Post #273686 by Tamapoutini on Tue, Dec 19, 2006 12:04 PM

On 2006-12-19 11:41, tikigap wrote:

Hi T3,

I have since found out the the rock I used for this bat is Serpentite. It's Metamorphic with no grain, and it is very hard. It is holding together well so far, amazingly (to me at least).

Oho; 'serp'... Serpentine or serpentinite (serpentite?) is indeed a good carving stone. Does it have a greenish colour when wet? Should have, & perhaps a bit of 'serpent-like' veining/patterning?
We have a lot of it around these parts & it is the main 'pretender' that people often mistake for pounamu/jade when out fossicking. Like the 'fools gold' of the jade world, haha.

It isnt quite as strong as jade but is probably stronger than the greywacke mentioned earlier - should take a good polish too!

In its best form, it can be quite crystalline & very translucent (even more so than jade) & is called Bowenite (after its discoverer who incorrectly identified it as nephrite jade - an easy mistake, forever immortalised).

The Maori used to use this stone for ear pendants (kuru) and other jewellery (not tools or weapons) & called it 'Tangiwai' (or Takiwai in my Southern family dialect) or 'tear-water' :cry:... Aue!

'Hei-pekapeka Takiwai'? A bat (for suspension) made from sepentine - bit of a mouthful perhaps..?

ROCK ON! Tama :)