These tables are suggestions for use of the various Gearloose lap products.

They are based on experience reports from a wide variety of faceters, from beginners to competition and production cutters, and reported on from the Faceters’ forums online over the years. All individuals use differing techniques, with variations in lap speed, pressure, wetness, and sweeping rate, so these tables are suggested starting points.

The briefest summary is this:

Following cutting on a #600 lap:

Pre-Polish:

3000 Diamond on BATT™ *OR* 8000 Diamond on Cast Zinc.

Polish:

QUARTZ: CeO or Chrome Oxide on DARKSIDE™ OR GREENWAY™

Everything from fluorite to sapphire:

BATT™ 60K or 100K Diamond.

In addition, Beryls/Garnets are especially responsive to Chrome Oxide/Darkside™, Peridot and tourmalines are polished exceptionally well with Alumina on Darkside, but have traditionally been done on BATT™ with diamond.

Product Application Charts

Note: Colored elements indicate preferred use
Binary polish / pre-polish combinations use the characteristics of each primary material. Examples are Redwing™ and Dominatrix™

Product	Common Use	Polish Agent	Ease of Use	MHO Range	Primary Market
BATT	Polish or Pre-Polish	Diamond / Oxide	Normal	4 to 9	Instructional / Commercial / Hobby
BA5T	Polish / Pre-Polish	Diamond	Normal	5 to 9	Competition & Production
Darkside	Polish	Diamond or Oxide	Easy	4 to 9	Instruction / Commercial / Hobby
Greenway	Polish	Water / Oxide	Easiest	3 to 8	All Commercial & Hobby
Cast Zinc	Polish / Pre-Polish	Diamond	Easy	6 to 9	All Commercial & Hobby
Matrix	Polishing	Diamond or Oxide	Easiest	5 to 9	Instruction / Commercial / Hobby
DiaMatrix	Polishing	Diamond / Oxide	Easy	6 to 9	Competition & Production
Twistor	Pre-Polish	Water	Normal	7 to 9.5	Commercial / Production
LightSide	Polish	Diamond / Oxide	Easiest	2 to 7	Instruction / Commercial / Hobby
Creamway	Polish	Water / Oxide	Easiest	4 to 7	All Commercial & Hobby

Best Uses

Best Results:
Good Results:
Poor Results:
Not Effective:

Material	BATT	BA5T	Darkside Oxide	Darkside Diamond	Greenway
Almandine
Andalusite
Apatite
Beryl
Chrysoberyl
Corundum
Cubic Zirconia
Feldspars
Fluorite
Grossular
Lolite
Opal
Peridot
Pyrope
Quartz
Rhodolite
Scapolite
Spessartine
Sphalerite
Sphene
Spinel
Topaz
Tourmaline
Zircon
Zoisite