Dryhead Agate, K2 Blue, Unknown, Teepee Canyon Cabochons

I use Nova wheels...which are very worn in at this point...280 soft through 3000 soft. After the wheels, I use 14K diamond paste on a canvas pad which is on my slant cabber. Then I have a Cerium Oxide pad on the end of the arbor which is my final step IF I use it.

And to be honest...not one of these cabs was put on the Cerium pad. The 14K diamond paste was the final step.

The only thing I think I do that most people don't...is I inspect the cab after every wheel. I have on reading glasses, a 5X Optivisor, and with those on, I look through my 3X magnifying light. So, basically it's the same as looking at the cab through a loupe after every stage. I can see the "level" of scratches that remain after each stage. It's not a liquid surface...so no matter what, there ARE scratches after each stage. I make sure each wheel has worked out the scratches put in by the previous wheel before moving it on to the next wheel. I do that inspection between each wheel...and then again after the 14K stage...and the Cerium if I used it.

Oh...they're not "always" shiny! LOL

The only thing I think I do that most people don't...is I inspect the cab after every wheel. I have on reading glasses, a 5X Optivisor, and with those on, I look through my 3X magnifying light. So, basically it's the same as looking at the cab through a loupe after every stage. I can see the "level" of scratches that remain after each stage. It's not a liquid surface...so no matter what, there ARE scratches after each stage. I make sure each wheel has worked out the scratches put in by the previous wheel before moving it on to the next wheel. I do that inspection between each wheel...and then again after the 14K stage...and the Cerium if I used it.