I ran out of my good quality 50,000 diamond powder for polishing the other day.
I had some other cheaper powder in a box which I started use, this powder left a lots of small scratches.
I have since found out some of powders are synthetic and some are diamond which have been graded.
From now on I will use the better graded diamond powder to stop any heart ache.
The method I use for polishing is the baby oil and diamond powder.
Has anyone else had a problems with the cheaper so called diamond powder?
Wouldn't the problem be how well the diamond was graded rather than if it was was natural or man made?
Another possibility is that it is forming little clumps of diamond as the mix ages.
I found this with 3000 diamond I was using mixed with isoproply alcahol as a carrier. I ended up mixing a little light oil and orange power bench top cleaner (a thin detergent similar to spray and whipe) as an emulsifier. The oil layer separates from the alcahol until shaken, but holds the diamond in suspension.
Regards Gordon
Yes I bought 50,000 diamond powder about 3 months ago from what I thought was a reliable source and had the same issues as what you mentioned. I believe this lot was contaminated. As on dilution with the metho and a few drops of WD40 there are plenty of gritty pieces settled on the bottom with the other finer particles that are expected. So it was also useless as a sprayer. I went back and bought from my regular supplier and that 50,000 powder was perfect. I'm not convinced all 50,000 or other grades diamond powders come from the same source - ie "De Beers" as mentioned. As there should be better consistency. Looks like saving a few bucks is not worth it.
Cliff I have noticed that some diamond powder suppliers are quoting that their powder is De Beers. Some show the De Beers powder is synthic.
I would expect if you where purshacing De Beers it would be good quality graded diamond powder.
Synthetic is the way to go - natural powder is graded by passing it through a sieve of the appropriate mesh. While the grains might be on size as they pass through the sieve they may be longer in the other direction meaning that the size is not uniform. Synthetic powder is not crushed to size. It is grown to size and each individual grain is uniform and even.
Mesh size alone is not the full answer, there is also the question of friable/non-friable to determine suitability for polishing as opposed to grinding.
At these very fine mesh sizes, by the way, they do not get put through a sieve - separation is done by air classifying.
Like everything, you need to find a reliable source and stick to it. Don't try to save a few dollars - it is pointless when 5ct of diamond used properly will polish an enormous number of stones. Most cutters use too much and cause themselves unnecessary problems.
Yes, unfortunately I have been there as well. The 50,000 diamond (natural) from a long used UK supplier destroyed the stone like 45 micron diamond. Sending a sample back resulted in an apology and being told that the diamond had bypassed the grading somehow. Now have another course cutting lap.
Just received a supply of FG Polycrystaline Diamond from Kemet to try on my next few stones.
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