Obsidian Rock, any collectors?

[trish76642]

Does anyone know anything about Obsidian Rock? I know it is caused from Lava flow and the Indians used to use it for trade, and it was called "Apache Tears" this one weighs about 15 lbs. 7"x9" in diameter. My brother found it while doing dirt work on a job sight at about 6 feet in the ground. Just wondering if anyone would know what it is worth?
The yellow you see is just a reflection from the light.

 

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[TRHunter]

Obsidian is silicon dioxide SIo2. It is a lava that cools so quickly that no crystilization has time to form. It is an amorphous glass. It can be knapped to produce an edge sharper that any steel blade and I have sliced myself up good working it. Where I live it is abundant and has no value because you can pick it up on the street. I have found areas where indians have been working the rock and left large dumps of broken and half finished arrowheads spears etc. I have carved it but you have to be real careful if you are using a wheel as you can send shards of glass flying around. You have a nice piece but in my area there are obsidian rocks as big as cars. We even have a road called Bottle Rock as there is so much of the stuff.

 

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[trish76642]

Sorry everybody, i dont get any notices through email when i get replies to my post. I have to go back and search through TNet if i want to check or read them. Didnt do any good for me to ask for help in fixing the problem either.

So if you make a comment asking a question and i dont get back to you, thats why, i didnt know you posted anything.

Trish.

 

[trish76642]

Obsidian is silicon dioxide SIo2. It is a lava that cools so quickly that no crystilization has time to form. It is an amorphous glass. It can be knapped to produce an edge sharper that any steel blade and I have sliced myself up good working it. Where I live it is abundant and has no value because you can pick it up on the street. I have found areas where indians have been working the rock and left large dumps of broken and half finished arrowheads spears etc. I have carved it but you have to be real careful if you are using a wheel as you can send shards of glass flying around. You have a nice piece but in my area there are obsidian rocks as big as cars. We even have a road called Bottle Rock as there is so much of the stuff.

wow, thats cool TR.

 

[Nashoba]

The deer antler is the traditional way, but several of the knappers I know use copper pipe as an alternative for doing the pressure flaking of obsidian. Using different sizes reduce the amount of wasted /broken material...or so I am told.
I have tried knapping and find it completely impossible. It is an amazing art form and is wonderful to WATCH...I will stick to digging the rocks and panning the gold.


~Nash~

 

[whiskeycellar]

hi here is a goog link to utube for knapping
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?p=r&user=paleomanjim&page=2
whiskeycellar

 

[trish76642]

Thanks whiskey, i would have gotten back sooner but for some reason i dont get notified when someone post replies. Cant figure it out for nothing!
Apprecitate the video...cant wait to show it to my little brother.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

There is an area in Nevada where you can pick up black obsidian by the 5 gallon bucket-load.

After trying several methods, I have many, many, many, many little pieces of obsidian. (a lot smaller than I started out with)

I guess it is an art that I just cannot master.