Revised Lapidary Handbook

This resource is organized as follows: 


I. Sawing 

The Diamond Saw 

Speed 

Lubricant 

Making a Diamond Saw 

General Notes on Diamond Sawing 

Mud Sawing 

The Silicon Carbide Saw 

Wire Sawing 

Band Sawing 

II. Cabochon Cutting 

Cutting and Polishing 

Outlining 

Flatting the Base 

Cementing 

Technique No. 1 

Technique No. 2 

Finishing the Front 

General Notes 

Special Treatments 

III. Large Flats 

IV. Gem Drilling 

Tube Drills 

The Diamond Pointed Dbill 

The Rod Drill 

Notes 

V. Bead Making 

Alternate Method-Bead Drilling 

Notes 

Rough Shaping the Beads 

VI. Cutting Faceted Gems 

VII. Advanced Facet Cutting 

Choosing a Cut 

VIII. The Optics of Brilliants 

IX. Mosaics 

X. Impregnation of Gem Materials 

XI. The Artificial Coloring of Agates 

XII. Soft Carving (With Steel Tools) 

XIII. Carving and Engraving Hard Materials 

XIV. Sphere Making 

XV. Bracelets and Rings 

XVI. Cutting Gems by Hand 

XVII. Diamond as Abrasive 

XVIII. Cutting of Diamonds 

XIX. Miscellaneous Useful Information