[Jewelry making - Article 00595] - Re: [Orchid] Cabochon polishing - included agates

[Jim]

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    Lee - 	After much trial and many errors here is the way I polish
    plume agates and other included stones. First, do an exceptionally
    wet final sanding/pre-polish job; then dry the stones completely,
    warming them thoroughly; finally, gently wipe the pits with block
    paraffin. After the paraffin has hardened, go back to final sanding,
    and gently sand off any wax which protrudes. Now you can safely move
    to cerium oxide for final polish without packing polish into the
    open ends of the plumes, etc. Afterward warm the stones to remove
    the paraffin. An alternative which I've read but not done is to use
    water soluble wax instead, and then boil the finished stones. 	For
    the stones already "loaded": soak in a strong mix of dish detergent
    and hot water until the water cools, then use a waterpik to blast
    out most of the polish, finishing with a trip into the ultrasonic
    bath. It doesn't get everything, but nearly does. 

Jim Small
Small Wonders

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