Help, please: Graver polishing

[Jim P]

Hey maybe someone can answer a question for me about polishing gravers.
Im using a GRS powerhone with a cast iron lap charged with medium grade diamond lap material. I though that at one time i had seen in print some where that some type of motorcycle cleaning or polishing product worked well for charging a polishing lap as it contained the correct grade of abrasive material.
This would work well for me as it would be something that may be available here locally and would save me some money on shipping as what i am using now has to be shipped from Kansas to Fairbanks and shipping cost about twice what the lap compound cost.
I had a can of mothers mag wheel polishing and wax and tryed that but it dosent work.
If anyone knows of a product that works well in place of the GRS lap compound i would appreciate the help.
Thanks, Jim

 

[Sam]

I use the cast iron lap charged with 50,000 mesh diamond spray (green label). Other things might work if you're not polishing carbide. If you are, then to my knowledge diamond is the only thing that will polish carbide.

I have used Simichrome polish on leather for polishing high speed steel gravers. Not tried it on the cast iron though.

 

[txtwang]

In my western bright cut classes at GRS, my instructor, Jeremiah Watts gave us a sheet of 4/0 (4000) grit polishing paper. That works great for polishing the heels and faces of the flat gravers. I have used it for the faces of all my degree gravers. I don't have any experience using the 4/0 on the carbide gravers
I had a few pieces that I use by just laying it on a wheel (with the hone turned off)and sweeping the graver back and forth. I also had a whole piece that was glued to a blank 5" wheel( use with/without power) that worked well.
I am looking for a supplier for the 4/0 polishing paper now(without much luck, I might add..unless I want to buy a box of 100 sheets for $179) Rio Grande sells a 4/0 but theirs comes out to be 2500 grit? Anyone have a supplier for only a few sheets of the 4/0 paper?

Jerry

 

[mitch]

"diamond is the only thing that will polish carbide."

ruby stones work, but are probably not the most economical option. my fine stone will put a mirror finish on a carbide point.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=6708/Product/GESSWEIN_RUBY_STONES

 

[Sam]

"diamond is the only thing that will polish carbide."

ruby stones work, but are probably not the most economical option. my fine stone will put a mirror finish on a carbide point.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=6708/Product/GESSWEIN_RUBY_STONES

Very true, ruby stones are great carbide polishers. What I was referring to was something that could be applied to a cast iron lap, such as a spray or paste. Can you think of anything besides diamond that'd work? :thinking:

 

[mitch]

"something that could be applied to a cast iron lap, such as a spray or paste. Can you think of anything besides diamond that'd work?" (i missed that in the original post)

maybe some sort of boron carbide paste?, but it's unlikely to work any better or cheaper than a diamond compound. speaking of which, has everybody switched to iron laps from the ceramic discs (which GRS recommended using diamond spray on anyway)?

 

[eastslope]

I use lots of green diamond spray on my ceramic lap. I can get a mirror finish with it, and that is pretty important on bright cut silver stuff.

 

[GTJC460]

Gesswein or rosenthal jewelers supply sell the emory paper you are looking for. You want the norton brand in 6/0. I use it on hss gravers in a pinch. Works pretty good but the above suggestions are best. Also leather charged with diamond is great after ceramic.

 

[Sam]

Mitch: Switch, no. I still use my ceramic every day. But when ultra polishing on carbide gravers is required there's nothing that beats the cast iron lap treated with diamond spray. It produces an amazing polish.