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Cutting/Shaping Pyrite

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Hello all. A friend has run into a possible dilema.

Many of us have had the occassional flint that needs the bevel on the bottom ground flat to fit snug in the jaws. Because of the toxic nature of the powder in flint I wear safety goggles, a mask, and do the job outdoors on the deck. The little diamond wheel on the Dremmel tool works great and only takes a couple minutes. I learned this trick from here on the Forum.

We know that the sparks from a flintlock occur from the tiny pieces of hot iron scrapped from the frizzen face. But with a wheellock and pyrite it's the opposite. The spark being generated by the pyrite itself.So I don't know if the diamond wheel is the correct/safe way to cut/shape pyrite?

While trying to research this on the Web he ran accross these comments:

"Did some online research on shaping pyrites last night, there is a whole blog page with contributions from a number of lapidarists on the subject. Bottom line -- proceed with caution, this stuff can be dangerous if worked with power tools. One guy had a shop fire start when a spark ignited the powder residue as he was sawing it with a diamond blade. He was doing it dry, and another guy who was using water as a lube was nearly overcome with sulphuric acid fumes when the dust combined with the water! A guy with medical background says that if the dust gets onto your mucus membranes, it will form sulphuric acid in your mouth/nostrils. Yikes!"

My friend has a few 1" square cubes of pyrite that he needs to cut/shape to fit in the jaws of a pair of wheellock pistols for display in place of the flints that are there now. And based on the comments above is not sure how to proceed in a safe manner.

So, I thought I would touch base here to see if you wheellock shooters have any experience/ideas for safely cutting/shaping/chipping pyrite into a desired shape? :hmm:

Thanks for any help.

Rick.
 
Hi Ricky...I never got into pyrate because of all
the problems and used "fire sticks"...however that
doesn't answer you question. What I did do was to
get a "green wheel" and install a drip system on
an electric motor. I use this to sharpen my carbide
cutters and reshape my flints. The water drip system
cuts down the dust and keeps things cool. Problem
solved.
 
This worked for me

Cutting Pyrite

I bought a decent “wet” diamond powered tile saw, it works super, what a unusual delight when a plan works. Cuts pyrites like a dream.

I don’t have a shop now, so I cut this outside and it has been raining for weeks now, so I am not too sure how I got so wet cutting the pyrites. Then it is a “wet” tile saw.






William
 
I do the same, wet tile saw. No dust to inhale, the water keeps the sparks down. Use a lite touch, as pyrite isn't very strong and the corners break off if you try to go too fast.
 
I didn't know you had a wheelie. Did you ever post
pictures of it? Maybe I missed it.
 
Hi Wulf.

I just noticed that Fire Steel has introduced their sticks in a 3/8" SQUARE size. I just ordered a couple. I'm thinking this will fit the jaws without using the brass holder. I'll let you know when I receive them.

Rick
 
Well, here they are. As advertised, they're 3" long and 3/8" square. It looks like I'll need to cut them about 3/4" in length. About 1/2" inside the jaws, and a 1/4" protruding to meet the wheel of the lock.
It's just a coincidence, but the 3/8" size square seems to be just right to mate with the grooves of the wheel. At least on my lock.
I have a 4" diameter, ultra-thin diamond cutting wheel on the way to me. So I'll wait till it arrives to do the cutting. Of course, I'll wear goggles and mask and do it in a safe area. And I'll wet the stick with water first. I'm sure there will still be sparks, but I can't see it taking more than about 5 seconds to cut each piece.
If my current theory holds true, I should be able to get three pieces from each stick. And "should" be able to get many reliable shots from each one before changing.
I'll post an update after the cutting wheel arrives. Can't wait to see how these square ones spark. LOL

Rick
 
Hi Hawkeye.

Yes, does seem a bit pricey. That's why I order two for the same postage. But I'm thinking this might be one of those cases where it's expensive to buy, but not expensive to use (?). Correspondence with the owner mentions it's harder than pyrite, but still much softer than flint. And says it doesn't have the "crumble" composition of pyrite.
I'll post an update soon.

Rick
 
Hi Ricky... I use a hack saw to cut mine but I
first make sure there is no wood sawdust under
or around the vice...all the sparks will start
a fire for sure...and there will be plenty of
them. Does the Fire Stick Co. have an email
address?? Two of those will last a long time.
 
I am a lapidary and have worked with the materials you mentioned. The pyrite is Iron Sulfide, FeS, it is brittle and can be cut and polished on standard lapidary grinding equipment. You can also use a tile saw, or dremel tool with diamond cut-off wheel. If you use a dremel, try submersing the piece in a shallow dish of water to eliminate dust. If you need access to a lapidary grinding machine, check for your local gem and mineral society, they sometimes have work shops you can access to use the machines. Whatever you do, always use water when cutting/shaping the stones to avoid inhaling the rock dust.
 
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