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[iceopals]

Linde A is more than likely how you will find the sapphire powder.  I have used it for years, and prefer it to cerium oxide for cabs.  I do use the cerium for carving though.  Huh, interesting.  I never really thought about what it might be that I like for each application, or why, just like using them like that.

[MrsWTownsend]

Thanks!

I found a place with every polishing compound under the sun listed but they are expensive...  It says Linde A is aluminum oxide or 99% pure Alumina, according to another website.  http://www.gravescompany.com/polishin.htm

Cheaper here
http://www.johnsonbrotherslapidary.com/Sapphire_Polishing_Powder_-_Linde_A_-_03_micron.html

[iceopals]

Interesting!   I found this also---
Sapphire Powder is 99.9% pure 0.03 micron aluminum oxide.  It is "A" grade, the best you can get, and is known to some under the old brand name 'Linde A.'

Sapphire Powder is used for polishing tourmaline, beryl, garnet, topaz, peridot, danburite, etc.  It has a hardness of Mohs 9, and is therefore most useful for polishing very hard and/or difficult materials (but not corundum).

Do NOT ask me why this is!!!   I just always had the understanding that Linde A was sapphire powder, now maybe that is just an accepted terminology?

[MrsWTownsend]

Well it said it was commonly used for polishing faceted stones, maybe originally, the bulk of it's use was for Sapphires and that is how it got its name.