How to Polish Stones by Hand
Collecting rocks and stones is a very enjoyable hobby. However, it is not all about putting collecting stones in your cupboard. One surely needs to keep the stuff gleaming all the time. For this, polishing is extremely crucial. If you have a good collection of stones, you must know how important it is to keep them shining.
Even an expensive stone looks fake, if it is not shiny. Polishing the stones is the ultimate key to bring out their natural beauty. Fortunately, it is not a tough thing to do. Their natural hardness and fortitude makes the polishing procedure easy.
One does not need to give the stone to a jeweller, because this job can be done with perfection in just a few simple steps. No special tools are required to get stones polished on your own.
Instructions
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1
First of all, choose an appropriate place where you can sit and do the job safely. Although, the stones are usually very hard, they may crack after falling down from high places.
Having placed all the material properly, you should clean all the dirt off the stones. You just need a damp piece of cloth for this. Don’t hesitate to wash them with water. Rinse the stones off after letting them soak for a while. -
2
Now, it is the time to select the stone that you want to polish. It is always better to start with the softest and the smallest one. Since you are doing it for the very first time, you have to keep an eye on the final result. Polishing a small stone correctly will eventually entice you to continue this practice.
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3
If you have got a new stone that is not well shaped, you firstly need to give it a nice shape. Use a 60 grit sandpaper, and rub it to give the stone shape. Start at the corners, and gradually rub them down evenly.
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4
Don’t forget to keep a bucket of water near you. Always wet the stone before rubbing. Keep doing this until you get the desired shape. If your stone is already in good shape, this step is not needed.
For making the stone scratch free, dip the stone in the water, and use the 160 grit paper. This step is used to remove the big scratches only. -
5
Now, take the 360 grit, and keep rubbing to remove the small scratches. Again you must not forget to dip the stone in water periodically.
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6
The final step is to apply the powdered polish. With the help of a damp denim cloth, start polishing the stone until you get the required result.
