Anyone have a handle on cutting Lapis?

[Former sealdaddy]

I stayed up late last night to get a couple small pieces of Lapis "dirt cheap" ($3.25 with free shipping)
I actually was wanting pyrite...but it was too expensive...so much for "Fool's Gold", eh? 
I found lapis that had it in it.

So, how can you get the "best" shine on the lapis?  (dare I say, polish?)

I found this...but can anyone add to it, please?
"Lapis is easy to cut, but takes a little extra work to get a good polish. We've found this material takes a reasonably good polish with tin oxide or diamond, followed with green rouge (Zam is a brand name for green rouge)."

thank you~

[Trails]

I haven't done all too much lapis, little bits here and there. I did just finish a piece three nights ago for a friend in the Renaissance circuit, before she disappeared for another year. Was some beautiful blue stuff, almost reminded me of blue peruvian opal. It is easy to cut and shape, semi-soft and powdery.. similar to cutting turquoise or serpentine. Went from 120 grit diamond(initial shaping) to 600grit diamond to prevent from cutting too much away in-between. From there it was just my normal process up to 14k diamond. I do agree on the extra work to get it to shine right, and ZAM. I use a leather buff charged with ZAM for softer stones, and lapis fits in that group. All in all, it came out with a nice shine and a wonderful smile from the woman... all I could hope for, aside from the pile of commissions/followers from her advertising.

[Former sealdaddy]

Thank you~
Were those diamond flat laps, or wheels, please.

[slabbercabber]

trail's advice is very good.  Mostly just don't get too aggressive with this soft material.  Wheels or disk both work well.  I've had good results with 50,000 grit diamond to tin oxide, but that is not to say that Zam might get even better.

[Trails]

Thank you~
Were those diamond flat laps, or wheels, please.

Wheels. Nova's to be exact. But all works. I've only cut a few different types of lapis, but my understanding to the stone is the more colourful blues with pyrite, it tends to be softer than the ones I've dealt with that contain a lot of calcite. It makes a wonderful blue mess while grinding, just you have to be gentle.

[finegemdesigns]

As with any stone you need to get to a flawless prepolish before final polish step.

I polish on soft leather (medium to slow speeds) with any of these with good results:

Linde A
Tin Oxide
Poly Al F

Don't use Cerium Oxide for lapis.

Also as usual keep a water spray bottle handy and spray your leather when needed when polishing.

[Former sealdaddy]

Don't use Cerium Oxide for lapis.

Thank you....Why is that?

[finegemdesigns]

Don't use Cerium Oxide for lapis.

Thank you....Why is that?

Because it doesn't work as well.

[Former sealdaddy]

Because it doesn't work as well.

gotcha...that's the only polishing powder I have presently.
I'll get a better one.
Which is a good all around one for most materials?

[finegemdesigns]

Surprisingly I have found Poly-Al F to be almost universal for many stones.

Two links to check out:

http://www.hayneedle.com/product/polyalfpolish.cfm

http://www.diamondpacific.net/polish.html

Note: If you ever see any old cream colored Raytech 100% cerium oxide buy it or message me. This was the best cerium I've ever worked with.

[ileney]

Personally, I'm getting a good shine with just nova wheels, no polish.