ORDER     Faceting Machines & Accessories Catalog     What's New List     Our Privacy Policy     Contact Us

Polishing Laps we sell.

General information on polishing:

Why do some polishing agents work on some stones and not others?  Why do some laps work better than others?  Why isn't this !@>#$% stone polishing?  Why, why, why?

Polishing is one of the challenges in lapidary work that gets even the most experienced faceters scratching their heads.

The explanations below of what each polishing lap can be used for should be taken with a grain of salt.  Although I wouldn't recommend using a ceramic lap for polishing tourmaline or beryl, I know people who get excellent results using this method.  In other words, what works for you may not work for me or the next person.  If you get results that are satisfying, stick with what you are doing unless you enjoy experimentation.

There are two main types of polishes used in faceting: Oxides and Diamonds. The two most common oxide polishes are cerium oxide and aluminum oxide.   Polishing with diamond can be done with 50,000 grit, 100,000 grit, or 200,000 grit.  Overseas commercial cutters usually polish to 14,000, but most hobbyists and custom cutters consider 14,000 to be nothing more than a very fine pre-polish.

For more specific information on polishing, refer to our How-to and Tips section.

Ultralaps are thin polyester sheets with a coating of polishing agent.  You must use a Master Lap, or other flat lap as a base for Ultralaps.

Ultralaps are inexpensive, but can cause rounding of the facets.  This problem is reduced as the pressure on the lap is reduced.  Once these laps are worn out, they are discarded.  However, some people keep using them by adding a slurry of polishing oxide while they polish. 

Aluminum Oxide "A" can polish beryl, garnet, topaz, peridot and tourmaline.

Aluminum Oxide "B" is used for obtaining a high polish, or for polishing problem stones.

Chrome Oxide polishes tourmaline, peridot, chrome diopside, apatite and some problem stones.

Cerium oxide polishes beryl, tourmaline, feldspar (bytownite, sunstone and orthoclase) and quartz.

Spectralaps are coated with a high grade of cerium, similar to our Top Grade 99.9% Pure Cerium Oxide.  It creates a very bright polish in a fairly short time.

Tin Oxide can be used on tourmaline, garnet, sphene and many soft stones.

15 Micron Diamond (1,200 grit) is used as a prepolish for most stones.

6 Micron Diamond (3,000 grit) is used as a prepolish for most stones.

3 Micron Diamond (8,000 grit) is used as a prepolish for most stones, but especially harder stones such as sapphire.

1 Micron Diamond (14,000 grit) is used as a prepolish for most stones, but some people use it as a final polish, especially harder stones such as sapphire.

.5 Micron Diamond (50,000 grit) is used to polish most stones, but especially harder stones such as sapphire.

.25 Micron Diamond (100,000 grit) is used as a polish for most stones, but especially harder stones such as sapphire.

Lap Containers: Lap Containers help protect your polishing laps from getting contaminated.  Our Lap Containers interlock with one another, so you can keep your laps neatly stacked.  We highly recommend Lap Containers for all of your polishing laps.  A 1/2" post inside the Lap Containers holds the lap firmly in place, so 6" laps can also be stored in our Lap Containers. 8" Lap Containers List Price Our Price $6.95 $4.75 6 for $24.00!

ORDER     Faceting Machines & Accessories Catalog     What's New List     Our Privacy Policy     Contact Us