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I use windshield repair kit liquid ( acrylic acid ). It fills in the fractures with clear acrylic and no polishing compound can get caught now. It dries with UV light. Sun works. It gets worked off the surface when you sand and polish. Does stabilize too.
Excellent comparison video! I have used the same brand of the white in my tumbler and it really does a great job! The water pic with hot water was able to get it out of the cracks no problem.
I love when you do these testing videos. It gives us visual proof of what you are saying. And again, so we dont have to test it ourselves! I think everyone buys the pink cerium oxide because its way cheaper. This hobby can be quite spendy as it is, and after spending all that money on machines and accessories for it, its easy to justify buying the pink over the white. And now we know, clearly the white is better for the reasons you stated and the line was clearly visible btween the white and the pink side. And the white polishes better too! Thanks Jared for this fabulous comparison video.
@largen45 I njoyed your “Quite spendy as it is” comment. My wife just rolls her eyes when the card bill arrives! My investment goes up every time I watch Jorden’s vids. We all tend to go over the top from time with this avocation. It is an “in for a penny, in for a pound” situation. I take a look at Jordan’s site and understand rock hounding can be a very enjoyable and interesting life long journey. Yeah!
I made the switch to optical grade white Cerium Oxide about 6 months ago, purely from a micron perspective. I've always wanted to see a comparison between the two. Thank you for doing this! Since then, I have discovered three other types of Aluminum Oxide polishes that I find myself reaching for over the CO. One is called Raybrite A (micro alumina @ 0.5 micron), which I get from Kingsley North, and the other two are called TXP Aluminum Oxide (3 micron), and #61 Rapid Polish (0.3 micron). Sometimes I'll use the larger particled TXP as a pre-polish, before using the much smaller #61 Rapid Polish... because as you mentioned, it's all about the smallest scratches possible. FYI - 3 micron is around 8,000 grit. 0.5 micron is ~60,000 grit, and 0.3 micron is ~90,000 grit.
That's an interesting comparison you made there between the micron size and grit, that's not something I have have really thought about a whole lot. I wonder if there is a chart out their on it.
@@robbybobby64 For me, it has nothing to do with the color. If the material has any surface imperfections, then I stay with the larger particle sizes, so the polish doesn't get stuck in the cracks. If the stones are free from blemishes, then I can go with the sub-micron stuff...
I use the white but used the pink many years ago. A also use a mix for most stones 50% white cerium and 50% white tin oxide. Give it a try and see what you think. It seens to give a consistant ovet a wide varity of stones. A really old timer tried to explaine the chemestry of what was happening at the surface but it all went over my head. Thanks for sharing you time information and talent.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding It tends to work better on the softer stones. I used the concoction on some apache tears, and some Chinese fluorite, and they turned out great! (Full disclosure: I dry tumbled the fluorite in corn cob media, along with the polish).
Years ago, I used to grind telescope lenses by hand and used pink Cerium Oxide as the final polish before having the lenses beryllium overcoated in a vacuum chamber. The thing is, here, that I would use water with just a drop of dish soap mixed in it to coat half of a lens. When the Pyrex glass was more reflective than the water surface, it was time to stop. Now, maybe some commercial wetting agents might be more fitting for the application and have done a better job in raising the bar, so to speak, just as switching to white Cerium Oxide might be expected to raise the bar on the polishing side; I dunno. My point is that, these polishing grades, at least for the Pyrex I was working with, didn't "cut" the glass into shape, as the coarser grits did. Instead, it molecularly heated up the surface and allowed the glass molecules to flow into shape; for my purposes, a parabola. Glass is basically crystalline quartz, while the agates are considered crypto-crystalline quartz. The Moh's hardness scale for Pyrex borosilicate glass is 7.5, where 6.0 - 7.0 is standard for regular glass, and supposedly the same for lapidary work on agates. My two cents.
I stopped using pink cerium awhile back because I can't stand the staining. I do mostly tumbling and micro alumina works great for what I do. But, after seeing your comparison I'd be willing to try the premium cerium. Hahaha, definitely no more pink. Great comparison video btw.
Optical Grade Cerium Oxides is the only thing I use. I realized a long time ago (back when it was less than $10 a pound) it was a superior product. But, yes, it can be a pain to get out of those cracks too. A nice comparison, thank you for educating us once again.
One thing I would really like to do with this next is test the optical grade cerium on leather, canvas, carpet, and felt to see which one gives the best result.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding That is quite ambitious of you. It means you going to create 4 new wheels, or at least new wheel covers. I learned on leather and was satisfied with the results, so never tried anything else. I look forward to your results of that test as well.
Great Episode. I wondered if you were going to do a comparison since you last mentioned it a year or so ago. I too agree. White is far more superior. However, pink is more affordable. I do a lot of gem and specimen polishing, so the pink is a better price point, for selling. I do prefer the white. When the price is right, I grab a bunch of white. For my custom cuts and jewelry, I always have a stash on hand. I love the white. It also has a slightly more slick consistency. And you are right on with how the residue doesn’t show up with the final result. This was definitely fun to watch you see the difference. You never know till to try! This is great info for the new and old generation of rockhounds. Stay Crystal 💫 Mari ✨✨✨
I think its worth it to run with the optical grade for sure, at some point I will see a really good deal on it and buy like 5 or 10 lbs and be set for life.
Watched your vid comparing white Vs. Pink cerium oxide. Had pink “on saved for later” status on Amazon. Based on your test trial results I just now ordered white cerium oxide. Thank for conducting product comparisons. You are right when stating the color pink is readily noticeable, yikes! 😱
.I’ve heard the pink was better but the only place I was able to find it for sale is from the Rock Shed. They sell on Amazon to but as a Prime customer, I am not paying close to $10 in shipping. So I went with the white stuff. 😊
Gem cutters also use cerium oxide. I guess they could use the pink without issue since cracks aren't really a thing with most gemstones. I don't have a slab cutter (yet) so I don't have experience with large slabs just smaller ones, some cabs, and faceted stone. For those reasons I only have experience with diamond power/paste and I love how long it lasts, especially if a coat of dimethyl silicone is used. Diamond powder would probably be cost prohibitive on a polishing wheel as large as yours. Quite an effective machine!
I've had a bit of luck using fun tac to get in those little recesses to remove cerium. Smoosh it in warm and pull it off after it has sat in the refrigerator. Hope it helps someone out there!
Excellent comparison! And I’m completely sold on the white. The pink stuff would definitely create issues in most of my material. Currently 😂 see what I did there? I’m working lots of overtime while the weather is crummy AND good news! The insurance company DID pay me 1200$ for my well 🥳 that’ll definitely help me get at least that wet angle grinder I’ve been wanting this spring! I had given up on getting anything from the insurance company… I think our claim representative’s supervisor must’ve been visited by 3 ghosts or something 😂 anyway… definitely going with the white stuff when I get some tools this spring. Thanks to the insurance money it’ll finally and definitely happen! 😂 I had zero interest in lapidary when I started my channel 2+ years ago but seeing all those thunder eggs and finding similar nodules of my own quickly convinced me. I’m excited it’s finally going to happen. I’m getting a new porch (which of course will need to be decorated with rocks) and everything! Can’t wait for spring!!! Rock on Jared thanks for the inspiration. Merry Christmas!
Hi there, I'm trying to find conclusive info about aluminum oxide vs cerium oxide. I recently ordered some AO instead of the CO simply bc alum oxide is white, and the stone I will be polishing is white. Satin spar (often labeled as selenite - it's a gypsum mineral, so very delicate). I wasn't even aware there was a white version of cerium oxide! Do you think using the aluminum oxide on the satin spar will be safe, or should i opt for cerium oxide? You've got some great info here and seem knowledgeable on this topic. Any insight appreciated. Thanks!
Do you happen to know the micron of the AO that you ordered? Most optical grade cerium has an average particle size of 0.5-1.5 microns. I have never worked with selenite, so I can't really comment on that, sorry.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding thanks for the reply! just received it in the mail today. Labeled as 1200 grit. Hmmm... according to the micron conversion I used online, sounds like that may convert to 15 microns? Plan to experiment on a piece to see how it does.
I've started to wonder what might happen if I mixed cerium oxide and aluminum oxide in my rock tumbler for final stage?? By chance, have you ever tumbled by mixing final polishes?
@@CurrentlyRockhounding I might. Thank you for your interesting and helpful videos! Just got some really interesting minerals and rocks from a small auction. Just starting to learn some things. There is SO MUCH to learn. But when you love rocks, learning is fun!! Say hello to your wife for me.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding have you or someone me you know ever used a covington sintered 600/800 wheel? I bought 2 heiroom wheels from Kingsley north at the same time I got the Covington from cutting edge supply. The heirlooms broke in with 1 smallish medium Montana agate across the wheels. The Covington isn't breaking in properly other than about 3 continuous inches the rest has what looks like a machining process was out of whack. It's still loud and kinda grabby. I paid 420 ish for the heirloom pair and 520 for the Covington ultimate. I am calling them tomorrow to speak with customer service. I would say total time spent on it has been around 6 hours. I definitely feel like I was taken for a ride with that experience, it sours me a bit on the brand.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding I called them and they're going to send me a dressing stick. The guy I talked to said the grit doesn't matter for the dressing stick. That seams off to me, but I'm new to the game...? Im thankful for the content you create and will soon be producing vids. I like how you experiment with things and give your findings. Keep up the good work!
@@marcussmart3275 Dressing sticks do 100% nothing and I have proven it on video. Go watch my video "Do Dressing Sticks Work?". You called Cutting Edge Supply?
Did you enjoy this video and find it to be informative? You can help ensure that more videos just like this get made by supporting the project on Patreon. www.patreon.com/currentlyrockhounding
I use windshield repair kit liquid ( acrylic acid ). It fills in the fractures with clear acrylic and no polishing compound can get caught now. It dries with UV light. Sun works. It gets worked off the surface when you sand and polish. Does stabilize too.
Excellent comparison video! I have used the same brand of the white in my tumbler and it really does a great job! The water pic with hot water was able to get it out of the cracks no problem.
I love when you do these testing videos. It gives us visual proof of what you are saying. And again, so we dont have to test it ourselves! I think everyone buys the pink cerium oxide because its way cheaper. This hobby can be quite spendy as it is, and after spending all that money on machines and accessories for it, its easy to justify buying the pink over the white. And now we know, clearly the white is better for the reasons you stated and the line was clearly visible btween the white and the pink side. And the white polishes better too! Thanks Jared for this fabulous comparison video.
@largen45 I njoyed your “Quite spendy as it is” comment. My wife just rolls her eyes when the card bill arrives! My investment goes up every time I watch Jorden’s vids. We all tend to go over the top from time with this avocation. It is an “in for a penny, in for a pound” situation. I take a look at Jordan’s site and understand rock hounding can be a very enjoyable and interesting life long journey. Yeah!
I was right there buying the cheaper cerium oxide but now knowing what I know I wish I could go back and have never gotten it in the first place.
I made the switch to optical grade white Cerium Oxide about 6 months ago, purely from a micron perspective. I've always wanted to see a comparison between the two. Thank you for doing this!
Since then, I have discovered three other types of Aluminum Oxide polishes that I find myself reaching for over the CO. One is called Raybrite A (micro alumina @ 0.5 micron), which I get from Kingsley North, and the other two are called TXP Aluminum Oxide (3 micron), and #61 Rapid Polish (0.3 micron). Sometimes I'll use the larger particled TXP as a pre-polish, before using the much smaller #61 Rapid Polish... because as you mentioned, it's all about the smallest scratches possible.
FYI - 3 micron is around 8,000 grit. 0.5 micron is ~60,000 grit, and 0.3 micron is ~90,000 grit.
That's an interesting comparison you made there between the micron size and grit, that's not something I have have really thought about a whole lot. I wonder if there is a chart out their on it.
I would think the orange brown would work better than white but only in brown colored stone. I would use the white to do light colored stone.
@@robbybobby64 For me, it has nothing to do with the color. If the material has any surface imperfections, then I stay with the larger particle sizes, so the polish doesn't get stuck in the cracks. If the stones are free from blemishes, then I can go with the sub-micron stuff...
@@CurrentlyRockhounding This is the chart I always use...
nancylthamilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ansi-standards-mesh.jpg
I really enjoy your testing/comparison videos. I enjoy all your videos, actually. Happy Holidays to you and Sarah. (and Lika too).
This is the process of learning.
You can always learn new things! Love that shine!
Thank you!
Really helpful!! Merry Christmas!!
Thank you, I'm glad you liked it!
Nicely done!! The white polish looks way better!!!
Thank you!
The tan stuff I use is probably somewhere between the pink and the white. Now you've got me thinking darn it...
I'm never going back to the other stuff, the white optical grade is worth every penny.
Great experiment! Thanks for the info.
Thank you.
I use the white but used the pink many years ago. A also use a mix for most stones 50% white cerium and 50% white tin oxide. Give it a try and see what you think. It seens to give a consistant ovet a wide varity of stones. A really old timer tried to explaine the chemestry of what was happening at the surface but it all went over my head. Thanks for sharing you time information and talent.
Same here! When I use CO, I usually always mix in a little TO...
That's an interesting idea, I might have to give that a try! Thank you.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding It tends to work better on the softer stones. I used the concoction on some apache tears, and some Chinese fluorite, and they turned out great! (Full disclosure: I dry tumbled the fluorite in corn cob media, along with the polish).
Super informational, thanks for sharing!
Geode number 2 is my favourite
Looks like moon reflected on water
Years ago, I used to grind telescope lenses by hand and used pink Cerium Oxide as the final polish before having the lenses beryllium overcoated in a vacuum chamber. The thing is, here, that I would use water with just a drop of dish soap mixed in it to coat half of a lens. When the Pyrex glass was more reflective than the water surface, it was time to stop.
Now, maybe some commercial wetting agents might be more fitting for the application and have done a better job in raising the bar, so to speak, just as switching to white Cerium Oxide might be expected to raise the bar on the polishing side; I dunno. My point is that, these polishing grades, at least for the Pyrex I was working with, didn't "cut" the glass into shape, as the coarser grits did. Instead, it molecularly heated up the surface and allowed the glass molecules to flow into shape; for my purposes, a parabola. Glass is basically crystalline quartz, while the agates are considered crypto-crystalline quartz.
The Moh's hardness scale for Pyrex borosilicate glass is 7.5, where 6.0 - 7.0 is standard for regular glass, and supposedly the same for lapidary work on agates.
My two cents.
I stopped using pink cerium awhile back because I can't stand the staining. I do mostly tumbling and micro alumina works great for what I do. But, after seeing your comparison I'd be willing to try the premium cerium. Hahaha, definitely no more pink. Great comparison video btw.
I know its a bit more pricey but I do think its worth it.
Optical Grade Cerium Oxides is the only thing I use. I realized a long time ago (back when it was less than $10 a pound) it was a superior product. But, yes, it can be a pain to get out of those cracks too. A nice comparison, thank you for educating us once again.
One thing I would really like to do with this next is test the optical grade cerium on leather, canvas, carpet, and felt to see which one gives the best result.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding That is quite ambitious of you. It means you going to create 4 new wheels, or at least new wheel covers. I learned on leather and was satisfied with the results, so never tried anything else. I look forward to your results of that test as well.
@@spetkovsek57 I have a few ideas up my sleeve! Email me if you're interested.
Great Episode. I wondered if you were going to do a comparison since you last mentioned it a year or so ago. I too agree. White is far more superior. However, pink is more affordable. I do a lot of gem and specimen polishing, so the pink is a better price point, for selling. I do prefer the white. When the price is right, I grab a bunch of white. For my custom cuts and jewelry, I always have a stash on hand. I love the white. It also has a slightly more slick consistency. And you are right on with how the residue doesn’t show up with the final result.
This was definitely fun to watch you see the difference. You never know till to try!
This is great info for the new and old generation of rockhounds.
Stay Crystal 💫
Mari
✨✨✨
I think its worth it to run with the optical grade for sure, at some point I will see a really good deal on it and buy like 5 or 10 lbs and be set for life.
I like the "bunny" thunderegg.
Watched your vid comparing white Vs. Pink cerium oxide. Had pink “on saved for later” status on Amazon. Based on your test trial results I just now ordered white cerium oxide. Thank for conducting product comparisons. You are right when stating the color pink is readily noticeable, yikes! 😱
I think you will be rather happy with the white stuff.
.I’ve heard the pink was better but the only place I was able to find it for sale is from the Rock Shed. They sell on Amazon to but as a Prime customer, I am not paying close to $10 in shipping. So I went with the white stuff. 😊
Gem cutters also use cerium oxide. I guess they could use the pink without issue since cracks aren't really a thing with most gemstones. I don't have a slab cutter (yet) so I don't have experience with large slabs just smaller ones, some cabs, and faceted stone. For those reasons I only have experience with diamond power/paste and I love how long it lasts, especially if a coat of dimethyl silicone is used. Diamond powder would probably be cost prohibitive on a polishing wheel as large as yours. Quite an effective machine!
I wish you could come to my house and teach me about all the rocks I've got lol
I hope you & yours have a happy Christmas 🎅
Thank you and Merry Christmas to you as well!
I've had a bit of luck using fun tac to get in those little recesses to remove cerium. Smoosh it in warm and pull it off after it has sat in the refrigerator. Hope it helps someone out there!
I will have to give that a try.
Excellent comparison! And I’m completely sold on the white. The pink stuff would definitely create issues in most of my material. Currently 😂 see what I did there? I’m working lots of overtime while the weather is crummy AND good news! The insurance company DID pay me 1200$ for my well 🥳 that’ll definitely help me get at least that wet angle grinder I’ve been wanting this spring! I had given up on getting anything from the insurance company… I think our claim representative’s supervisor must’ve been visited by 3 ghosts or something 😂 anyway… definitely going with the white stuff when I get some tools this spring. Thanks to the insurance money it’ll finally and definitely happen! 😂 I had zero interest in lapidary when I started my channel 2+ years ago but seeing all those thunder eggs and finding similar nodules of my own quickly convinced me. I’m excited it’s finally going to happen. I’m getting a new porch (which of course will need to be decorated with rocks) and everything! Can’t wait for spring!!! Rock on Jared thanks for the inspiration. Merry Christmas!
Lapidary can be a pricey hobby but when you start seeing how amazing material can look when polished up its hard to resist.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding yup! 🤩😂
Nice job !
Thank you!
Hi there, I'm trying to find conclusive info about aluminum oxide vs cerium oxide. I recently ordered some AO instead of the CO simply bc alum oxide is white, and the stone I will be polishing is white. Satin spar (often labeled as selenite - it's a gypsum mineral, so very delicate). I wasn't even aware there was a white version of cerium oxide! Do you think using the aluminum oxide on the satin spar will be safe, or should i opt for cerium oxide? You've got some great info here and seem knowledgeable on this topic. Any insight appreciated. Thanks!
Do you happen to know the micron of the AO that you ordered? Most optical grade cerium has an average particle size of 0.5-1.5 microns.
I have never worked with selenite, so I can't really comment on that, sorry.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding thanks for the reply! just received it in the mail today. Labeled as 1200 grit. Hmmm... according to the micron conversion I used online, sounds like that may convert to 15 microns? Plan to experiment on a piece to see how it does.
I've started to wonder what might happen if I mixed cerium oxide and aluminum oxide in my rock tumbler for final stage?? By chance, have you ever tumbled by mixing final polishes?
I don't do rock tumbling, sorry.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding everyone has their preferences :) Was just curious if you had any opinion about mixing the two.
@@1erinjames I would think that it wouldn't produce a good result since I have never heard of anyone mixing polishes like that, but give it a go!
@@CurrentlyRockhounding I might. Thank you for your interesting and helpful videos! Just got some really interesting minerals and rocks from a small auction. Just starting to learn some things. There is SO MUCH to learn. But when you love rocks, learning is fun!! Say hello to your wife for me.
Do you think carpet works better than a wool or synthetic polishing pad/wheel?
I have a video up on this subject and the conclusion was that there is little difference between them.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding thank you! I'll have to go back and find the video
You look like a guy I was in basic with, division 283. Were you in the service or just a doppleganger
Just a doppelganger.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding have you or someone me you know ever used a covington sintered 600/800 wheel? I bought 2 heiroom wheels from Kingsley north at the same time I got the Covington from cutting edge supply. The heirlooms broke in with 1 smallish medium Montana agate across the wheels. The Covington isn't breaking in properly other than about 3 continuous inches the rest has what looks like a machining process was out of whack. It's still loud and kinda grabby. I paid 420 ish for the heirloom pair and 520 for the Covington ultimate. I am calling them tomorrow to speak with customer service. I would say total time spent on it has been around 6 hours. I definitely feel like I was taken for a ride with that experience, it sours me a bit on the brand.
@@marcussmart3275 I have not used those wheel from Covington.
The customer services from CES is lacking from what I have seen just so you know.
@@CurrentlyRockhounding I called them and they're going to send me a dressing stick. The guy I talked to said the grit doesn't matter for the dressing stick. That seams off to me, but I'm new to the game...? Im thankful for the content you create and will soon be producing vids. I like how you experiment with things and give your findings. Keep up the good work!
@@marcussmart3275 Dressing sticks do 100% nothing and I have proven it on video. Go watch my video "Do Dressing Sticks Work?".
You called Cutting Edge Supply?
👁👁 ✋🎄