Polishing TIGER EYE on a Hi-Tech Diamond Flat Lap | A Mini Tutorial

In this video I polish a slab of Tiger Eye that a very generous subscriber gifted us while the boys are out enjoying the last hours of freedom before school starts. I also give some tips based on our personal experience using the Hi-Tech Diamond Flat Lap in hopes that it will help improve your shine and achieve your desired results faster!! See below for our Hi-Tech Diamond affiliate discount code and link to the website.
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[@user-xi7gq5xx2d]

I like the 2nd cut, a bit more interesting :)

[@christopherort2889]

Cool video. For display pieces, i always do all the cutting first. Then pick the best side to polish.

[@CacklingChick]

SWEET!!! 😁👍🏻🪨⛏️

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thank you!!

[@Mike-br8vb]

Awesome piece, you chose the best side to display!

[@carolinepotts5448]

Both are great but the shorter side is so lovely

[@hossuandrei9492]

This turned out to be an extraordinarily beautiful piece, I love🐅🐯👁🥰🤩😍🤯🤤💝💖💗🥇🔝♾

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thank you!!!!!

[@leroy7513]

Amazing !

[@leroy7513]

I'm 65 years old and I'm just starting a lapidary shop, so any info. Is greatly appreciated.

[@RufotrisRootedRockhound]

Definitely thought I hit record before and didn’t 😅 it sucks haha. Nice stuff! That’s a sweet large chunk of tigers eye. I just started drawing on my pieces to make sure I work it all down. Much better results for sure!

[@RockhoundingLife]

I've always done it that way too but Marlaina told me about a metal scratcher/marker thingy that she swears by. I might give that a try. Thanks for watching!

[@terrydoucette6037]

Great video J

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thanks!

[@902_yota8]

Really enjoy these style videos, seeing the process as well as learning new information is fun and interesting. Keep it up!

[@RockhoundingLife]

Glad you like them!

[@ritadickson5356]

Definitely the wave to display

[@michaelames6317]

Second side for sure! Gorgeous project!

[@bobs-rocks]

Labradorite and tiger eye are vary directional. Nice Job Thanks for Sharing!

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thank you!

[@beckieg8479]

I love tigers eye defo second side with the wave looks beautiful ❤️👍

[@RockhoundingLife]

💯

[@stevemacdonald2303]

Beautiful

[@nazzakashieern]

Thank you for your time and info :)

[@RockhoundingLife]

My pleasure!

[@WorldofRockhounds]

Awesome job. Tigers eye can be tricky!

[@RockhoundingLife]

Yes I found that out quick. The yellow and the brown were not the same hardness and it posed a challenge.

[@hossuandrei9492]

The second I saw how good the second face looked, I was 100% sure that you would polish that one too before you say it!

[@RockhoundingLife]

It was obvious wasn't it!!!

[@justjulee9135]

That Tiger Eye is so beautiful! The wavy side should be your display side!

[@RockhoundingLife]

Agree 200%%%

[@GREEKEXPLORERS]

Nice video!! Congratulations!! Thanks for sharing!!

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@sharonschwab7104]

Thank you so much for your tips on the speed and the final grit pad!!

[@olmilfishrock]

That came out AWESOME!! Great job on the polishing . I think the wave side is really cool ! Keep rockin!!👍😎

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@susanmorseart4984]

Amazing catseye and turned out beautiful. Good advice and I loved your work.

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thank you so much!

[@CityRockhounding]

What a great piece of tigers eye! Great work polishing her up, she turned out beautiful.

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thank you so much 😀

[@sandmaker]

Great job The polish is like glass. I use a mix if cerium and tin oxide for a finish. Different strokes for different folks. It's a wonderful finish. Be happy, safe and stay healthy 😷⚒

[@RockhoundingLife]

Cerium Oxide isn't bad and I've gotten good shines with it before but I have the best success with Aluminum Oxide. The diamond paste that comes with this flat lap is terrible.

[@openyoureyes7539]

Wavy side bro!

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thanks 💯

[@christopherort3045]

Cool video

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thanks!

[@RICDirector]

I would put it on a tiny rotating base, but flat, so it can be spun to show the raw, the dark, and the seriously impressive. As for polish quality, look at Lapidary Daves video from CondorAgates at Tuscon, spectacular polish on those, complete with instructions. Nice job.

[@RockhoundingLife]

This was my first crack at polishing Tiger Eye this way. Definitely diffetent material than what im used to. Thanks for watching!!

[@grantfahlman1815]

Jason, that is a beautiful piece! I love Tiger-eye; I just bought a few pieces of it at a show here in Regina last weekend (first one in two years). The second cut side on this is definitely the display side, without a doubt, IMO.

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thanks Grant! We don;t have any local to us so it was nice to be able to work with it!

[@jimlancaster6120]

I thiink you have the right side, amazing how much different they are.

[@RockhoundingLife]

Yes it was really cool to see the pattern change when cutting a different direction. Thanks for watching!

[@nikkijoyce7287]

Thank you for this video. I am new to polishing and have watched a lot of videos. I could not figure out what I had missed and your tip about slower speed on the diamond discs was a lightbulb moment. I also ordered a couple of additional discs and pads. Looking forward to better results soon!

[@RockhoundingLife]

Awesome! Glad it was helpful! I hope you used our discount code in the description for 10% off!

[@nikkijoyce7287]

@@RockhoundingLife I certainly did for the additional wheels I ordered. Thanks again!

[@kylaabegglen1275]

Wow, biggest piece of tiger eye I've ever seen! Absolutely gorgeous.🤩 I do like the 2nd side with more yellow and chatoyancy. Both polished sides are amazing though. Thanks for sharing Jason!✌🤠

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thank you so much!!! 😀

[@ambkbero2]

I have Hi-Tech 8" Slant and just bought my first piece of Tigers Eye from a local shop that deals in a huge variety of rough stones. My piece weighs 7# and it was the smallest on available. Thank you for all the tips and you did a great job!!!

[@RockhoundingLife]

Very cool!

[@tamiw1903]

I like having options with my rocks... polishing both gives you options for displaying either side..

[@RockhoundingLife]

Yes!! When I cut the other side I realized it had to be polished too in case it was,better and I was right!!

[@ooglemonster]

This was truly the most helpful flat lap video I’ve seen. It answered so many of my questions, including which grits I should use, whether it not any pressure should be applied (no! Haha), how long I can expect it to take, what speed I should be using, how much water… seriously, THANK YOU.

[@RockhoundingLife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@RockandRoadRockhounding]

That came out looking amazing! I've had issues with the polishing wheel at the end as well, maybe I'll start stopping at the 3,000 wheel too and see how that works out for me. Thanks!

[@RockhoundingLife]

Its the diamond paste provided with the Flat Lap. It's garbage. It leaves a residue that is very difficult to get out. You can use the wheel with another compound like Cerium oxide or Aluminum oxide.

[@smyatt1]

Maxwell (6) says that the second side looks like a desert. That side gets his vote (and my vote, too)!

[@RockhoundingLife]

Tell Maxwell I agree with him!!

[@stevemacdonald2303]

Yeah . I take agot make a stone for jewelry

[@andrewgibb8846]

Very nice result! I use a Cabking 8” wheels with a canvas final polish and Tin Oxide. Saving up for a rock saw. $850 for a Hi Tech 10” in my neck of the woods. Thanks for sharing your techniques and advice 👍

[@jaredt5127]

Id be interested in one of these setups. Tigers Eye is my favorite, Im just getting into lapidary.

[@powerpit48]

I would display the yellow side.

[@RockhoundingLife]

100%

[@RagnarRocks]

Good call on polishing both faces! Soooooo shiny! Did you polish the pieces you cut off as well or are they going into the tumbler?

[@RockhoundingLife]

I'm going to put the end pieces in the tumbler for sure.

[@outdooradventureswithfayde6832]

Since I discovered your channel last year, I like to go back and watch some of your older videos I've missed. (You have awesome content and are one one of my favorite channels) I had to edit because I forgot to mention you did an amazing job on that tiger eye 🤩 and I agree with the way you should display it. Both sides look really nice though. I have a quick question, do you use the guide bar on slab saw? I do not have a flat lap....yet. However, I do use an angle grinder with diamond pads. I think I need to use the spiderweb pattern like you suggest. That's one of the things I think I'm neglecting to get better results. Also, I think I'm applying too much pressure. I think I need to remind myself to let the tool do the work and not be too aggressive and hasty. Thanks for all the tips and being so informative. I've watched other channels on doing lap work and most time too boring or not informative enough and what not. You're doing a fantastic job. I think one of reasons your channel is growing so quickly is you have a great formula for producing great quality content. I think by end of year you should double your subs to over 10,000. I'd like to send you some material I find along Lake Michigan one day and you can do whatever you like with it. I've never been able to get it identified properly, it appears to be some kind of silicate mixture of chert and chalcedony but, tumbles up awesome!

[@tifanyhoecherl3042]

This is such a great instructional video! Do you only do the spider web mark for the first stage? Also, do you use distilled water or just tap water?

[@RockhoundingLife]

I use the spider web pattern for each stage in the grinding so 80, 180 and 260 grits. I don;t use it in any of the polishing disc stages.

[@debbiemeyer6396]

Beautiful! Question: What is the metallic looking gray band that often occurs in tiger eye?

[@waterboysh]

Hematite.

[@stangrove6153]

Hematite I believe. Iron oxides throughout tigereye

[@bokunokintama5523]

Gold side

[@clarkriccobuono3903]

Good video. Have you ever made your own flat wheel?

[@louisholmes9540]

Tigerseye has a secret if you cut cabochons, check the grain on your second cut (the right cut) , compare to first cut and you'll see. 👌👍

[@RockhoundingLife]

Good call!

[@southwestlandforsale7654]

I wish I could do the same if I find another interesting piece of petrified wood on my land

[@RockhoundingLife]

It's easy to set up a polishing unit. You should try it!

[@southwestlandforsale7654]

@@RockhoundingLife Not inside an apartment :)

[@frostyman2014]

Hey man! I’m from newfoundland Canada, in the wormHole of KZbin I came across your Newfie jasper video! I was wondering if there’s any tips on finding rocks here in newfoundland or maybe certain places of the island some rocks would be? I’ve been collecting rocks for years but was always told newfoundland got to nice rocks.. I know for a lot of fools gold, maybe there would be some geodes with fools gold in the same places? Would love to get into cutting and polishing rocks, your videos really help!

[@RockhoundingLife]

If you're near St John's, witless bay Beach and Bellevue Beach are the best spots. I haven't done much exploring on the west side of the island. I'm saving that for next time. There isn't much in the way of info on the net. There were a couple if older publications that helped that led me to Witless Bay and Bellevue. Hope that helps!!

[@frostyman2014]

@@RockhoundingLife awesome thanks, ive been looking the web but mostly what I’ve been coming up on is the recent gold exploration maps of newfoundland from the past couple years.. seems like that got all the old maps hidden, I’ll for sure check those out thanks!

[@billdavis8490]

Could you approve of using the back side of the plastic disk to apply another grind disk that is close to the grit of the other? This would save cost and possibly not cross contaminate too much. Thanks.

[@lindamalcovsky]

Hi..my hitech saw and flatlap are on their way..so excited..so question..where did you get the 80 grit and 3000 grit disc's? I know the machine didn't come with those.

[@RockhoundingLife]

Awesome!! So excited for you! I ordered the 80 and 300 grit from the website. If you use our affiliate link in the description of the video and use the code RHLIFE at checkout you will get 10% off.

[@lindamalcovsky]

@@RockhoundingLife sorry another question..should I buy them with or without adhesive to mount on backing plates? Whats the difference? Do I need to use backing plates? Thanks for your help🙂

[@RockhoundingLife]

@@lindamalcovsky Yes. You need to buy them with the backing plates unless you have something you can use as an alternative like something homemade. I've seen people make them out of wood it's risky as they need to be perfectly flat.

[@patrickstrange6558]

Great video! Can you tell us what the rpm is on your flat lap?

[@RockhoundingLife]

It's variable speed from 0-6000

[@tinymetaltrees]

Do I want this or the Covington? The Hi-Tech looks faster but you’ve got to keep your hand on it and pay attention. The Covington looks so slow that I might want two of them (or five, lol), but I can run them overnight unattended. I’d be polishing one side of slabs, ~1cm thick. It’s so tricky to try to decide when you can even see one until it’s delivered.

[@RockhoundingLife]

I wouldn't run the Covington overnight unattended unless you have the water delivery down to a science. Leaving it too long could lead to dry grit in the pan or severe splashing if its not perfect.

[@miltonwetherill1221]

I happen to run across your video today & as a high tech 8 in flat lap that I have faithfully use since 1995 & it still runs strong ! I would like you however in future in cutting stones & polishing any material such as tigereye , tiger iron that the amphibole asbestos is deadly for the operator & can cause asbestos related disease , if cut to dry ( never cut or polish materials with amphibole asbestos dry ) use a great deal more water to keep particles from going air born , your lungs & family will thank you later as I suffer from the effects of amphibole asbestos as it was in the local vermiculite mine where I live in Montana I love the High tech products & stand by their product 100 % but know your material , dinasoura bone is another dangerous 1 , killed many natives Americans in the 60s & 70s always use more water to be safe . Sorry so long comment 😊

[@RockhoundingLife]

Thanks. We use all the proper PPE and always polish wet.

[@EllandrillNcrbane]

Second cut side is nicer. IMO

[@RockhoundingLife]

Agree!

[@marckrulewitch2403]

Do you think I can get the same results as you using Hi-Tech's 8" slant lap? I'm wondering if I made a mistake and should've purchased the flat lap. Thanks. Marc

[@RockhoundingLife]

Yes, absolutely! They are very similar machines and use the same discs. Just preference in orientation. I believe the slanted version is preferred by people heavy into Cabachon making.

[@marckrulewitch2403]

@@RockhoundingLife Thank you!

[@valsummers5330]

The yellow and brown stripes on are reversed!!

[@redtale6527]

Is that Chrysotile at 0:58?

[@RockhoundingLife]

No, Tiger Eye

[@kevinunger433]

I like side 2 better

[@kevinunger433]

The hi tech plates wear out so fast and stop grinding. The agates don’t ever get completely flat even with HOURS and lots of cramping. And no matter how long I can’t get all the scratches out. Not very satisfied

[@RockhoundingLife]

If you email us at [e-mail] I may have some tips for you to better your experience.

[@GORD0007]

I hope your wearing breathing protection. There is asbestos in tiger eye.

[@RockhoundingLife]

Of course!