polishedball
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2014
Posts: 89
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Post by polishedball on Sept 15, 2014 10:59:10 GMT -5
Just curious, I was at a show this past weekend and was surprised by bunches of the cabs people were selling. There were some really nice pieces, but many were actually showing pitting etc, not in the drizzy good kind of way.
I have always filled any small pitting if the stone material was poor for a smooth nice finish and feel, is it now better to have a more natural look appeal and pits?
Asking as I am just returning to doing cabs since decades of time away.
Thanks
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polishedball
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2014
Posts: 89
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Post by polishedball on Sept 15, 2014 11:18:22 GMT -5
Thanks auto correct, meant cab surface.
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spiritstone
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2014
Posts: 2,061
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Post by spiritstone on Sept 15, 2014 11:22:30 GMT -5
When you fill pits are you using opticon? Have you or anyone here tried Liquid glass? Curious.
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,801
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Post by gemfeller on Sept 15, 2014 11:38:15 GMT -5
What do you mean by "liquid glass?" Just curious because I can't find any product other than a car polish by that name. Do you mean water glass, sodium silicate?
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spiritstone
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2014
Posts: 2,061
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Post by spiritstone on Sept 15, 2014 11:48:27 GMT -5
Its a nano coating for any surface, car paint protection etc...bacteria resistant. I have seen it used on sandstone opals, after acid and sugar bake treatments. I'll post the link in a few min, got to look it up again. Here it is. www.liquidglassnanotech.com/
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,801
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Post by gemfeller on Sept 15, 2014 11:57:49 GMT -5
Thanks for the info Spiritstone. It sounds like it has interesting possibilities. Do you know of any American distributors?
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spiritstone
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2014
Posts: 2,061
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Post by spiritstone on Sept 15, 2014 12:02:30 GMT -5
Thanks for the info Spiritstone. It sounds like it has interesting possibilities. Do you know of any American distributors? Sorry no, This is recently new to me also. I had the same thought of certain possibilities it may be used on.
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Post by stardiamond on Sept 15, 2014 13:25:36 GMT -5
I believe that flaws take away from the appearance of the cab. I also believe that cabs should be natural without enhancement. Some material like Tahoma will have some pitting and fractures. Hard to find any without some kind of a flaw. Morgan Hill Poppy Jasper will have healed and partially healed fractures. Some material like OJ can be full of pits when the quality of the material isn't good. Given a choice, a buyer will pick the cab without the flaws, all things being equal. I'd rather have a cab with a beautiful scene with flaws than a perfect cab that is boring. The cab in my avatar has some flaws in the cutting, but I wouldn't risk hurting the scene fixing them.
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Post by rockjunquie on Sept 15, 2014 14:33:00 GMT -5
Great question! My thoughts are these- For material that is prone to pits and such- I leave be. For a small flaw in a great stone, I'll fix it. For tiny non through fractures, I'll fill to improve the look, but not to try to fix. As for buying- I don't mind small issues that don't affect the usability or overall look of the stone.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on Sept 15, 2014 17:01:33 GMT -5
Tough question. I prefer totally natural stones without flaws and often discard a slab to the tumbler just for having a flaw or two. However, as stardiamond mentioned, there are some fine rare materials that often have flaws. Morgan Hill is a good example and another I really love but hate to work is Wingate Plume. Wingate rarely occurs without pits in the yellow plume areas. Many wonderful moss agates and plume agates also have soft oxide areas or pits where the moss or plume filament hits the agate surface when you grind it and of course, these catch polish powder real well. Finishing cabs in a vibe also seems to bring out pits if there are any spots of differing hardness. Now, mostly, I find, for the nicest looking cab, I have to fill the pits with hotstuff or super glue because I find the pits in a finished stone too distracting and disheartening. Don't like doing it and it's definitely time consuming but it does make a better looking cab. Fractured cabs I either recut or discard as I hate working with Opticon. That one is way too much trouble and I don't often like the results well enough to go through the hassle. If I can't fill the void easily, heck with it....Mel
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,801
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Post by gemfeller on Sept 15, 2014 18:33:23 GMT -5
I fill stones very sparingly. But as Mel says there are some varieties that make it almost unavoidable -- Bumble Bee "jasper" and some Koroit ironstone opals come to mind and there are others. Beyond those few I simply don't cut cabs with cracks or pits unless it's an unique piece that can't be salvaged any other way. When I do use a filler it's Epoxy 330. It dries hard and clear overnight and takes a good polish. Cardinal rule: always inform customers of any fillers or other repairs.
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Post by gingerkid on Sept 15, 2014 19:07:18 GMT -5
Cardinal rule: always inform customers of any fillers or other repairs. Don't think this can be stressed enough when it comes to treatment(s) of lapidary and gem materials. One of the sellers I purchase lapidary materials is now listing in his descriptions if he has treated a slab and/or rough.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,685
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Post by Fossilman on Sept 15, 2014 20:46:41 GMT -5
I won't buy cabs with pits and or etc in or on them....
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jerrys
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 263
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Post by jerrys on Sept 16, 2014 11:32:16 GMT -5
Cabs with blemishes will sell cheaper than perfect cabs. Wire wrappers look for the blemished cabs as they can incorporate their design to cover up spots or fractures.
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