how to do it ... I can post to buy/sell ... many need help setting it up as an auction.  I'll two slabs .... one at a time.
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hummingbirdstones

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2019, 07:25:29 AM »

I'll PM you a bit later.  An auction is different than a sale.  I'm under a huge snow storm that's dumping snow faster than I can shovel it and I have to get my husband off to work. 
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Robin

brentnewton

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2019, 07:36:32 AM »

No problem .... stay safe!
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55fossil

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2019, 07:54:11 AM »

   Here are some pictures of very hard Hell's Canyon petrified wood cabochons.  I dread stabilizing anything, but some pieces are worth saving. It is usually easy to tell solid HCPW from the soft material by weight and texture of the rough or slabs. Much of this material does fracture on the growth lines. I prefer to work around any weak spots and cut cabs that do not need to be stabilized.
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brentnewton

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2019, 08:52:54 AM »

Nice cabs 55fossil!  I think most of what I got is pretty solid.  I did some horse trading a few years back with Tony Schultz and specifically asked for fewer holes, high grade ... and darker colors.  I may try to cut some stuff and post later ... if I can manage to stop blabbering on the forum and actually cut something :).    I guess this stuff is getting scarce ... as you know, there was only one log and Tony had it all.  I may just go ahead and cut a piece or two for show and tell ... and figure out stabilizing later. Its beautiful stuff and takes a wonderful polish.   I'll get auctions up today if I can.  Here are the two slabs I'll put up ... for a sneak peak of the auction.  I gave quite a bit of this stuff away .... probably should have kept more for myself.
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brentnewton

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2019, 08:53:35 AM »

second one .....
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55fossil

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #15 on: February 21, 2019, 12:33:32 PM »

    It is getting scarce... Tony did have the entire known supply of Hell's Canyon petrified wood...  There was a lot more than a log.  An article in Lapidary Journal by a really good lapidary shot the Wood into instant stardom and the price went up fast and the supply went down. Tony Schultz still has some of this material as well as a few other lucky dogs. There is enough material on the internet to get a good idea what the current value is.

The HOLES.....  were extremely popular in cabochons. The best pieces are lined with druzy quartz and polish like glass. I have gotten north of $100 for the better cabochons. It is nice that you will put some of your pieces up for sale, they look really good.  hmmmmm  $$$$$
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brentnewton

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2019, 01:52:58 PM »

OMG .. I hate the holes :). Tony called them "pockety" if I remember correctly.  I got a few hole ... but I told Tony .. no holes .. no holes ... lol. 
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brentnewton

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #17 on: February 21, 2019, 02:06:43 PM »

So gentlemen (and ladies) .. start your engines.  Top HC wood up for auction soon ... lol.
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brentnewton

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Re: Hell's Canyon Pet wood
« Reply #18 on: February 21, 2019, 02:15:47 PM »

Among other things ... lol.  I'm getting rid of stuff I won't cut.  Hummingbirdstones ... I have Peruvian blue opal .. that you would call me a liar if I tried to describe it to you.   Need to post pics.  Some of it is so blue ... I bought a mess of this stuff from Peru in the 90s ... looking for gem silica ... lol.  I just took the opal as an aside.  I was looking for gem silica.  I had two grades of it ... damn blue, and OK blue ... I traded the OK blue to Tony for the hells canyon stuff :). He got the better of the deal.  He's a good man.  But that leaves me with the ... really blue stuff. Which ... I have been reluctant to part with. You can't  sell this stuff .... no one knows what it is or what its worth.   From the Lily mine.   I seemed to have scored some gem silica too .. need to slab that and see what it looks like.  Most of the Lily mine stuff is greenish ... I have some stuff I need to slab .. if the damn saw will ever get here .. lol.
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