Ever wonder how people used to polish rocks and stones and gems such as clear quartz when they didn’t have rock tumblers they could just plug into the wall? Obviously they didn’t toss them into the ocean and wait a few decades for the water and sand to do its trick.
How do you polish rocks by hand?
Well, for starters, you have to recognize that it’s a lot more labor intensive than simply flicking a switch on the old rock tumbling machine. You need time, the right supplies, and a healthy willingness to work. On the bright side, it can actually be a very calming and satisfying task.
Start by choosing a soft stone – one that registers around 3 – 4on the Mohs hardness scale. You can certainly work on harder stones, but you should know that it’s going to take a lot longer. Good stones for your first polish by hand include calcites, dolomites, or even onyx.
Using a small hammer or chisel (or both if you’re so inclined), slowly remove any large or unsightly protrusions from the stone. Bring it to the approximate size and shape that you want to see in the final product. It’s not a bad idea to wear gloves and safety goggles for this part of the job – and maybe keep them available for subsequent parts as well.
Using a large piece of rough concrete, further refine the stone’s shape by rubbing it vigorously. Then begin to use a 50 grain sandpaper – this will be very rough and gravelly. Work the entire stone, trying to ensure that you are not ignoring any part of it.
When you’re satisfied fully with the shape, move up to a finer sandpaper – 150 grain or thereabouts – and continue to polish the stone. This will soothe scratches and marks left by the earlier sandpaper and concrete.
Graduate to an even finer grade of sandpaper – anywhere from 300 to 600. Again, your objective is to continue to refine the stone’s appearance by smoothing out the marks left from the preceding stage. When you’re pleased with the result you’ve got at this point, you can move to an ultra fine sandpaper grade or a cloth such as denim. Polish the stone carefully using water and a commercial polish – you can pick this up at any hobby store that caters to rock hounds.
When you reach the stage of polishing the stone – this might be a good three weeks from when you started the job – keep things damp. Rock dust isn’t something you want floating around the room!
And you’re done! The final result might not be as perfect as you’ll see from a high grade tumbler, but you can take considerable pride in a job done by hand. You might find that you’re a bit more attached to a stone you did by hand, rather than a bunch that you simply stick in a tumbler for a few weeks. It’s a fine way to bring a special piece of clear quartz right to perfection.
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