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Popular gemstones and cabochons:
Amazonite
Parrot Wing quick guide: 1" = 25mm 1/2"=13mm 1/4"=6.5mm
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On this page: Click on underlined text to take you to your choice, or browse by scrolling down. Stones for under $12 ô Starving Student Pack ô Rock Burnishers
Rhyolite Jasper I got a fabulous buy this summer on Rhyolite Jasper, from New Hampshire. Technically, it's not supposed to polish hardly at all, which is why I got a deal on it. However, I passed the lot along to a savvy lapidarist friend of mine who was able to coax a nice gleam from most of these stones. Use them to practice drilling, bezel or prong setting, or in your quick production pieces. Some of them are pretty enough that no one will ever guess that you got them on sale! One of each available, and overall, the supply is limited. Not recommended for hard-wearing jewelry because these stones are relatively soft. Fine for pendants. Please--These deals are especially targeted for STUDENTS! Note: To order, click on the "Add to Cart" button BELOW the item you want.
D28: Rhyolite Jasper New
Hampshire
Burnishers I got turned on to the use of burnishers when I learned that artist Barbara Heinrich uses them to control the placement and level of shine on a piece. What a neat idea! Burnishing, or rubbing metal with a harder material, can be done with polished stainless steel burnishers, or with smooth, hard stones like hematite or agate. Burnishing doesn't work well on large areas that are not already cleaned up. You won't get a high polish by trying to burnish scratched metal. My best luck with burnishing is on silver that's already been polished with white diamond. I usually burnish twice, first with stainless steel or agate, then with hematite for a high shine. The agate donuts, shown at bottom, are a good value. The round shape not only is easy to grip, but it comes in handy when burnishing edges--the curve of the circular donut makes it easier for you to burnish only what you want. With any burnisher, the trick is to hold the piece firmly so that it doesn't slip. As always, you gain control if you can brace your hands against each other while you burnish. Hold the tool or stone carefully and rub it back and forth over the same area again and again, applying a decent amount of steady pressure. Soon you'll see a gleam rising from the metal's surface. Be aware that you might have to burnish over the edge of a sheet to sort of "fold" the metal over, so as to avoid leaving a sharp edge. Always test the edges of your piece with your fingertips to make sure nothing catches or is sharp to the touch. After I've done my basic burnishing, I go for a high polish by using hematite. It gives a fabulous glittery gleam to edges, and is great for polishing the highlights on textured metal. If you have big hands and are planning to burnish pretty large areas, choose a large piece of hematite. The medium size is probably most versatile, while the small and pointed sizes allow you to squeeze into smaller areas and polish them. The prices below are for ONE piece, which is all you'll really need. Please don't order more than one of each as quantities are limited.
Hematite Burnishing Stones
(Click on photo to get a better view of these stones and their
sizes) Oops! We're running low on our stock of these
items. Limit one (of each) per customer, please.
Large hematite, (top middle) avg. weight 12.5g, 27-29mm GM 633 $1.80 each Four Available!
Polished Agate Burnishing Donuts
Stones are much larger than shown in photo. Quantities are limited. Click on photo to see detail. Medium agate donuts GM 634 $1.50 each Only two left!
Where to Next? Click on underlined text to go to your desired destination, or use link bars at top of this page. Next page: Sweet Deals Previous Gemstone Page: StoneScapes ô Information on how to buy stones from this site: Designer Gems Browsing? Try these interesting pages elsewhere on the website: Metalsmithing bench tips ô Metal and fused glass designs by Judith Kiriazis ô Intriguing finished jewelry from around the world in the Heart of Stone Online Catalog Questions? Looking for something slightly different? I might have it...E-Mail Me. To check on what you've ordered so far, click: |
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Heart of Stone Studio Gemstones
Cabochons
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(D18a, b and d are sold)
Back to the Stone Age: Rock Tools for Metalsmiths