Retaining fine detail when polishing stone

["Tim Bunton" <tbunton@zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz>]

Dear group,

I find that I am having trouble keeping my fine detail when I take stone to
a high polish.  I primarily do (or at least aspire to do) realistic
figurative work, and if I want to take a stone portrait to a fine finish,
how can I keep the edges of eyelids crisp and clear or the lines and details
of fingernails sharp and defined?  I can carve them that way, but my
polishing technique always seems to undo much of my painstaking detail work.
It seems to me that I can either have detail or polish in my marble and
alabaster pieces, but not both.  Is there any hope for me?

Thanks for your input,

Tim Bunton
Orem, Utah
tbunton[AT]diamicron-corp.com