Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2004
- Messages
- 37,909
Help me out here folks.
I grew up around Fordite. It was an annoying waste product at the local Ford plant where I worked in my young days (My dad did the medical work there and my son worked there until they closed the plant).
Here is what it is:
When a car or truck body goes through the paint booth it is bolted on a pair of big steel skids. The same skids will be used over and over again. The paint builds up layer upon layer of every color paint they paint a car/truck in. At summer model change the skids are sent out to the yard and young guys like me would smash off the buildup with sledgehammers. Some pieces were pretty big and heavy. It was sharp and would cut you if you weren't careful. Lapidary guys like me would cut some pieces into belt buckle size cabochons. They were pretty much novelties and worthless. We called it Ford Plant Agate. Other ford plant workers put in aquariums and rock gardens. I still have some nice size chunks somewhere around, and recently a forum member sent me a few small pieces that he considered special and rare (thanks). My good friend Andy's dad worked at the plant most of his life and somewhere on his large lot he used big chunks as border stones for his gardens. The older stuff from when they painted with enamel is much better than the acrylic used now.
Now, I see it in expensive jewelry and even in Blade magazine next to a knife done by W. Valtakis!
I was considering using some as an inlay in a handle, and some jewelry, but now I'm thinking the pommel and quillion stones of Merlin's sword and matching dagger?
What do you chaps think of Fordite? I looked it up on eBay and Amazon. People are getting good money for rather unimpressive jewelry. Brightly colored stuff can bring hundreds of dollars. Most of what I have around is far better than what I see online. Should I make a knife or two with it? Should I go prospecting in Andy's dad's old gardens?
I grew up around Fordite. It was an annoying waste product at the local Ford plant where I worked in my young days (My dad did the medical work there and my son worked there until they closed the plant).
Here is what it is:
When a car or truck body goes through the paint booth it is bolted on a pair of big steel skids. The same skids will be used over and over again. The paint builds up layer upon layer of every color paint they paint a car/truck in. At summer model change the skids are sent out to the yard and young guys like me would smash off the buildup with sledgehammers. Some pieces were pretty big and heavy. It was sharp and would cut you if you weren't careful. Lapidary guys like me would cut some pieces into belt buckle size cabochons. They were pretty much novelties and worthless. We called it Ford Plant Agate. Other ford plant workers put in aquariums and rock gardens. I still have some nice size chunks somewhere around, and recently a forum member sent me a few small pieces that he considered special and rare (thanks). My good friend Andy's dad worked at the plant most of his life and somewhere on his large lot he used big chunks as border stones for his gardens. The older stuff from when they painted with enamel is much better than the acrylic used now.
Now, I see it in expensive jewelry and even in Blade magazine next to a knife done by W. Valtakis!
I was considering using some as an inlay in a handle, and some jewelry, but now I'm thinking the pommel and quillion stones of Merlin's sword and matching dagger?
What do you chaps think of Fordite? I looked it up on eBay and Amazon. People are getting good money for rather unimpressive jewelry. Brightly colored stuff can bring hundreds of dollars. Most of what I have around is far better than what I see online. Should I make a knife or two with it? Should I go prospecting in Andy's dad's old gardens?
)