The Story of Lori

[LoriDee]

Do the finishes called polished, matte, and leather apply to the rock work you do?

Chrissy,

Not exactly. The harder rocks like agates and jaspers will get nice and shiny. The softer ones like Fuchsite are too porous so they get smooth but not really shiny. The problem is that softer rocks have to be tumbled with care because they get worn down pretty quickly and can break apart. So they don't get as long of a cycle in the tumbler.

I have some "exotics" that I will be tumbling soon. Amethyst is a hard stone, but like quartz, it can fracture and bruise easily. So they need special care too. I have some jade, amethyst, tiger eye, amazonite, and quartz ready to start next week. I have to add "padding" in the form of small stones so they don't crash into each other as they tumble. I am anxious to see how they come out.