Review on 🌍 Explore the Wonders Within: National Geographic Break Premium Geodes Unveiled by Carlos Alston

These geodes are natural, not an artificial product (and not cement as another reviewer claimed) so expect some variation. Because they are real, no one can look inside beforehand and ensure that all ten geodes will look spectacular when opened. I didn't have any with pretty colored crystals inside, but most were hollow with interesting crystals. Only one wasn't quite hollow but had a whorl of light blue agate inside, so we were happy. My thirteen year old son and I used a regular old clawed hammer and opened all of them with no problem despite reading the instructions carefully! Some of them are actually quite brittle and will crumble into a pile of sand if you hit it too hard to get started. We also used a chisel on some of these to try to get an even separation as suggested in the instructions. We did it outside on the sidewalk as it makes a bit of a mess (easily swept away). I'm only giving four stars instead of five because if you don't have a portable vise (or don't want to hammer geodes in your workshop), one person needs to hold the geode (and chisel) in place while the other person swings the hammer. This is inherently dangerous. I was the "keeper" while my son owned the hammer. Luckily I still have all my fingers and some good geodes to boot.