Will Indiana Limestone take a polish?

["John Vancamp" <jvcstnwrks@zzzzzzzzzzzzz>]

If you put a sealer on Indy Limestone for exterior sculpture be ready for
The 'skin' to come off about 1/2 below the surface. I last saw this with
some of Doug Hydes figures. It was HORRID!

The thing with sealers is that there are so many different "stone Sealers"
on the market today.  Some of these are topical coatings which cover the
surface, and effectively smother the stone.  Not a good thing for any
stone, and they can cause all sorts of problems like spawling of the
surface.  Others are known as impregnators, and act by a solvent (water for
most these days) carrying solids of one sort or another deep into the pores
of a stone.  The solvent then evaporates off leaving behind the solids
which clog up the pores, making the stone less porous.  Some impregnators
are known as "color enhansing sealers" and in addition to clogging pores,
leave a "wet look behind.  Most are designed to let the stone "breathe".
Major debates as to wither sealing is appropriate for any stone, and really
the only thing they do is help prevent staining.  They will not prevent
chemical or physical erosion from the elements.

Now, about polishing stone.  A true polish is obtained by mechanical means
only-- ie using finer and finer abrasives until the desired level of polish
is obtained.  Some stones will never polish,  some are difficult to polish,
and others easy.  All depends on the minerals present, and the density of
the stone.  The question about Indiana limestone can be answered yes-  It
will take a real polish if one is willing to go to 1200 or 1500 grit or
beyond.  It will not get the clarity and depth like a fine grained marble,
or absolute black granite, but it will be polished non the less.  In my
experience, an interesting thing occures around 800 grit when polishing
some of the more compacted limestones like indiana or the texas lueders.
There is a "color" change and what was previously a cement gray becomes a
warm buff to brown.   A true polish is not obtained by putting waxes, etc
on the stone, although these can produce a nice effect.

Could go on, but appointments call.
JVC