Diamond Spray is used to put a mirror finish on your gravers which will impart a very smooth, bright appearing cut and help the tool cut better in some materials. Users often have misconceptions about Diamond Spray and how to use it. Here are a few helpful questions and answers regarding the matter.

Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION: How should I prepare my ceramic for polishing?

ANSWER: The easiest way is to wash the ceramic lap with hot, soapy water and lightly scrub it with a soft bristle brush. If lap is excessively dirty, use a Comet type cleanser and lightly sprinkle on the wet lap. Give the cleanser about 5 minutes to allow the bleach to work, then lightly scrub it with the bristle brush. (Note: Do not use a wire brush of any type) Rinse with clean hot water and allow it to air dry or use a clean, lint-less paper towel. Avoid any oil contamination, this includes using fabrics washed in fabric softeners

QUESTION: What is the proper way to put diamond spray on a ceramic lap?

ANSWER: Using a permanent marker, place a mark on the opposite side you will be treating with spray diamond. This way, when you change wheels, you can see the unmarked treated side. Place the freshly cleaned lap on your PowerHone and turn it on. While the lap is spinning, shake the spray diamond bottle to get the diamond in suspension and point the pump sprayer at a trash can and give it a pump or two to purge the nozzle and check for a fine mist pattern. Now, center the sprayer over the spinning lap and give it one or two pumps. Do not over apply! Allow the lap to continue to spin for 15 to 20 minutes, the diamond carrier will then evaporate, leaving the diamond crystals stuck to the surface for polishing.

QUESTION: How much diamond is needed on a ceramic lap for a good polish?

ANSWER: This answer will surprise many: Experienced engravers will only use a 1 pump application. The old adage of "more is better" is not true in this situation. Too much diamond actually hinders the polishing process by over-populating the ceramic surface and not allowing the ceramic to impart the shine to the cutting edge. When you notice the ceramic is not polishing as well as before, clean the lap and re-apply the diamond with a squirt or two. Another use for spray diamond is to spray it on a leather pad and "strop" the graver face to get the desired finish. This trick is sometimes used after a liner is sharpened to remove the micro-burrs left in the grooves of the liner. One again, it is not necessary to use large amounts of spray diamond, however, unlike the ceramic lap, the leather is porous and may need to have diamond spray re-applied to create the smooth shine.