Kenworth Fordite #W08

Highly Figured, Extremely Rare, Kenworth Fordite Rail Slab, Raw & Rough Sanded as shown in pictures. Kenworth has the most unique colors of all the fordite types making it great for use in Knife handles, Jewelry, Cabochons, Worrystones and so much more.

Ruler shown for size reference and is not included. Product size/weight shown in images

WHAT IS FORDITE? Fordite is a generic name given to the bi-product of the Automotive Paint Industry. Overspray collects on the surfaces of the racks and drip pans used to support the car parts when being painted. This material is heat cured between every layer creating a solid workable material used in jewelry and other artforms. At some point, workers realized that the multi-color layered material could be made into jewelry and the material was smuggled out of the shops in workers lunch bags and pants pockets. The term "Fordite" was coined in a magazine article discussing the material as being hard like Granite, and the name stuck. commonly known as Motor-City-Agate, Detroit-Agate, and many other funny names based on the specific car manufacturer, such as, Jeep-ite, Corvette-ite, Ford-ite and even Sem-ite from the Semi Truck paint factories. As paint practices have changed over the years, the auto manufacturers have moved to more efficient practices like Electrostatic-Painting which reduced the need for so much overspray, thus minimizing production of this bi-product, making it a rare commodity. Fordite is still produced in smaller, certified paint facilities outsourced by the auto manufacturers, but all the old material has been hoarded in the Garages and shops of collectors, only to be rediscovered and released into the wild at estate sales and auctions. This material is literally a piece of Automotive History and is loved by many for its colorful and crazy patterns that come from drips and ripples in the paint from blasts of air that collect settled paint spray buildup on their surfaces.