About scratch testing a possible meteorite looking rock.

ghost surf

Full Member
Dec 11, 2004
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7
If you find a rock that looks meteorite or has the symptoms...If it is burnt on the outside will this burned stuff leave a streak on your rocktile scrath tester? The reson I ask is that they tell how to check them..But it does not have litt;le aspects such as if the burnt part..The dark layer that is on a fresh meteorite...Will it leaves a scratch mark? Buy the way..Does anyone know how to build a rock cutting machine...I know it needs a special diamond blade..Just how fast a motor or size do you need..wiat a minut..I used to work for a metal company..They sureky would have a good idea.i loved cutting 14 gage metal with the saw they had..it was fun!Dangerous but oh so fun,anyway still wondering.
 

Carefully--- be safe---

One simpleminded way: Carefully grind or file a small flat spot. Look for the shine of nickel-iron metal using a good quality loupe of about 10X.
 

Haag uses a Chopsaw in his shop..Mark does his cutting..get his catalog with pictures, clamping a specimen to be cut is a scarry operation. And there is a skill to cutting, like Water/Oil flux-cooling considerations?? really! Good luck.
 

Hematite and magnetite look silvery when you file or grind them as well. They are iron ore after all. The give away is the filings are powdery red, which is what leaves the red streak when doing the streak test on rough porcelin.
 

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