Question about polishing gravers

jerrywh · Apr 8, 2017

When using the ceramic with the diamond spray my ceramic wheel gets a sort of buildup on it like hardened wax.
When it does this I spray it with glass cleaner and just go on using it.
Question is - do any of you guys or gals use anything on the ceramic wheel like oil or any kind of fluid besides the diamond spray??

mvangle · Apr 8, 2017

Jerry I just wash all mine off with water and dawn.
Just dry off the stones and ceramic.
Respray ceramic with diamond spray.

fegarex · Apr 8, 2017

Jerry,
You may be using too much spray. The proper use of the spray is to shake the bottle well, turn on wheel on the power hone and give it ONE good spray of diamond. This will provide plenty of diamond for use and not cause the build.

Jkasal · Apr 8, 2017

jerrywh said:
When using the ceramic with the diamond spray my ceramic wheel gets a sort of buildup on it like hardened wax.
When it does this I spray it with glass cleaner and just go on using it.
Question is - do any of you guys or gals use anything on the ceramic wheel like oil or any kind of fluid besides the diamond spray??

Thanks for this thread, I thought I was the only one with this problem. I think I will try the dish soap and see how it goes.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Brian Marshall · Apr 8, 2017

Soap, water & 3M scrub pad with Comet/Ajax or the like - or hot ultrasonic with compound remover and steam.

Both work well. One takes elbow grease, the ultra and steamer don't.

Brian

mitch · Apr 9, 2017

i tried using diamond paste a few years ago because it's what i had on hand. it actually worked pretty well until i put it away in a plastic bag for a few months. when i tried to use it again the paste had congealed into an impenetrable wax coating. didn't matter how hard i pushed down on the graver point, it would just glide across the waxed surface like a skating rink.

as i remember, i stripped it off with acetone...

Sam · Apr 9, 2017

0.5 micron diamond powder on a cast iron lap polishes gravers better than anything I've ever used. I rarely use a ceramic lap now, and my diamond spray is in a storage cabinet.

jerrywh · Apr 9, 2017

Sam.
I have a cast iron lap but have never used it. Is there a prep. that must be done before use of it? Do you just use it dry or what?

Sam · Apr 9, 2017

jerrywh said:
Sam.
I have a cast iron lap but have never used it. Is there a prep. that must be done before use of it? Do you just use it dry or what?

No prep. I just put a very small amount of diamond power on the surface and spread it around as evenly as I can with my fingertip. Diamond spray works too, but not nearly as well as diamond powder. IMO, the spray doesn't deposit enough of the diamond particles.

SalihKara · Apr 9, 2017

I suggest you to watch Mr. Chris Decamillis bulino DVD, he has a very good demonstration about polishing gravers and as I remember he was using alcahol on cast iron lap which charged with diamon spray before.

jerrywh · Apr 9, 2017

I saw Chris's Video years ago.

tdelewis · Apr 10, 2017

I've been thinking about getting s cast iron lap but don't understand how the diamond powder won't cut into it or how a carbide graver might scratch or cut groves in it.

mitch · Apr 11, 2017

tdelewis said:
I've been thinking about getting s cast iron lap but don't understand how the diamond powder won't cut into it or how a carbide graver might scratch or cut groves in it.

laps of all kinds- cast iron, lead, wood, etc.- work on the principle that the superhard abrasive crystals embed into the soft lap material then they can cut the hard material being polished, or "lapped". a soft cast iron lap charged with diamonds can cut/polish carbide or HSS because of this, but yes, one does need to exercise some care not to wear grooves in the lap itself. move the tool point around a bit and don't get in the habit of using the same 'track'.

Sam · Apr 11, 2017

Exactly. Cast iron is many times softer than carbide and is just a carrier for the diamond power. Sweep across it gently and you'll be rewarded with a mirror polish on HSS or carbide gravers.

MoldyJim · Apr 11, 2017

Diamonds themselves are cut and polished on cast iron.
An aluminum cleaning rod can damage the rifling on guns if it is allowed to pick up grit.
The soft material grabs and holds the abrasive, the harder metal/stone gets abraded away.

monk · Apr 12, 2017

hard to believe-- but a few years ago i recvd. a goodly supply of cd disks that were going to be destroyed. i actually used a few on my grs powerhone. not too efficient at roughing, but quite decent for polishing. they would soon develop scratches and grooves, and had to be frequently replaced. the store-bought stuff is much to be preferred.

tayloredcreations · Apr 13, 2017

sam said:
0.5 micron diamond powder on a cast iron lap polishes gravers better than anything I've ever used. I rarely use a ceramic lap now, and my diamond spray is in a storage cabinet.

Sam, where would one find a cast iron lap?

Sam · Apr 13, 2017

tayloredcreations said:
Sam, where would one find a cast iron lap?

GRS sells them. I was going to post a link but their site is down for maintenance.

Question about polishing gravers

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