Hi Everybody I was wondering if anyone out there knows how to tumble
polish hematite? I sell rocks and minerals along with my jewellery
and the Hematite tumbled stones take a beating over the year. Though
I have no trouble polishing other materials, I have not been able to
get a shiny polish on Hematite. When I purchase same to sell it is
already shiny so I know it can be done. Thanks Karen Seidel-Bahr the
’ROCKLADY’ May your gems always “Sparkle”
Karen, Suggest you use the very old remedy of loading a heavy
charge of …this is tricky…try iron oxide first and if no joy
then try cerium oxide…into a tumbler (I prefer vibratory) along
with a heavy concentration of corn meal…yes, corn meal. Leave it
dry and tumble (vibrate) for 3 or 4 days. Check progress now and
then. This also works well with other difficult to polish stones
such as Apache tears, sometimes malachite, etc. I say ‘heavy
concentration’ or ‘heavy charge’ because I don’t know the amount of
stones you are trying to polish. You will have to gauge it.
If you are using a rotating tumbler, keep the speed down so that it
does not ‘tumble’ hard…it should slide down the sides of the barrel
rather than tumble hard. That will only result in additional
bruising.
Good luck and cheers, Don at The Charles Belle Studio in SOFL where
simple elegance IS fine jewelry!
@coralnut1