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