Some Contemporary Fordite Polished Face Specimens
Can You Still Get Fordite? The Truth About Modern Fordite Availability
One of the most persistent claims about Fordite is that “you can’t get it anymore.”
I’ve heard that story for over 40 years.
And it isn’t true.
Where the “You Can’t Get Fordite Anymore” Story Came From
I first encountered Fordite in the late 1970s through the Michigan rock and gem community. I cut my first piece in 1981 using material purchased from a local rock shop in Jackson, Michigan.
Even then, the story was already circulating:
“You can’t get it anymore because they changed the way they paint cars.”
But here’s what I observed firsthand:
Was Fordite Ever Common? Early Rock & Gem Show Reality
Between 1975 and 1984, I attended nearly every rock and gem show in Southeast Michigan. In all those years, I never saw more than a shoebox of Fordite rough at any given time.
There was never a large, widely available supply “back in the day.”
Fordite was a novelty material—interesting, unusual, and often treated as a curiosity rather than a serious lapidary medium.
Local newspaper photo from 1981 showing my mother holding the first Fordite cabochon I cut....
How the Fordite Myth Spread (1980s–2000s)
It’s not hard to imagine how the myth began.
As automotive paint systems improved, overspray decreased. Some factories became cleaner and more efficient. Someone working in a paint facility likely noticed less buildup and told a collector:
“There’s not as much of this anymore.”
Over time, that became:
“You can’t get it anymore.”
From there, it spread through rock clubs, shows, and eventually the internet. By the early 2000s, nearly every listing for Fordite repeated the same claim.
I know this because I repeated it too.
The Fordite Market Before 2015: Scarcity or Misinformation?
For years, Fordite was scarce—not because it no longer existed, but because it wasn’t being actively sourced.
When I began selling on eBay in 2000, I would occasionally find small amounts of rough, typically priced around $1 per gram (roughly $450 per pound). I considered that price excessive and rarely bought in.
At the time, there was no consistent supply chain—only scattered pieces and a widely accepted belief that no more could be obtained.
How Modern Fordite Is Still Collected Today
In 2016, everything shifted for me.
While doing a trunk show in Portland, I searched for Fordite rough on eBay and found something I had never seen before: a listing for 10 pounds of material from the Ford Kansas City Assembly plant.
The price was around $30 per pound.
I bought it immediately.
For the first time in my life, I had a substantial quantity of Fordite to work with.
Where Contemporary Fordite Comes From (OEM Paint Facilities)
The seller was a truck driver who delivered materials to automotive paint facilities. After learning about Fordite, he began asking his contacts if they could collect it.
Most factories kept their equipment clean.
One did not.
That was the key.
Since that time, I have sourced Fordite from multiple verified channels, including OEM contract paint facilities and production lines connected to major automotive manufacturers. There are a few reputable and reliable sellers of fordite rough out there, but not a lot. It's still a niche market.
All of it was collected within the last 10–15 years.
Is Most Fordite Old Stock or New Material?
Based on decades of observation and direct sourcing, I can say with confidence:
The vast majority of Fordite on the market today is contemporary material.
Not 1960s. Not 1970s.
Modern.
Why the “No More Fordite” Myth Still Persists
The “you can’t get it anymore” story continues for a few reasons:
• It has been repeated for decades
• It increases perceived rarity
• It sounds plausible
• It spreads easily online
Once a story like that becomes attached to a material, it takes on a life of its own.
Even now, many sellers and collectors repeat it without questioning it.
What Determines Fordite Supply Today?
Fordite still forms anywhere paint overspray accumulates and is repeatedly baked.
What varies is:
• how often equipment is cleaned
• how much buildup is allowed
• whether anyone is collecting it
Some factories sandblast or clean their racks regularly, destroying the buildup, while others allow it to accumulate over longer periods.
It’s also important to understand that automotive factories are not inclined to let employees take industrial waste home. There are strict environmental and workplace regulations governing how that material is handled, and informal removal for resale is generally not permitted. Over the years, I’ve spoken with individuals who had access to this material but were not willing to risk their jobs to take it.
The material has never completely disappeared.
Are We in the Golden Age of Fordite?
Having watched the Fordite market evolve from the 1970s to today, I can say this clearly:
We are living in the golden age of Fordite.
There is more:
• material available
• variety of color runs
• active sourcing
• global awareness
• collector interest
than at any time in the past.
The difference is not that Fordite is gone.
The difference is that people are finally looking for it.
The Truth About “1960s–1970s Fordite”
Many buyers specifically ask for “1960s–1970s Fordite.”
In reality, very little material from that era was ever collected or preserved in significant quantity.
When someone claims to have “old stock,” they are often repeating the same story rather than verifying the origin.
Authenticity matters more than mythology.
Conclusion: What Fordite Really Is Today
Fordite is a remarkable material—not because it is extinct, but because it is unexpected.
It is the byproduct of an industrial process that, under the right conditions, becomes something beautiful.
The story of Fordite is still being written.
And much of what you see today is part of that ongoing story—not a relic of the past.
If you would like to see examples of genuine, hand-cut Fordite in a variety of formations,
See my complete Fordite Collection.
More will be revealed.
— David V. Horste
DVHdesigns
A one of a kind Fordite "Buck Hole" donut bead I made from a piece of rough that fromed on the bottom of a pipe on the skids that Fordite forms on.
0 comments