Lortone Step 4 Aluminum Oxide Polish - 1 Micron

The final step to a brilliant, high-gloss finish. This is the step you've been waiting for. After your rocks have been shaped, smoothed and pre-polished, Lortone Step 4 Aluminum Oxide Polish provides the ultra-fine finishing action needed to bring out a beautiful, glossy shine. With a particle size of just 1 micron, this high-quality aluminum oxide polish is five times finer than Lortone's 5-micron Stage 3 pre-polish. The extremely fine abrasive works on the already-refined surface to produce the smooth, lustrous finish that makes polished rocks so satisfying to hold and admire. Lortone describes its aluminum oxide polish as a low-cost tumbling polish that produces a great finish on most stones and leaves little or no residue on the stones. Why Stage 4 Makes the Difference A stone can look smooth after Stage 3 and still have microscopic surface imperfections that prevent it from achieving its full shine. That's where the 1-micron final polish comes in. Stage 3 uses 5-micron abrasive to refine the surface. Stage 4 takes that process even further, using particles approximately 80% smaller in diameter than the Stage 3 abrasive. The result is a smoother surface capable of producing the deep, glossy appearance you're looking for from a properly finished tumble. Product Benefits 1-micron aluminum oxide final polish Designed for Stage 4 of the Lortone tumbling process Approximately five times finer than the 5-micron Stage 3 pre-polish Produces a smooth, glossy finish on most suitable tumbling stones Excellent final polishing compound for hard rocks and gemstones Leaves little or no residue on stones Ideal for achieving a professional-looking final finish Where It Fits in the Lortone 4-Step Process Stage 1: 60/90 Silicon Carbide – coarse grinding Stage 2: 120/220 Silicon Carbide – medium/fine grinding Stage 3: 5 Micron Aluminum Oxide Pre-Polish – surface refinement Stage 4: 1 Micron Aluminum Oxide Polish – final polish 1 Micron – What Does That Mean? A micron (µm) is one-millionth of a meter. At just 1 micron, Lortone's Stage 4 aluminum oxide is an extremely fine polishing compound—approximately equivalent to a 14,000-grit abrasive as a general comparison. Because grit and micron measurements use different grading systems, the grit comparison should be considered approximate. The 1-micron specification is the more precise measurement for describing this polish. How to Use Use Lortone Step 4 only after your stones have successfully completed the Stage 3 pre-polish. Before beginning the final polish: Thoroughly clean your stones. Clean the tumbler barrel, lid and any tumbling media. Make sure there is no leftover Stage 3 abrasive. Add your stones, appropriate tumbling media, water and Stage 4 polish. Run the final polishing stage according to your tumbling process and check the stones periodically. Cleanliness is especially important during Stage 4. Any contamination from the coarser grinding or pre-polishing stages can introduce scratches and reduce the quality of your final finish. The Final Step You've already done the hard work. Stage 1 shapes the stones. Stage 2 smooths them. Stage 3 prepares the surface. Stage 4 brings out the shine. For rock tumblers looking for that smooth, glossy, polished finish, Lortone Step 4 Aluminum Oxide Polish is the final finishing compound in the four-step process. Pair it with Lortone Step 3 Aluminum Oxide Pre-Polish for the complete finishing sequence.