There are some materials in the Lapidary trade that just don’t care
to be polished the way we want them to be polished. Lapis Lazuli is
one of them. Dinosaur Bone is another one of those materials that
hate to play the way we wish them too. Because Dino Bone is composed
of calcite, trace chalcedony, calcium, etc, it has areas of differing
hardnesses. What this means to us is one area will polish with an
agent while the very same agent cuts another. Undercutting. Eggshell.
Pits. (If you or anyone else discovers a way to prevent this from
occurring without the use of impregnating agents, please let us
know.)
BTW, it sounds like you are using Red Rouge. Rouge is too aggressive
and it too easily can stain. Try cerium oxide on leather.
(And Now, tossing in my Two Cents on the related debate: Most of the
Dinosaur bone on the market is from the Moab, Utah area. This
material is not petrified or opalized. Nor is it psudomorphed. Not
sure of it’s origins entirely, but I do know this; There are examples
of petrified [Agatized] and opalized dinosaur bones in existence.
Chances are we will not be able to cut them unless found abroad.
Utah, and some other states, allow collection of vertebrate fossils
from private land, and private land only. All other domestic [US]
material is property of the federal government and is protected. Now
if they find suitable material elsewhere and can sell it, fine. My
point is the material we know and use comes from one small speck in
the map. Once another source emerges with differing characteristics
a new debate will be sparked on nomenclature. “Dinosaur Bone” sounds
fine to me.)
TL Goodwin
http://www.thepacifikimage.com