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Post by tkrueger3 on Oct 21, 2009 17:10:04 GMT -5
This is "tiger iron" I bought on eBay. It's way different from "tiger-eye", although it does have the chatoyant strips of gold color through it. I tried and tried to get it to shine, with no luck. Some strips of it will shine, but others will only undercut or finish matte, or even show everywhere the stone has touched something else. In other words, it seems to be alternating stripes of hard and soft. So my question is - what substance are the dark grey-brown parts likely to be? Here's front and back pics Thanks, Tom
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Post by Bikerrandy on Oct 21, 2009 17:15:50 GMT -5
The dark gray-brown is hematite. Are you tumbling it or cabbing it? That stuff should cab to a high gloss.
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aunuts
fully equipped rock polisher
Some days are gold, some are rocks. Either is cool.
Member since March 2006
Posts: 1,110
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Post by aunuts on Oct 21, 2009 17:17:34 GMT -5
Tom, That's tiger iron for you. Tricky stuff. I take it you're working it by hand? What mesh grit are you using? I find I have good results when I end up with an 8000 grit & a 14,000 polish. All in all tho, it looks really good. Hang in there. Jo
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Post by tkrueger3 on Oct 21, 2009 18:06:47 GMT -5
I worked it up through 1200 grit with my Expando, then finished with an 8" Ultralap of tin oxide. Most everything else I've cabbed that way takes a real nice shine, but not this stuff! Oh, big parts of it are shiny, but the soft parts just won't.
Tom
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Post by Jack, lapidaryrough on Oct 21, 2009 18:09:47 GMT -5
Use cerium oxide
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 21, 2009 18:35:10 GMT -5
Yeah Optical grade cerium or tin oxide will give it a fair polish. The hematite is the silvery stuff while the softer brown is ironstone. What always ticks me off is the little bits of tiger-eye often drop or peel out leaving pits. I pretty much dislike tigeriron!.....Mel
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Post by frane on Oct 21, 2009 18:53:55 GMT -5
Does not look bad to me! Maybe just a little more work on it. It may take up to a 50,000 to make it really shine! Fran
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Post by Toad on Oct 21, 2009 19:47:36 GMT -5
You have a nice stone there, don't give up on it.
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steelandstone
has rocks in the head
Member since September 2008
Posts: 500
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Post by steelandstone on Oct 21, 2009 20:09:58 GMT -5
Tiger Iron can be a little tricky it will have Hematite, Red Jasper, Ironstone, and Tigers Eye but I have had good luck working it up to 3000 on the expandos or nova's and the 8000, 14000 and then 50000 diamond paste on a poly-tex pad. Here is a pic of one I did not too long ago.
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Post by tkrueger3 on Oct 21, 2009 22:32:05 GMT -5
That's sure a lot purtier than mine, and of course the silversmithing doesn't hurt it, either! Wow. That's a good level for me to aspire to.
Tom
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Post by Bejewelme on Oct 22, 2009 8:09:03 GMT -5
I love tigeriron but find it to be very messy and almost muddy when cabbing, I get a pretty nice shine on the 50,000 nova wheel, but it is tricky! I think it looks great though, I like the shape.
Amber
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Post by Tonyterner on Oct 22, 2009 10:39:24 GMT -5
Sometimes you get a rock that just wont shine no matter what you do to it. Try the other suggestions here but if they don't work just chalk it up to mother nature.
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bouldergal
freely admits to licking rocks
Glacier Meadow
Member since July 2007
Posts: 783
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Post by bouldergal on Oct 23, 2009 16:44:00 GMT -5
I have a big chunk of tiger iron I bought a few years ago. I thought it was really unique, but if it's that much trouble I may just let it gather dust. I think your cab looks great....like Tony said, sometimes things just don't get a great shine. A lot of the jaspers are like that. Susan
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Roger
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2005
Posts: 1,775
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Post by Roger on Oct 26, 2009 14:26:45 GMT -5
A slab was given to me the guy said it was no good.It turned every belt black but here it is. came out ok...Roger
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highplainsdrifter
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,266
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Post by highplainsdrifter on Oct 26, 2009 23:22:42 GMT -5
I spoke with a dealer who told me to polish it on leather with cerium oxide and get it really hot. I've never cabbed it, but I bought some and will try cerium vs diamond paste.
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