FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[John S. White]

Thought I might introduce a new topic here. This idea came to me after seeing something similar to the photo shown here in the background of a photo that appeared on this Forum a long time ago. Most of you who have done much field collecting have surely been to sites where there was no water nearby. This is a real problem when the specimens you are extracting are so dirty that you really cannot see what you have. Therefore, with a device like the one in the photo you can have your own portable washing system right where you are digging. Not only can you wash off specimens as they come out of the ground, but you can do so with a strong jet of water which will help to blast off some of the tougher dirt. This particular container holds about 6 liters.

[John S. White]

A really useful tool that I have seen for sale only in Europe and not in the U.S. is the chisel shown here with a protective plastic attachment that greatly reduces the number of times a rock hammer ends up hitting the hand of the person holding the chisel. This great tool has spared me many a badly bruised hand. I suppose it must be available in the U.S. but I have not seen it being sold here.

[Jason]

Home Depot and Lowes carries those type chisels..pointed, flat-head, wide flat-head..I probably have 10-12 different kinds with the hand guard..word to the wise if you buy those chisels or any chisels for that matter..spend the extra $10 on the better ones..the steel is much better and last longer than on the cheap ones..you can grind the points only so many times before you lose the metals temper

[Peter Megaw]

Must be the season to think about gizmos and gadgets...noting like hoping to get something really useful for Christmas instead of another necktie! Apparently Estwing has discontinued their classic gad-pry bar, but this is hands down the most useful collecting tool I've ever used. I stopped using a rock pick for underground work years ago and rely on a 3 lb hand sledge and one of these instead. You can move almost anything, get a crack opened easily and it weighs about 1/2 kg! I've left them with mine geologists all over the world...and gotten some super specimens in return. You can still find them here and there on the internet...

Should also point out another classic reference on collecting by the one and only John Sinkankis, who sems to have published more useful books that have been forgotten than most people have ever thought about publishing. Called "Gemstones and Minerals" (Van Nostrand, 1961), it sounds like another picture book...but isn't, this book is jam packed with practical field collecting advice...including designs for some really useful pry bars in a range of sizes. The physics of where the levers are positioned and how to make them work in rocks was very well thought out. You need to find a good blacksmith to make them...I did and it has paid off for years.

Probably a good time to mention again John's "Gemstone and Mineral Databook" given some of the cleaning threads that have reappeared recently. This is a fantastic compendium of mineralogical information, with an excellent section on cleaning and proper handling of chemicals. Also out of print, but available if you look around

[Les Presmyk]

Not a thing I would add to what Peter has written. I have also lost more gad bars than I have worn out but if I could only have three collecting tools, they would be a 3 pound sledge, a gad-pry bar and a screwdriver. The books are dead-on as well.

[Jesse Fisher]

Last summer at the Rogerley we took several broken four and five-foot drill steels to a local blacksmith and had chisel and maul points put onto them. With one person holding and another smacking the end with a five or ten pound hammer, a lot of rock can be moved. If swinging the ten-pounder, the trade off between job functions can be fairly rapid, however.

[Les Presmyk]

So, far all of the technologic advances in the world, you have returned to double jacking at the Rogerly, mining technology that dates back over 120 years. Interesting.

[Tom Tucker]

While the chisle with the attached rubber or plastic shield might be useful, I would prefer a device to hold a regular chisel in the same manner that a rock hammer handle positions the pointed end of the head. I usually use my hammer in that manner, and I know it's a big no - no. But it works so well. I think it's Mike Bergman who can tell a horror story about using a hammer in that manner.
I'm told that such a tool exists, but I haven't yet found it. Merry Christmas, Tom

[John Cesar]

Les:

When are you going to tell Jesse what happens over an extended period of time of hitting the end of a piece of drill steel with a 10# sledge? Remember "Deep Throat"?

John

[Peter Megaw]

Hey John,...this is a family site, let's keep it clean! ;-)

[Peter Megaw]

[John Cesar]

Peter

This was a reference to a certain gentleman with a deep melodic voice and an affinity for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Don't know what you can be referring to - I have 6 grandkids and an Italian Greyhound. I still don't recommend drill steel.

Have a good Christmas!

John

[Jack Thurber]

Thanks so much for the tips.

A used copy of the book is on it's way to me. ...and I've ordered what is supposed to be the same pry bar made by a new manufacturer - Kindersley North. The language below is the product description from the Web site from which it was purchased. Hopefully the tool is still made as well as it was in the past.

"This is the same tool that was manufactured by Estwing for many years. Estwing has discontinued manufacturing the Gad-Pry Bar and Kindersley North has taken up production of this item. It is the same size, weight, and temper as what was being manufactured by Estwing. It is just that we can't call it an Estwing tool any longer, but, it is the same tool."