pyrite

[Tinker2]

How do you shape pyrite, can you saw it, grind it?
Is one type better then another? What do I need to know so I don’t kill it or me trying?
I have what appears to be four types of pyrite.

Two are a bunch of tiny crystals gobbed/lumped together, one is one big square Crystal, the largest looks like one solid lump and the last looks like a sand dollar.

Is there a good way to test them?


Thanks
Tinker2

 

[bingo1952]

I haven't tried to cut any yet but understand it may be cut. I would give the old Dremel a try with a reinforced cut-off wheel. If anyone has any better solutions please chime in.

 

[bioprof]

The two on the left in your picture are probably too crumbly to work. The cubic ones are supposed to be the best, but the sand dollar one looks intriguing. The only way that I know to cut them is as was suggested with a dremel cut-off wheel.

 

[Tinker2]

I was going to try a hack saw but you say you don’t think that will work. Ok. Dremel cut-off wheel it will be. The cubic one might be a bit big for the Dremel but the sand dollar one is not to thick.
You have a wheellock to try it in if I send you a chunk?




Tinker2

 

[wulf]

How about anyone who has one of those 'lapadery
[spel] saws???They can cut ceramic tiles..I have
plenty of wheel locks but none use pyrate but they
work anyway..

 

[Cmabie]

I use a tile cutting coping saw blade that one can purchase at a hardware store. It works real well on iron pyrites cube crystals to get a proper shaped piece for the wheellock dog. It is dirty and dusty. Wear a dust mask. A lapidary saw uses water. That solves the dust problem, but not all of us have lapidary saws.

 

[TNHillbilly]

It would be great if one of you fellows with a working lock would volunteer to try out a piece of his pyrite. I found by cutting, or scoring, a band around the cube, one can take a chisel and knock off a slice. I have ground a sharp chisel point on my electric grinder. Smells like sulfer and give sparks. What are you going to use it in? I see a flintlock........? Indeed, that 'sand dollar' piece is intriguing, where did you get that?

 

[Teleoceras]

Tinker2:

I was going to try a hack saw but you say you don’t think that will work. Ok. Dremel cut-off wheel it will be. The cubic one might be a bit big for the Dremel but the sand dollar one is not to thick.
You have a wheellock to try it in if I send you a chunk?

If you want, I do have a Wheellock and have been frustrated with pyrite problems in the past. I'm willing to try it out with Sparky if you want.

Slowmatch Forever!
Teleoceras

 

[Tinker2]

I use a tile cutting coping saw blade that one can purchase at a hardware store.

I looked for a tile cutting coping saw blade in town, no luck with that yet.

Tinker2

 

[Tinker2]

I found by cutting, or scoring, a band around the cube, one can take a chisel and knock off a slice.

I may try that, how deep did you score it? Do that with a Dremel?

“I have ground a sharp chisel point on my electric grinder”

Does it hurt it if you get it to hot when cutting or grinding?

“What are you going to use it in? I see a flintlock........?”

No the flintlock is for size comparison only. I don’t have anything like a wheellock yet, but then when I do, I want it to work and I think that some types of pyrite might be better then others

“that 'sand dollar' piece is intriguing, where did you get that?”

In the Black Hills of South Dakota.


Tinker2

 

[Tinker2]

If you want, I do have a Wheellock and have been frustrated with pyrite problems in the past. I'm willing to try it out with Sparky if you want.

Slowmatch Forever!
Teleoceras

Absolutely, I am going to see if I can cut the sand dollar looking one up first. If you gentlemen tell me what size you need for your locks I will try to oblige you with what I have. First come first served. No cost to you, just post how it worked for the rest of us weellockers wannabes.

If I can’t cut it up, maybe we have someone here that has lapidary tools, saws?

Do be forewarned, I am not real fast. I have been blessed with a way to interesting of a life.





Tinker2

 

[Leonredbeard]

Tinker2,
Your local hardware store should have a blade for the hacksaw that is round and has carborundum chips glued to it. Works like a charm on pyrite. Be careful though the dust will ignite at times and you don't want anything lying under your work that catches fire easily. When preparing for the lock the piece should be about half inch by three quarters by three sixteenth thick. It needs a short wedge ground or sanded on one for both ends. This wedge goes across the wheel.
volatpluvia

 

[TNHillbilly]

I just scored it about 1/8th deep around the 4 sides....that, of course, was using a cube type. I didn't have much luck with the nugget type of rock. The cubes I think have a layer formation, kind of like mica. I held a piece in my hand to grind it. Perhaps that worked for me because the pyrite is not the type to work in a wheelie. Therein lies part of the mystery in the quest for a working wheellock. I'm sure the original 'knappers' had centuries to locate the right source for good pyrites. One would guess they had other uses for pyrites before the invention of the wheellock.

 

[Tinker2]

I just tried two of the pyrite pieces on a chunk of steel.
Like you would with a flint & steel. The pieces were, one of the tiny crystals gobbed/lumped together, and the one that looks like a sand dollar. I got showers of sparks from both of them. :grin:
Not with much effort, easy even.

I had never tried to spark pyrites before, I can see why they would use it in a wheellock, Can’t for the life of me see why these would not work. The sand dollar did flake on it’s sharp edge like a piece of flint will do but no worse. The tiny crystals gobbed/lumped together chunk, I could see no problem with.




Tinker2

 

[Tinker2]

Teleoceras

Is the size that Volatpluvia posted

“about half inch by three quarters by three sixteenth thick.”

suitable for your lock?

Also,

“ It needs a short wedge ground or sanded on one for both ends.”

that would be across the half inch part?

I am going to see if I can cut it Monday.

E-mail me at [email protected] with the size you need and where you want it sent.




Tinker2

 

[Teleoceras]

Tinker2:

Teleoceras

Is the size that Volatpluvia posted

“about half inch by three quarters by three sixteenth thick.”

suitable for your lock?

I am going to see if I can cut it Monday.

Yes, that should fit Sparky's lock. I'll send you my mailing info ASAP.

Many thanks! Here is to hoping the weather hold's out next weekend!

Slowmatch Forever!
Teleoceras

 

[TNHillbilly]

That's interesting! I tried taking the pyrites I have and striking them on the edge of a file....numerous times, never could get anything resembling a spark! Did you say where you got the 'sparkeys'?

 

[mckutzy]

i dont think u can strike it like a flint, flint and steel work when the flint is remotely harder than the steel and thus sparks result when struck, the pyrite will burn when subjected to friction. like on a wheellock. I have taken a piece of pyrite and rubbed it on an old file, and got a shower of sparks like a "striker flint".

 

[Tinker2]

TN Hills guy

I have tried three of the different types of pyrite pieces, I have misplaced the cube temporarily, all of them have sparked very well. The sparks crackle and sizzle when I strike it on steel.

What I used for steel was the smooth edge of one of my checkering files. I also then tried a piece of pyrite against my frizzen, worked great, better then flint, easier to get a spark.

I had absolutely no luck today cutting anything off the pyrite.
I will try again. If/when I cut it I will send you a piece that I have personally sparked if you like. I want to know just as much as you.

“Did you say where you got the 'sparkeys'?”

Yes. In the Black Hills of South Dakota.




Tinker2

 

[Tinker2]

Still not much luck cutting the pyrite but I did get some cut.
The Dremel is the only way that is even close to working at cutting this. I think that if this sand dollar type pyrites sparks well and holds up and not crumble in a wheellock I will get a power feed rock saw first, before I get the wheellock, or cut any more.

I sent what I cut to Teleoceras to test in his wheellock.

TN Hills guy, put me on to this.

“What are you going to use it in? I see a flintlock........?”

So I had some small pieces of pyrite. I put one in my flint lock, used it like a flint, it worked fine. I have to start to rethink what I thought I knew.

It works [pyrite] on my smooth frizzen. So a smooth wheel on a wheellock should work? Why would you need grooves on the wheel? Why would you want cross grooves?

Any and all ideas are welcome.

Tinker2