Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[mrlnavy]

Hi all. I have a Cabking 6" I would like to use a leather pad to polish my softer stones. Is this a good move? If so do you have any suggestions as far as leather pads?

Thank you very much.  Mike and Mary

[irockhound]

In general the answer is yes . There is a choice of rough leather or hard leather, choose hard, and with soft stones I keep more water on the pad. The polishing pads are cheap so I keep many pads in their own bags each with a different type of polish to avoid cross contamination. The rough leather develops a lot of heat by friction and is great for hard stones that need the heat variable in the polishing stage.  Heat is an enemy of many soft stones at least in my experience.  A lot also depends on the particular type of soft stone being cut and the right polish is also crucial and this will change with the type of material.  This makes it easy when you have multiple pads with different polishes and a simple spin to change and you're good to go.  On some soft stones like Turquoise many people use muslin buffs with Zam polish also I have never used that combo myself.

I keep several canvas, denim, Hard and soft Leather pads for use. 

I cut a lot of stones but nothing I think compared to what Bob Johannes (<on this forum) says he cuts, he might be a great opinion to get here as I might be wrong and people have better methods than I use.

[mrlnavy]

Thank you very much irock. this is really the info I needed. I did notice that the pads themselves are pretty cheap. thank you very much.  Mike and Mary

[Amethyst Rose]

I do 90+% of all my polishing on leather pads.  For stones 7 or greater Cerium Oxide, is my general choice and Linde A on most softer stones.  I also have Zam for softer turquoise that won't polish on Linde A..  Fabuluster for metallics like covellite, pyrite and bornite, Chrome Oxide for lapis and rhodonite and some jade that Linde A won't polish, Pro-Polish for those few 7+ that Cerium won't do. and diamond for the rest. I try not to use Zam or Fabuluster on porous stones like tu7rquoise as those are a wax based polish and I feel it is a treatment that then needs to be disclosed as the pores have been filled in with wax.   Other than leather and the diamond nova wheels, I use hard felt and soft muslin for base materials.  I do cut a lot of stones during my spare time such as yesterday when I finished 25 matched pairs for earrings.  fortunately, these were all agates and jaspers and all polished well on cerium.  Hope to get 15-20 pair done tonight as my show season is coming up.

Good luck with your polishing

Bob Johannes
The Amethyst Rose

[Back]

Dude you are a monster cabber

Thanks for the info of what you use to polish what. I printed it out.

Bless
Shawn

[Amethyst Rose]

I need to get more done than I do.  I currently have about 300 stones on dops and 4 plastic shoe boxes full of trimmed out preforms.  I really need to retire and work on the cutting full time but that ain't happening for a few years yet.

Bob Johannes
The Amethyst Rose

[Back]

Hi Bob

Cutting full time is a nice dream. I have it also but for me it is a long time away for me. Also I am so out dated. Until 2 years ago I had never used diamond for anything and I have being doing this on and off for over 30 years. Yea I am a little behind the times. I have at least 10 years before I can think about cutting full time. I might get updated by then.

Have you posted pics of your shop? I would to see it.

Bless
Shawn

[Ryaly2dogs]

Thanks Amethyst Rose:  I literally just copied and pasted your reply into a Word document so I can refer to it and apply the wisdom of the ages to my polishing endeavors.

 

P.S.  I am new at use of emojis, so hopefully this is to be taken as a toast to you and nothing else!

[Amethyst Rose]

Shawn,
I have been cutting professionally since I was 10, so over 45 years.  My shop is several tables set up in my basement with lots of shelving to hold all the rocks.  I really need to get more organized in that regard.  My Cousin owned a rock shop back in Minnesota and needed someone to help him cut as his kids were not really into it.  He taught me on silicon carbide and then progressed to diamond.  I learned so much from him. 

My main machine is my thirty year old Genie that just keeps on going.  I have modified the wheel set up for production work with 80 and 200 grit sintered wheels then 60, 200, 600, 1200 Novas.  The sintered wheels are a large investment but I have been using the same 80 grit wheel for 4 years and it is still cutting strong.  I used to replace the plated wheels every 6 months or so and that makes for substantial cost savings over time.  I also have an extra attachment with 3000, 8000, and 14,000 diamond for topaz, beryl and the like. I hope to retire in 3 years after almost 30 years working for the state of Colorado.
 
Happy cutting to everyone

Bob Johannes
The Amethyst Rose

[jerrysg]

Bob,

You mentioned that if you use ZAM on turquoise, it's a treatment that needs to be mentioned to buyers. Does anyone else feel that ZAM is a treatment?

Jerry

[Amethyst Rose]

Jerry,

That is my opinion.  I do not fault others on this matter.  ZAM ia a wax based polish.  In my opinion, the use of wax on a stone is a treatment that needs to be disclosed as the wax will penetrate the pores in the turquoise.  I have had several pieces of turquoise and especially Afgan lapis where after setting in the hot sun at a show, had spots on the stone after the pieces cooled down.  The sun had heated and expanded the wax used in polishing the stone and when the stone cooled, it has obvious wax on it.  I know that much old jewelry and even knew silver jewelry is buffed and polished with wax based polish. 

Once again, this is my opinion based on my experience.

Bob Johannes
The Amethyst Rose

[finegemdesigns]

I use Tin Oxide or Linde A on soft leather to polish turquoise. Lately also good results with Poly-Al F from Reynolds Chemicals.

[jakesrocks]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned. The leather used for polishing is usually Elk hide. Don't ask me why, but that's what is sold in lapidary shops.

I've also used thin cork sheeting for polishing, & really like it. It doesn't last as long as leather, but at least for me it works real good.