Rock Photograpy

I have been tumbling rocks for the past 6 months (done about 3 batches now) and have blended the new hobby with the existing photographic hobby. Here are some of the results:

1.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2m4d​EzV

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I'm a couple of years into tumbling rocks, appreciate what you've shown. I have not gone that sophisticated with a photo setup, merely uses a lightbox or just photo on my patio. I like using rocks for background for custom knives and occasionally something else.

You're in British Columbia, have you gotten any Dallasite from Victoria. It polishes really well and apparently is easy to collect.

Haven't got around to collecting any dallasite yet. Yours looks really nice!

Not quite the raw stone form:

Owyhee jasper

Photo from ra40's gallery.
Image hosted by forum (913239)

Photo from ra40's gallery.
Image hosted by forum (1006329)

Wyoming (nephrite) jade: Came out pretty dark here so the vibrant green doesn't pop as it does in person.

The knife above with the algae handle scales that maker is a rock hound. Two slab saws with all sorts of lapidary gear/toys in his garage.

Lanolite and Chinese writing stone:

A Jim Sornberger gold quartz CA dagger handle.

Sodalite and a jasper. I like working the jaspers as they are just hard and soft enough to not be a PITA. I cannot recall what the lower jasper is called. Looking forward to putting that on a knife handle at some point in time.

You're adding the rock as inlay into the handles, right?

Also - you are forging your own blades?

We did a piece of sodalite in the last batch... it's quite soft, relatively. Lost probably 30% of its mass tumbling with the harder stones.

Very nice work on those knives, I have a few with stone handles.

Biggs Jasper and Black Jade

Rocks as a background.

Small Kiridashi and Tiger Eye

DragonSpeed wrote in post #19251651
You're adding the rock as inlay into the handles, right?

Also - you are forging your own blades?

We did a piece of sodalite in the last batch... it's quite soft, relatively. Lost probably 30% of its mass tumbling with the harder stones.

I do stock removal from bars. The sodalite was pretty soft, it undercut during the buffing/polishing. Some of the soft spots didn't get the same level of shine as the harder spots so I kept going at it and that was a mistake.

That Biggs Japser is really pretty!! The rock show dealers wanted $$ for the nicely figured pieces. Most were cab sized cuts so not enough for a knife handle. That tiger eye has a great look, great shot with that knife. Who is the maker?

Photographing rocks is challenging. Did these dinosaur bone cabs to see how to manage reflections. Fist tried the 30x40" soft box and it left to obvious a square reflection. Tilted it up to bounce onto the 14x20' ceiling with this.

@ra40 You're doing some nice work, especially like the piece with dino bone. That Kiri was made by Serge Pachenko, several years ago. I struggle photographing rock, too, always jealous of those that get perfect pictures. I try shooting with a light box and other times outside under a white ceiling on my patio. Knife photography is easier for me and that shouldn't be.

I see you're in So. Calif, do you go to a lot of knife shows? I used to go to Plaza and Solvang but gave up 10 years ago.

Self collected Bacon Agate in a 3 1/2" pan.

Thanks Win,

When did you start your interest in custom knives?

I got into the custom knife scene about '89'ish. Fortunately the shows were in the back yard like the Plaza Cutlery Show, Blade Show-Costa Mesa, So Cal Blades-Buena Park, Bay Area Knife Collectors Show-San Fran as well as Solvang. Solvang was our favorite. A small show, great makers and in a location that was very nice. The Sat Evening BBQ at Gainey Vineyards a big highlight. The Plaza/Cal Custom Show I'll still go as a tourist.

Hee-hee that bacon agate set is cool!