Working Fire Agate and Understanding this beautiful Gem
Fire Agate is a true gem of natures creation. Found only in about a dozen places in the world mainly in California, Arizona and Mexico. Formed from Volcanic activity many, many years ago. This gem was formed from the flow of hot water, leaving deposits of water and minerals trapped in the creases and crevices of bed rock and deposited under rocks found in clay pockets, Flowing water hardened as it cooled, with minerals being trapped in the layers of hardening water, When cooled the water turned into what we call Chalcedony today. When you find a piece of Fire Agate attached to the bedrock, or in clay pockets, Normally you can't see any fire (color) when first found. Except for a few pieces that may show Red, Green. Blue and Purple color in spots of the Agate. Depending on the flows and temperature of the water when flowing created Druse Crystals and formed around some pieces of Fire Agate creating nice Gems consisting of both Fire Agate and Druse Crystals.
Fire Agate in the raw
Fire Agate is hard to work more so then a lot of other gems due to their hardness. Fire Agate is a hardness of between 6 and 8 on the MOS Scale, where as Diamonds are a hardness of 9. The easiest material to work your Fire Agate is with diamond. as in Diamond points, burrs, wheels and diamond paste for polishing, as diamond is harder then the Agate.
Some of the tools to use on Fire Agate are Dremel's, Flex Shafts, Diamond Grinding Wheels, 4,6,8 inch wheels are widely available through many different Lapidary Dealers. And Diamond Paste for polishing. Diamond Points and Wheels are available in a number of different grits.
When working with diamond grits of any kind, always use water when keeping the bits and stones wet. If you don't the bits will wear prematurely, and you could ruin the stone. Always use a light pressure on the stone only taking thin layers of Chalcedony off at a time. until you have reached the desired depth on the stone to where you have fire showing. Move slowly from there so as not to enter into the fire. if you do you may remove the fire layer before you realize it and possibly ruin the stone.
Fire Agate can be worked in different ways. Using Grinding Wheels can make quick work of a Fire agate removing large amounts of material quickly, making it easier to get to the area's with Fire (color). Grinding wheels work great if your intension is to make cabochons. If you want to bring the best out of a stone using a Flex Shaft or Dremel works best to shape the stone and follow the Bubbles of Fire within the stone.
When you start to see color start taking it easy. GO SLOW. Keep your piece in water or keep the water close by. When working close to the fire I dip the stone continuously in water and only make one or two swipes with the Diamond point. and keep checking the stone. I will usually stop when I think I have gone far enough. not to start going in the fire.
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Fire Agate is hard to work more so then a lot of other gems due to their hardness. Fire Agate is a hardness of between 6 and 8 on the MOS Scale, where as Diamonds are a hardness of 9. The easiest material to work your Fire Agate is with diamond. as in Diamond points, burrs, wheels and diamond paste for polishing, as diamond is harder then the Agate.
Some of the tools to use on Fire Agate are Dremel's, Flex Shafts, Diamond Grinding Wheels, 4,6,8 inch wheels are widely available through many different Lapidary Dealers. And Diamond Paste for polishing. Diamond Points and Wheels are available in a number of different grits.
When working with diamond grits of any kind, always use water when keeping the bits and stones wet. If you don't the bits will wear prematurely, and you could ruin the stone. Always use a light pressure on the stone only taking thin layers of Chalcedony off at a time. until you have reached the desired depth on the stone to where you have fire showing. Move slowly from there so as not to enter into the fire. if you do you may remove the fire layer before you realize it and possibly ruin the stone.
Fire Agate can be worked in different ways. Using Grinding Wheels can make quick work of a Fire agate removing large amounts of material quickly, making it easier to get to the area's with Fire (color). Grinding wheels work great if your intension is to make cabochons. If you want to bring the best out of a stone using a Flex Shaft or Dremel works best to shape the stone and follow the Bubbles of Fire within the stone.
When you start to see color start taking it easy. GO SLOW. Keep your piece in water or keep the water close by. When working close to the fire I dip the stone continuously in water and only make one or two swipes with the Diamond point. and keep checking the stone. I will usually stop when I think I have gone far enough. not to start going in the fire.
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Grinding in process Fire is starting to show itself.
