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[brentnewton]

So, I seem to have acquired a couple Turkish blue chalcedony nodules.  I'm trying to figure out how to slab these suckers.  Seems like I read that the color is concentrated on the rind.  They have a window knocked off and of course the color looking into the nodule is nice .... but I've seen a lot of this stuff cut that is pale blue.  I've also seen "cores" on eBay where it looks like someone slabbed off the outside .. and are selling a square, pale colored middle.  So ... should I try to slab off the sides in a say 10mm layer .... or just cut it across the nodule??   Anyone have any experience cutting this stuff ... I know I'm gonna need to make a high dome cab to maximize the color ....

[Michael]

I have cabbed Blue Chalcedony many times.  It is a beautiful translucent stone with various intensity of blue color.  The lighter blues seem to give off a pinkish hue or cast as they are polished.  The translucent properties of this stone also vary from stone to stone and  can vary in the same piece.

You can either cut or work around the vugs which seem to be a common thing in this stone.  At times the vugs tunnel through the entire stone, and give the appearance of a white "jet" trail  streaming through the entire stone.  Depending on your preform design, this can be a positive thing  or a nuisance. 

[hummingbirdstones]

Could you post a picture, please, of the stones?  I'm trying to remember if I've ever seen the Turkish blue.

[gemfeller]

My experience with Turkish blue seems different from the posts above.  My material is solid, no vugs, but its color trends more to the bluish-gray than blue.  I haven't cut full nodules, just slabs and chunks I've acquired here and there.  I'm sure there's varying qualities of rough available but I have yet to cut a cab I'd call blue or one that's really appealing to me.  I agree that posting an image would help in making recommendations about your material. 

I've cut quite a bit  of the Malawi blue chalcedony which I think is much nicer. I can say from my experience with it that there are layers in the nodules that have more concentrated color than others so some thought should go into slabbing it.
Blue Chalcedony.jpg (94.15 kB . 450x306 - viewed 649 times)

[brentnewton]

Well, ya know ... it appears there is a lot of different kinds of "Turkish" blue chalcedony :). I will post shortly pics of the nodules ... I have not gotten the seam flats from India yet .. will post when the arrive.  I have both types of Turkish  as well as Nevada mt airy and of course Malawi .... and holly blue which ain't blue. And Nambian old stock ... wish I had more of that. Give me a couple weeks to slab and cab some stuff and I'll post pics of the different types to further discussion ...no Ellensburg ... it cost a fortune and just ain't that special.

[brentnewton]

Turkish blue nodules ... nothing like the seam stuff.  So .... question was ... how to slab it :). Does the color intensify on the rind??  Its is no where near as blue as peering into the window would suggest.
blue.jpg (51.4 kB . 640x480 - viewed 647 times)

[brentnewton]

As an aside .... but related to the post.  Whatever happened to Baxter blue ???    I don't see it anymore.  I'm trying to put together a small collection of the more common blue chalcedonies ... only small seems to keep getting bigger.   Still need mojave blue ... needles blue.  I have a several kilos of Malawi ... its nice stuff.  The Turkish seam stuff I ordered from India looks killer ... just need to hold it in hand and see .. and cut some.

[brentnewton]

Gemfeller ... that kinda looks like Malawi ... the pic.  Most of what I've seen of the Turkish are nodules like I posted.  The stuff I just bought from India as Turkish is very different material ... very blue and flat.  I agree ... its tough to find a blue that isn't ... grey twinged.  A lot of the Namibian material is like that.  I am really hopeful the stuff from India cuts out like the pics ... it is really blue and the color is deep.  When I get it ... I'll cut it and send pics.  After of course I buy all they have first ... lol.  I am never going to kick myself in the butt again for not buying top quality rough when I stumble across it .. I could have bought Namibian for next to nothing in the 90s ... could have bought untreated Sleeping Beauty deep blue flats for a song ..... just didn't do it.  Won't happen again.

[brentnewton]

Malawi ... looks kinda grey in the iPhone pic .. but Malawi is a strong blue.  I need a beer ... it was a lot of trouble licking all those .. they are big pieces.

[brentnewton]

Mt Airy blue ... Nevada.

[gemfeller]

Gemfeller ... that kinda looks like Malawi ... the pic.  Most of what I've seen of the Turkish are nodules like I posted.  The stuff I just bought from India as Turkish is very different material ... very blue and flat.  I agree ... its tough to find a blue that isn't ... grey twinged.  A lot of the Namibian material is like that.  I am really hopeful the stuff from India cuts out like the pics ... it is really blue and the color is deep.  When I get it ... I'll cut it and send pics.  After of course I buy all they have first ... lol.  I am never going to kick myself in the butt again for not buying top quality rough when I stumble across it .. I could have bought Namibian for next to nothing in the 90s ... could have bought untreated Sleeping Beauty deep blue flats for a song ..... just didn't do it.  Won't happen again.

My image was Malawi, not Turkish.  I thought I made that clear.  I have some of the old Tanzanian purple chalcedony -- I wish I'd bought more though it was never inexpensive.  I've never run across the Namibian material but it sounds great. 

Your Turkish nodules look very nice but I can't give you slabbing advice since I've never worked with full nodules.  The images below are 1) Tanzanian purple and 2) a Malawi cab I plan to drill for a pendant.


Tanzanian Purple Chalcedony.jpg (15.08 kB . 350x320 - viewed 636 times)


Blue Chalcedony Freeform.jpg (70.25 kB . 434x450 - viewed 615 times) 

[irockhound]

Nice dark piece of Airy.  Although I got some amazing pieces when Chris let us collect there the problem with a lot of the material is banding or zonal color which does have it's place but sometimes you like a consistent color.  The from side of the hill had a totally different color than the rear canyon.  Some of the best was LARGE eggs that had rolled down the back canyon collecting along plants or ravine bottoms.

[brentnewton]

Gemfeller ... well, it was clear after I posted and went back and looked :).    Wow .. the Tanzanian is nice.  I am assuming it is no longer available.  The Malawi cab is nice ... I need to cut some of my stash.  I guess the Turkish nodule thing is going to be an adventure .. I'll post pics as I go along.  I may just take a slice off the end of one to see what I can find out.  I am expecting a disappointment honestly.  Like I said .... I could kick myself over and over for not buying rough when I could.  I guess ... none of the good stuff is ever really inexpensive.  Sleeping Beauty deep blue untreated flats were twenty bucks an oz from the mine in the 90s ... I thought that was expensive.  I'd take out a loan on my house to buy kilos of it now.

[brentnewton]

irockhound ... I'm envious.  You western folks have all the good stuff.  I live in KY ... we have KY agate ... if you can beat the crackheads to it.  Can I come live in your basement?  I can cook and wash dishes.  Its always nice to hear from someone who has actually collected at the location. 

[gemfeller]

brentnewton, I know of only one vendor who had the Tanzanian material.  I've lost touch with him and haven't seen it offered anywhere else -- not to say it isn't.  It has consistent color and cuts like a dream.

I'd love to get hold of some of the good Airy material but don't know of a source.  I'm too old to dig or hike much and would rather cut stones these days than collect them.  Keep us posted on how your Turkish blue turns out.  It looks very promising.