how do we crack open a rock

[sjb]

For all those who helped us with our mystery rock ( http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,416400.0.html ), we will be splitting it open to peak inside. Any suggestions as to how to go about this?

Short of visualizing things that tick me off and coming down on it with a sledge hammer, I am not sure how to do this. Given that the rock can write, I suspect that it is on the soft side (number 2 pencil?) and will be easy to split open.

There was one idea my son had. We found a fossilized antler washed up on the beach one year and took it to the Boston Science Museum. They were fantastic, and took us down to a lab and analyzed it for us. They were more than willing to help, so he suggested we go there to identify this mystery rock. We also have the Harvard Museum of Natural History that has helped identify rocks in the past- it is always fun to have a Boston adventure!

We will post any "official" findings.

IF this is graphite as I suspect, we will distributing pencils accordingly.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

SJB

 

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[wwwtimmcp]

the spanish miners used to heat rocks if a fire then pour cold water on them, me I use a hammer.

 

[schoser]

you could score it about a quarter inch deep with a saw and then use a wedge with a hammer to snap it in half

 

[Cappy Z.]

If you think about it, the grey rock probably was liquid magma when it covered whatever is inside. I suspect that the enclosed nodule will be a darker colored finer grained concretion as I myself have cracked open very similar types. Good luck. Oh yea, I just tapped the side numerous times with a hammer until it spilt into halves.

 

[g-olden years]

Sounds like your soft rock will break fairly easily with the methods already suggested. If anyone on t-net finds a harder rock that seems gorgeous, I suggest they ask someone in local gem & mineral club or lapidary class to cut it open cleanly with big circular saw enclosed safely inside protective box so no danger to hands. We used these enclosed saws quite successfully in lapidary class, resulting in beautiful specimens of geodes and other rocks such as jasper and agate with patterns or colorful lines inside. No need to thank me, just send me one of those soon-to-be graphite pencils, hee-he. Andi

 

[High Plains Digger]

Well said, G Y . But for all the information we have on this rock, scoring and then USING A CHISEL should work well. I would just use my pointed rock hammer, but...... Any flat faced hammer may make too many bits out of it. And no kibble to go with it. In fact, if it is that soft, a titianium coated drill bit (you know, those yellow ones they have) will probably do it. Carbide saw blade in a table saw. OOPS. Not the safeist idea, but workable. Or just hit it a glancing blow on the end with another rock or hammer. Can't wait to look inside!