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polishing basalt and other materials

Stone Conversations : Archive 11 : Message 00072

From: "Bob Hackett" <kinfolk@zzzzzzz>
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 11:38:06 -0500
Subject: polishing basalt and other materials

Visualthinker wondered,

Quoted text begins.I'm wondering if this theory of mine has any basis in reality.
End of quote.


The answer would be no.
Polishing actually involves three stages,they are in order;cut,color and
buff.Cut is the process of bringing the surface to either dead flat or a
fair curve.Color is further refining the surface thru the use of (usually
bonded)abrasives used one after another each removing the scratches left by
the previous grit till the surface is refined enough to begin to reflect
light.Buff is further refining thru the use of compounds such as tin oxide
for some stones and things like rouge for metals till the surface is refined
enough that the eye no longer sees the scratches and the piece appears
polished.
Heat usually is the enemy in this process and can cause things like warping
in metal and spalling or fracturing in stone.One of the reasons(but not the
only one) water is introduced in cutting and polishing most stone.

Bob

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