Show me a example of Chert

[kyheadhunter]

This was found in Christain County in Western KY.
Don't know if my pic is clear enough for you to tell or not but is this material... Chert?
Any comments or info will be greatly appreciated.

jane

[Pullenrock]

You know? that happens to me all the time..sometimes i get confused with chert and flint..Really though i think everyone else is confused.Chert is a lesser grade material then flint although of course there is better grades of chert also The first picture is a crude blade i found in new Mexico..this is a lower grade chert while the second picture is the good ole smooth colorful flint piece i found...It appears yours is a better grade of chert with some flint ot agate in it...Im not sure though just or looks like it could be some lower grade flint....see what i mean? confusing

[Pullenrock]

Like edwards plateau chert looks like flint to me..Its a higher grade chert..

[kyheadhunter]

Thanks Pullenrock... for taking the time to post some pics to help me understand what chert looks like...this helps more than any description could. Think I'm beginning to get it.
  BTW Ms. Kitty is way too cute. She looks very bored with the whole discussion. She wants you to just put them things down so she can curl up on your lap and take a nap.
Thanks!
jane

[Pullenrock]

shes just one of many critters out here on the farm..some reason they all takes to me..Most likely cause i feed them unh?

[kyheadhunter]

Can't say I blame her...if you fed me I'd hang around too! (Just kidding...just kidding folks... I don't beg for food...don't want anyone to get the wrong idea on here! Good gosh! LOL)
Hope you and Ms. Kity had a rockin good Christmas! 

[CliffJ]

From Rowe's Glossary-
CHERT - 1.a rock resembling flint and consisting essentially of a large amount
of fibrous chalcedony with smaller amounts of cryptocrystalline quartz and
amorphous silica. 2. A very fine grained rock formed in ancient ocean sediments.
It often has a semi-glassy finish and is usually white, pinkish, brown, gray, or
blue-gray in color. It can be shaped into arrowheads by chipping.
FLINT (1) - A hard but brittle microcrystalline form of quartz found in
sedimentary limestone or in chalk deposits. True flint occurs only in the Old
World.
FLINT (2) - Any kind of stone which can be flaked.
So, despite the popular name of flint put on better cherts, it is all just chert here in the US. Some US collectors think that the only true flint in the US is Edwards Plateau chert, and others think that the Flint River GA deposits are flint. However, technically they are all chert so you cannot go wrong calling most materials by the name of chert.

[Pullenrock]

Whoa cliff.This just bout got me cleared up on it chert..is flint chert? Oh i see flint is chert!..thanks man

[ksrocks]

That is some good stuff,I guess I have some really nice chert -and- flint pieces like everyone else. Good explanation on the diffrence Jon -and- Cliff, thanks much!!!

[Wildhorse]

How about this one. I was told it may be alabates and when I searched that it seems to be a lot like chert. What about that?

[Pullenrock]

I think you done well in your research..Heres a box of alibates.. Does seem close to the same though..

[Wildhorse]

Seems to come in different shades of colors? This point was found on the Columbia and I have not heard of that material here before. That is me OK I am not into materials a lot until lately on this forum.

[Pullenrock]

Believe me Im still learning also..

[kyheadhunter]

huh? I know I'm a bit slow but are you guys just messin with me or what....I'm getting really confused again...my brain hurts. Are you saying alibates are also a form of chert and chert is really flint?
Well if it's all the same thing...then why the heck do we care so much about what it's made out of...it's all a form of alibate-chert-flint anyway...am I right?
Hey pullen I'll trade ya some broken cherty flint alibates for that box of arrowheads your holding there...wanta?
   :woohoo:
jane

[Pullenrock]

Maybe in the future girl,maybe our great great grandchildren will trade..Im guessing everything is chert just bout unh?