Pyrite Update

[emmagee]

As I posted some months ago, I have been trying to make some usable pyrites for my three wheellocks.

I have a diamond wetsaw (what a mess!) a diamond handsaw and a set of diamond files but have been unable to produce a single usable pyrite.

Does anyone cut these for sale? I am out of things to try.

 

[ChrisPer]

Condolences! I have accumulated pyrite for years, but never tried to cut it myself except using a core saw on diamond drill core.
When I do cut for wheellocks, I have waiting a Dremel diamond cutting disk, and a jewellers saw. Probably will try a coping saw first.
But my suggestion is go to a mineral specimen workshop, and find someone with a full size diamond saw. They cut rocks especially diamond core all the time, and mineralisation includes lots of massive pyrite.
OH! Just remembered the thin section and polished section cutting saws; perhaps 1mm disks, water cooled, and can be set to thicknesses so that repeatable slabs are doable.
So my big chunks will go into a saw like that.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

FWIW I agree diamond wheels or ANY cutting of pyrite can/will make a mess! Here's what I use, using these THIN diamond wheel used in a Dremel tool. I got a (30) piece kit for only $16 shipped from eBay. Check them out ...

Tips
1) Wear a mask! Not a dust mask, but a good NIOSH-rated particulate mask! This debris is deadly; think of all the ads you see for lawsuits from asbestos removal, mesothelioma et al

2) Wear long sleeves and nitrile gloves ... or your hands will be black ... it's really amazing the amount of fine dust generated!

3) Work outside with a breeze or strong wind to your back

4) I carefully hold the cube to be cut in vice grips, snug - but not tight (it could fracture the piece - with the jaws lined with thin leather. I cut a deep groove around all 4 faces and then they just snap apart cleanly or a cold chisel or even a slotted screwdriver bit will cleave them. You'll get the hang of it!

If you get stuck ... I could send you a few cut pieces ... just give me an idea of the size needed.

 

[emmagee]

FWIW I agree diamond wheels or ANY cutting of pyrite can/will make a mess! Here's what I use, using these THIN diamond wheel used in a Dremel tool. I got a (30) piece kit for only $16 shipped from eBay. Check them out ...

Tips
1) Wear a mask! Not a dust mask, but a good NIOSH-rated particulate mask! This debris is deadly; think of all the ads you see for lawsuits from asbestos removal, mesothelioma et al

2) Wear long sleeves and nitrile gloves ... or your hands will be black ... it's really amazing the amount of fine dust generated!

3) Work outside with a breeze or strong wind to your back

4) I carefully hold the cube to be cut in vice grips, snug - but not tight (it could fracture the piece - with the jaws lined with thin leather. I cut a deep groove around all 4 faces and then they just snap apart cleanly or a cold chisel or even a slotted screwdriver bit will cleave them. You'll get the hang of it!

View attachment 346470

If you get stuck ... I could send you a few cut pieces ... just give me an idea of the size needed.

Thank you gentlemen, I plan to have another go at it this weekend.
I consulted some lapidary forums as to the proper use of a diamond wetsaw. The Polish guys at Old Guard also gave me some tips...wish me luck!

 

[Sam squanch]

Just get a matchlock- it’s way easier and saves wear and tear on your expensive wheel lock….

 

[emmagee]

Already have two! Contemplating selling one of them

 

[LT Joe]

I've gotten usable pyrites for my pistols by taking my bag of pyrite crystals (gotten from China on eBay) and spreading them out on the concrete garage floor and lightly hitting the larger ones with a hammer. I then pick out the pieces that are rectangular in shape and about the right size.

You get lots of "wastage" but the bags of pyrite crystals are fairly cheap. Certainly cheaper than buying lapidary saws and equipment

 

[FlinterNick]

Condolences! I have accumulated pyrite for years, but never tried to cut it myself except using a core saw on diamond drill core.
When I do cut for wheellocks, I have waiting a Dremel diamond cutting disk, and a jewellers saw. Probably will try a coping saw first.
But my suggestion is go to a mineral specimen workshop, and find someone with a full size diamond saw. They cut rocks especially diamond core all the time, and mineralisation includes lots of massive pyrite.
OH! Just remembered the thin section and polished section cutting saws; perhaps 1mm disks, water cooled, and can be set to thicknesses so that repeatable slabs are doable.
So my big chunks will go into a saw like that.

I woudln’t mess with Pyrite, it’s messy, toxic and doesn’t work as well as people think. Ferro rods cut to shape look very similar to pyrite and work ten times better.

 

[Canute Rex]

When I am cutting pyrite I put it in a vise with padding and, like Dale, use a diamond wheel on a Dremel tool.

My added feature is that I put a piece of window screen over the end of the 3" pipe on my shop vac and zip tie it on. Then I tie that to the vise right next to the pyrite and most of the dust ends up in the shop vac. It pays to reposition the pipe so it is on the side where the dust is being projected by the wheel. I also use a 3M Aura N95 mask.

The other trick I got from Dale is that after cutting ~3/16" thick slabs I chisel grind the ends at about a 30 degree angle. It presents a narrow edge to the wheel and the spark production goes way up.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

The other trick I got from Dale is that after cutting ~3/16" thick slabs I chisel grind the ends at about a 30 degree angle. It presents a narrow edge to the wheel and the spark production goes way up.

Thanks, that's a good tip that I myself did not practice when 1st playing around with wheellocks. Now my BEST outing on a wheellock with an un-cut engagement edge (was in Winter time, on a dry ccccold day) was 27 for 28 shots. There was a good 1/2-hour break before the last shot and the BP residue built up under the pan soooo much that most of the torque from the wheel was spent trying to push the pan open.

Back to Canute's point ... let's assume the footprint of the pyrite to engage the wheel is X, by grinding it down to only 30% (say to be 1/3rd of that former size), the pressure to bear upon the smaller pyrite edge has now tripled, or is now 3X.

Regretfully, I've yet to test performance using a raked cutting edge on the pyrite, but stay tuned!

 

[smoothshooter]

As I posted some months ago, I have been trying to make some usable pyrites for my three wheellocks.

I have a diamond wetsaw (what a mess!) a diamond handsaw and a set of diamond files but have been unable to produce a single usable pyrite.

Does anyone cut these for sale? I am out of things to try.

 

[smoothshooter]

Curious how they cut and shaped them back in the old days?

 

[tenngun]

Curious how they cut and shaped them back in the old days?

I was wondering about that, they had no dermols and diamond saws

 

[cynthialee]

I was under the impression that the pyrite was used as is so long as it was of apporpriate size. If not break it down a bit smaller so it fits in the jaws.

I don't know they were as particular as we are to get a nice looking pyrite in the jaws.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Curious how they cut and shaped them back in the old days?

To me, the most logical explanation would be that back then they got them in 'rock' form, so their pieces were cut with a cold chisel and hammer, whereas most of what people nowadays are starting from are the 'cut cube' forms, where there is less waste by using the diamond saws to make our pieces.

 

[TBone]

Pyrites beads…some are large enough. Try Etsy. Also, ferrocerium….

 

[cynthialee]

Pyrites beads…some are large enough. Try Etsy. Also, ferrocerium….

Probably just hearsay and unsubstantiated as I have no experience, but I was told never use ferrocerium in a wheellock. Don't remember why.
But could just be I was listening to a pearl clutcher with no real knowledge himself.

 

[TBone]

Probably just hearsay and unsubstantiated as I have no experience, but I was told never use ferrocerium in a wheellock. Don't remember why.
But could just be I was listening to a pearl clutcher with no real knowledge himself.

It was standard issue on Schroter wheellock kits. I never had any issue with it on two wheellocks that I have shot a lot. The backwash from the original 3/32 vent hole on my pistol eroded the ferro significantly until I installed a vent hole liner. Other than that, no issues.

 

[cynthialee]

It was standard issue on Schroter wheellock kits. I never had any issue with it on two wheellocks that I have shot a lot. The backwash from the original 3/32 vent hole on my pistol eroded the ferro significantly until I installed a vent hole liner. Other than that, no issues.

experience trumps hearsay every time

thank you for that