Serpentine Cut & Polished

It's been some time since the last lapidary video, so let's jump right into it and make a cab.
Watch us collect this material • Rockhounding in a Cave
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Did you enjoy this video and find it to be informative? You can help ensure that more videos just like this get made by supporting the project on Patreon. / currentlyrockhounding
#CurrentlyRockhounding #lapidary

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Did you enjoy this video and find it to be informative? You can help ensure that more videos just like this get made by supporting the project on Patreon. www.patreon.com/currentlyrockhounding

[@rong1924]

I live in San Jose California and many of the hills around here are almost solid Serpentine. Beautiful stuff.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I have heard that from people over the years!

[@zenflow4life]

I think having a strip of the quartz running through the green would have made a beautiful piece. Adds character

[@dianeshurte5876]

For a non-jeweler guy you did a super job explaining the process - remember to slightly angle the bottom so cab doesn’t chip

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I'll keep that in mind for my next one.

[@QuestForDetails]

I was out grabbing chunks to slab until almost sunset last night, and just sat down to this vid, perfect timing ! such pure stuff !

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It really is a pretty material.

[@stonearches2883]

After your polishing step consider buffing the cab using a soft cotton wheel charged with some Zam buffing compound. Buff it dry. You may find that it leaves a better shine, depending on the specific rock. Some serpentines are softer than others. I find serpentine in the rivers here in western Massachusetts. It’s a similar green, and make bead and cabs from it. The zam is already green so it won’t discolor the stone. Remember, buffing wheels need to be segregated, one wheel for each compound. Don’t mix them up. Nice video and nice job making the cab.

[@patriciamckean4186]

You "wing it" really well! Nice serpentine!

[@WorldofRockhounds]

I taught a class one time and the person just wanted to know the bare basics and then be left to their own devices and they did fantastic. Having not done any classes, you did an awesome job.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you, means a lot coming from you.

[@binkkytube]

Awesome. well done. looks great at the end product.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@brucevanderzanden9638]

Thank you for the quick video on making a cab. It’s been a long time since I have made one. I hope to have all that I need in the next year. Have a great day!

[@ianmcleod8898]

At last you have confirmed what my mystery rock find is Serpentine.

[@ianmcleod8898]

Thanks for your run down on the trim saw. I need a saw to rough out some cabs. I also use a flatlap for shaping. A drain plug would be easy to put in but agreed, it should already have one.

[@mippins1]

I discovered serpentine clay. I made some pipes with it and decorative pestle and mortar pieces. It hardens into a vitreous bluish green structure. Serpentine is a beauty of nature.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Serpentine clay?

[@carinanderson8239]

Wow, that color green is gorgeous. Great job.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you, its really pretty stuff.

[@glennsloggett1876]

I have been making cab for years now and for someone who is just starting you seem to have grasped the concept quite well. Only thing I would suggest is that you do is keep doing what your doing, because that's how you get good at it. You might want to get a polishing lap made of leather to really bring out that shine. Really good start you should be proud of your work.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you. Do you have an other tips or advice?

[@glennsloggett1876]

If you are serious about doing cabs I would look into getting a dedicated cabbing machine. I picked up a Diamond Pacific unit with six grinding wheels second hand. Not cheep but well worth the money. I was lucky to be in a local rock club where I meet a friend who was willing to show me how to use it properly. If there is such a group in your area think about joining. The Internet is also full of videos about Cabbing. Good luck and keep practicing.

[@kd7ign]

So beautiful. You should make one or two to sale. People could buy their own mount.

[@jayroland9481]

Interesting clip, thanks for taking the time. Might I suggest you polish your finished piece with carnauba wax on a wheel? Then it would have a gorgeous glassy finish. That is what the professional serpentine turners use here in Cornwall.

[@farmboypresents9977]

I work with serpentine a lot. It is a wildly beautiful and varied stone that is really rewarding. I am careful to stay away from veins of aspestos? which range from mm length fibres to maybe 5cm in some pieces but are absent in most.

[@patriciamurray5612]

Nice job! And, as usual, thanks for sharing your extensive knowledge. That's what sets you apart from many of the you-tubers.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you so much for the nice comment.

[@richardstursa6711]

To Rock hounding adventures: If you haven't worked with larimar before, you're in for a treat. Beautiful stuff but weirdly brittle. That's why all the slabs at the rock shows seem to be overly thick. I have been on final stages of a cab only to find a nice little flake that has escaped along the way. So, nice & easy and check for chips by wiping the surface of the cab dry often to check for chips. Have fun.

[@georginabuziak5110]

OMG.....I would SO love to wire wrap that.........it turned out gorgeous!!!!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you.

[@GSProspecting]

great video fam. loads of fun. GOLD SQUAD OUT!!!

[@JohnTheHam]

Beautiful Washington serpentine cab. Congrats!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you.

[@donaldwarriner1640]

Beautiful and informative. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@kylaabegglen1275]

Beautiful, love serpentine!✌😎

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It sure is pretty!

[@newyorkrockheads8995]

Bro you never had a lesson and your pretty damn good....good stuff real smooth.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you.

[@RockhoundingLife]

I'd say thats a pretty darn good job regardless of what you used! Awesome stuff!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I have a slowly but surely attitude with it and at the very least I'm enjoying the process of learning.

[@TheMovieCreator]

One note about the asbestos comment. It's mainly one particular form of serpentine ("chrysotile") that forms natural asbestos, but due to its fibrous and fragile nature it's really not at all suitable for working. It's mostly, however, an important concern for anyone mining anywhere there's serpentine in the rock. Other non-fibrous serpentine forms pose no issue for the type of work shown here.

[@chrisandrewoutside1560]

That turned out really nice! Good color. We're going to be cutting and cabbing some jade and opal tonight.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I hope to see some videos of that in the future!

[@chrisandrewoutside1560]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding Absolutely!

[@therockdad1]

Nice job man

[@helenaziegler6005]

I love serpentine!!!!

[@RockHoundingAdventures]

Awesome video, I’m currently working on a similar video with Larimar and Jasper right now. The Serpentine took a nice shine and has an awesome green tone to it. Magnets are a good idea, you could also glue a pin to the back so if you were to sell it, give it away, or pin it to your own shirt/cap. Just an idea. Enjoyed watching.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thanks man, I'm more interested in fridge magnets right now but I guess I could sell something like that in the future. The one thing I do want to look into is how I could put together a box of rocks, cabs, and things like that and do an online auction for a charity.

[@RockHoundingAdventures]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding that’s a great idea to be donated for charity. I actually came across something similar a few days ago. I’ll try and send it to you if I can find it.

[@TheRogueRockhound]

You're getting good with that machine sir, nice work. Soon you will have to change the name of the channel to "Currently Rockhounding and Fine Lapidary"

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@evahagerman2118]

You can make a wall hanging of each stare you rock hound in and place a cab in the location where you got it. Like how people do usa Maps and fill them in when they visit a state. Or a dream catcher or a sun catcher...

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I like that idea.

[@carparking925]

Very nice

[@PerformanTV]

Súper

[@milesnn]

Awesome video sweet job beautiful stone fridge magnetic awesome ideal thank you

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I think some magnets would be fun, I just need to figure out what the best epoxy would be.

[@stipple45]

Beautiful!

[@KatyDidRocks]

Hahaha, I want to be a hall monitor! :'D Nice cab, Jared.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Hahaha thank you.

[@OnTheRiver66]

Just beautiful! I think you did a great job. Many years ago I scuba dived in a flooded quarry near Holly Springs, GA and there was a mine there that we heard was where they mined serpentine (I think the quarry was something else, maybe marble). I didn’t pay attention to the quarry rock as the diving was dark and cold, and took all of our concentration. The mine was too dangerous to go in, mostly a hole in the hill with water on the bottom, but there was talc everywhere outside the mine, huge blocks that you could step on, and slide down! I think they mined both serpentine and talc at that location. Your serpentine in a larger piece would make a great handle for a letter opener. Let us know what you decide to do with your cab.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Diving in an old quarry sounds like such a fun experience. I do have some pretty big chunks of this stuff and I think a handle on something would be really awesome.

[@sandandshoreshoppe]

Nicely done cab dude. You are definitely getting better at those. And that is a beautiful hunk of serpentine...perhaps you could do another cab and use that quartz vein to your advantage?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you, means a lot coming from someone like you who has made a lot of cabs. To be honest I have big blocks of this stuff that are pure and free of defect, I was just looking at this one and wanted a challenge.

[@themacz1671]

💪😎👍very nice cab you made there great vid thank you for sharing

[@paigelee6321]

Cool project, thank you 😊

[@avipbatupermata2732]

I have green crystal stone maybe green serpentine

[@DanFarrar]

Nice project ❤️ Beautiful results.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you.

[@EDLaw-wo5it]

DANG, I have to get at least a flat lap. When my pickle jar gets full of change I will have one lol. Nice job. I enjoyed the vid Thanks! Havagudun.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It sure is nice to have, it really adds a nice additional aspect to rockhounding.

[@mwilson14]

If you cut enough of the white stuff away, you can use it to insulate your shop!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Hahaha

[@vincentreimer3584]

Love the content keep up the great work!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you.

[@nowvoyagerNE]

very nice! i wonder if there is someone you can collaborate with from time to time who can do the custom sterling jewelry settings for you in exchange for some pretty cabochons? take care!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I would love to do a collaboration with someone in the future. I have been thinking of doing some auctions to raise money for a charity. Working with a few other people on something like that would a lot of fun.

[@ianmcleod8898]

Watch some videos on how to wire cabs and you have another hobby.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I would love to but I don't know if I can handle another hobby.

[@chrishansen8806]

Serpentine has jade in it right?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

The Serpentine subgroup, and Nephrite (American Jade) are two different things but they are often confused by people and sometimes unscrupulous people will sell Serpentine and call it Nephrite.

[@GREEKEXPLORERS]

Nice Video!!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you!

[@amirwaseem7461]

Is it available for sale

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I do not sell rocks.

[@amirwaseem7461]

Thanks for replying but can you please tell where I can get