[Jewelry making - Article 00176] - Re: [Orchid] Agate Carving

[Mark Zirinsky]

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    oh, I left out an important step. 

    one of the touchiest parts of the polishing seems to be getting a
    good finish, with no subsurface fracturing, at about 1200 grit. i
    say about, as the apparent grit size  varies with the material. 

    a favorite trick: to polish a small, inside curve, chuck a toothpick
    or matchstick into a #30 foredom handpiece. after grinding the curve
    with a lasco diamond point, ending at 600 grit, form the matchstick
    or toothpick to your curve by spinning it against the material, for
    1 or 2 seconds, without any compounds- the result is that the shape
    of the material carves the matchstick. Now, coat the matchstick with
    diamond powder or paste, and start polishing. I use an occasional
    drop of light oil (aka diamond extender) to keep the surface
    lubricated. 

    A few months ago, I developed this technique to complete a solid
    jade Torah breast plate, one surface entirely finished in concave
    cuts, the other a series of convex surfaces, onto which are
    superimposed some 800 or so concave lenses. about 25 minutes per
    cut, x 800, do I have too much time on my hands or what? 

Mark Zirinsky
Denver, Colorado USA
'private cutter buying rough and collections'


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