meviva
Cave Dweller
Member since July 2013
Posts: 1,474
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Post by meviva on Jan 27, 2015 13:56:44 GMT -5
The other night I was looking through some unfinished cabs and found a few of this material, not sure what it is. Last year when I was working with it on the flat lap it was hard to work because it ground down too fast. So I used sand paper (400, 600, 1000, and 1500 grit) to smooth it out and then toothpaste for polish. I kind of like it with the soft shine. Andrea
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Post by deb193redux on Jan 27, 2015 14:26:31 GMT -5
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Post by Pat on Jan 27, 2015 21:07:00 GMT -5
I like soft shine, too. Supershine works well on many stones, but matte is good, too.
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Roger
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,487
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Post by Roger on Jan 28, 2015 0:01:27 GMT -5
I regularly stop polishing some cabs at 1200-3000 for the same reason. Some material just seems warmer than it does with a high gloss. That cab is very well done and the toothpaste polish is brilliant. I am going to borrow that method from you
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Post by braders on Jan 28, 2015 7:48:48 GMT -5
That is nice looking stone !! Toothpaste hu who would of thought
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Fossilman
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Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,709
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Post by Fossilman on Jan 28, 2015 11:01:01 GMT -5
Liking it too!!!!
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meviva
Cave Dweller
Member since July 2013
Posts: 1,474
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Post by meviva on Jan 28, 2015 12:17:09 GMT -5
Thanks everyone! deb193redux I found the original piece I bought and it is called banded onyx. I don't know if that's what it's really called or if it's a generic term. Roger braders I got the sanding and toothpaste idea from reading about hand polishing amber. Since this onyx is so soft it worked really well. Here are the few pieces of amber that I did this way. Andrea
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Post by gingerkid on Jan 28, 2015 12:23:35 GMT -5
I like your onyx cab, too, meviva, and thanks for sharing your toothpaste tip! What brand of toothpaste do you recommend? Amazing amber cabs, too. Did you use wet/dry automotive sandpaper (and toothpaste) for your amber?
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meviva
Cave Dweller
Member since July 2013
Posts: 1,474
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Post by meviva on Jan 28, 2015 12:59:12 GMT -5
gingerkid Thanks, I used Crest…that's what my dentist recommends lol...every time I go to the dentist I get a goodie bag with toothpaste and a toothbrush. I've been saving both for my rocks…I use the toothbrush to get grit out of pits when tumbling….don't tell my dentist…. As for the sandpaper, yes I used the wet/dry automotive type. I just cut out 3"x4" sections, spray with a little water and start circling the piece around. It took a long time but it was fun because I had no plan for each piece, while sanding the shapes sort of evolved, if that makes sense. Andrea
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Post by gingerkid on Jan 28, 2015 13:10:48 GMT -5
...every time I go to the dentist I get a goodie bag with toothpaste and a toothbrush. I've been saving both for my rocks…I use the toothbrush to get grit out of pits when tumbling…. don't tell my dentist…. ... Andrea LOL, @mevia! Thanks for sharing with us how you worked the amber using the wet/dry sandpaper. Have you ever seen amber when it gets ufo-looking discs in it after getting too hot?
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bsky4463
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2013
Posts: 1,696
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Post by bsky4463 on Jan 28, 2015 13:12:06 GMT -5
I like the stone, I like the shine. 9 out of 10 lapidarists prefer Colgate - ha. Cheers
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Post by snowmom on Jan 28, 2015 14:07:20 GMT -5
LOL, great thread, nice cab and info with a little fun thrown in.
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meviva
Cave Dweller
Member since July 2013
Posts: 1,474
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Post by meviva on Jan 28, 2015 14:52:16 GMT -5
LOL, @mevia! Thanks for sharing with us how you worked the amber using the wet/dry sandpaper. Have you ever seen amber when it gets ufo-looking discs in it after getting too hot? You're welcome. I know this amber is not the good stuff. I think it's been melted or heated and compressed…or something like that. I think when they do this it gets flashes inside. Is that what you are talking about? I've read that the flashes are undesirable but I like them. Maybe someday I will get some of the good stuff if I can figure how to tell if it's real. Andrea
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meviva
Cave Dweller
Member since July 2013
Posts: 1,474
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Post by meviva on Jan 28, 2015 14:56:04 GMT -5
I like the stone, I like the shine. 9 out of 10 lapidarists prefer Colgate - ha. Cheers Well, what the heck does my dentist know about polishing rocks….I'll have to go with the experts and try Colgate next time….lol. Andrea
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Post by gingerkid on Jan 28, 2015 15:33:39 GMT -5
meviva, you're amber cabs are beautiful. I'll snap a pic of the amber that I have that has ufo's in it and post it later. The friend that sent it to me said the ufo's were caused by heat from cabbing - if I remember correctly.
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bsky4463
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2013
Posts: 1,696
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Post by bsky4463 on Jan 28, 2015 16:20:58 GMT -5
I like the stone, I like the shine. 9 out of 10 lapidarists prefer Colgate - ha. Cheers Well, what the heck does my dentist know about polishing rocks….I'll have to go with the experts and try Colgate next time….lol. Andrea ....I say stick with Crest. You clearly get results. Again great cab Andrea. Cheers PS. Great avitar. Your photo? Anna's Hummingbird?
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SirRoxalot
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
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Post by SirRoxalot on Jan 30, 2015 15:55:04 GMT -5
Aluminum oxide on felt will polish calcite/onyx, and Baltic amber, to a nice gloss.
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meviva
Cave Dweller
Member since July 2013
Posts: 1,474
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Post by meviva on Jan 30, 2015 16:45:14 GMT -5
Aluminum oxide on felt will polish calcite/onyx, and Baltic amber, to a nice gloss. I was thinking about trying AO for hand polishing something, but wasn't what to use to put it on. So just the felt you get at the craft store? Thanks, Andrea
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