Polishing Stones

Hi

I am looking for advice on where best to get hold of some honing and polishing stones of various grades of grit to both hone tooling and polish parts for some projects I am looking to make in stainless and brass

There are lots of Chinese ones on eBay but Chinese quality always makes me nervous.

There are also various shapes and sizes, from large flat stones for tools, to small profiled hand stones so as a relative beginner it looks like a bit of a minefield.

Any advice on how to put together a decent 'stone kit' a relatively good quality would be most welcome

Thanks

Steve

The classic polishing stone was 'Water of Ayr' ... but I've not seen any available for years.

It's a soft, grey, natural stone and used with water.

... Sorry, I know of no modern equivalent.

MichaelG.

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P.S. it came from here: https://canmore.org.uk/site/201928/dalmore-water-of-ayr-and-tam-oshanter-hone-works-stone-mine

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 09/04/2017 22:31:14

Water of Ayr stones were produced a few miles from where I stay. Quarrying from the river Ayr was halted many years ago, and as far as I know the stocks are all gone. I still see it listed as available in some places, but don't know if that is the real thing. I have a couple of sticks I use from time to time. It is very soft, and I would suggest too soft for everyday use. I only use it for frosting polished brass plates.

For honing, it depends on the fineness of the finish you require.

600 grit diamond stone, followed by 1200 grit, will give a finish good enough for the faces of a graver for turning steel or brass. Those stones/plates are readily available. For finer finish, a 2000 grit diamond stone or a ceramic lapping stone or wheel used with diamond spray (3 micron, down as far as 1/4 micron). If you need a better finish than that, you better order some strong sunglasses...

Hardened work takes a better polish that unhardened material, so, as with grinding, harden the work before polishing. Yes; unhardened work can be lapped more quickly, but it will not take a really good finish or polish.

Other interesting polishing and lapping compounds include traditional powders and polishes used by clock and watchmakers. I'm not convinced they are capable of giving a better polish than diamond spray, though. I have one or two powders, but use them infrequently.

If you have a lot of lapping/polishing to do, you might look at the GRS Power Hone (try H.S. Walsh).

There are also some useful polishing papers, from the finer grades of emery 0, 0/2, 0/4 etc, and crocus paper.

For plastics, there are micro-polishing fluids and pads which give a terrific finish if you have the patience.

Arkansas stone is worth a look too, but is rather expensive, and, in the end, not any better than diamond; and less effective than the finest grades of diamond spray.

The only real problem with all of this is that a really fine finish takes a little time.

Marcus

I have a selection of stones from polishing injection moulded tooling, Gessweine from Kemet. If you give them a call they are very helpful on the correct stone for the material you are polishing.

David

Matcus,

Thanks for elaborating

... Must confess, the mention of honing tools had slipped my notice

I was focussed on the polishing side; where we used Water of Ayr on Silver and on Brass.

MichaelG.

I to have stones from my Injection mould making days. Gessweine as suggested by David are good, also "Diestar" I have been out of the trade to long to know the agent to contact for "Diestar" but they are still used where I used to work.

Steve,

Perhaps you should tell us what you wish to hone/polish? Easier to make a recommendation then.

Russell.

Hi Steve

Steve I recently found this company **LINK** they can provide exactly what you are looking for and they have an extensive range.

I purchased several small mounted abrasive wheels they were most helpful

Paul

Thank you for the feedback guys,

Russel, I am new to home machining and have seen a number of projects that I would like to finishto a high level ranging from carbon steel tooling, to aluminium and brass used in small steam/sterling engines and clock production.

Steve

The link to Moleroda was the supplier of the Diestar stones I could not think of.