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A creek find shook my trust in simple scratch tests
I was sure my method was good, using a steel nail and glass to test rocks. For a long time, I'd call anything scratching glass quartz or harder. Then I picked up a stone from a creek that passed the test. But the way it broke was different, and it turned out to be a feldspar. Now I hear two sides: some say scratch tests are must-dos, others say they trick you. I'm thinking of using more checks. Has anyone else had a rock fool their usual way?
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eric_schmidt6mo ago
Scratch tests can totally fool you sometimes. Your feldspar story shows they're not perfect on their own. Gotta use a couple different checks to be sure.
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young.caleb6mo ago
Actually scratch tests are pretty reliable if you know what you're doing, @eric_schmidt. Most folks in the field get good results using just that one method before moving on. Why make things more complex than they need to be?
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mason.sandra6mo ago
@young.caleb knows his stuff, scratch tests get the job done without overcomplicating things.
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the_paul6mo ago
That feldspar story is a perfect example. Scratch tests give you a good starting point, but they can definitely lead you wrong. I've started doing a quick streak test too just to be safe.
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