Whether you’re polishing metal or gemstones, diamond paste offers a quick and beautiful finish. A powerful abrasive compound, diamond paste is designed to quickly cut through material and achieve an even and smooth finish. It can be applied to a variety of surfaces, including injection molds. For machine polishing, it’s recommended to use an oil-based diamond paste, which is less likely to deteriorate under high temperatures and pressure.
Kemet’s L diamond paste is ideal for injection mold polishing because it can withstand extreme heat and pressure, unlike many other traditional metal polishing compounds. It also contains monocrystalline diamond particles, which make it effective for achieving an even and consistent surface. In addition, it’s able to remove materials at faster speeds than other types of diamond compounds.
Other types of diamond paste may be more suitable for manual polishing, especially those that contain polycrystalline diamonds. A diamond paste with polycrystalline grits has more cutting edges than monocrystalline grits, resulting in a higher abrasion and quicker material removal. The abrasive power of the diamonds in a polycrystalline paste allows it to be used on tougher materials.
For jewelry and lapidary polishing, a standard diamond paste can be used to charge a variety of polishing pads, discs, buffs or phenolic burs. It’s made with a strong concentrate of high quality diamonds suspended in an oil-based carrier, and each grit is color coded so you can easily identify the right one for your job. It’s also available in disposable syringes, which offer a convenient, controlled method of application and prevent cross-contamination.
A water-based diamond paste is a great option for precision engineering and electronic applications, as it can be used in places where an oil-based product is not compatible or preferred. It’s also easier to clean, minimizing the risk of residue buildup and ensuring that your work area stays free of contaminants.
Water-based diamond pastes also work well for stropping, which is the process of using a tool called a strop to achieve an exceptionally keen edge on a blade or tool. A strop is a flat, paddle-like tool that can be made from wood or synthetic material. It’s important to properly prepare a strop before applying diamond paste, which involves squirting lubricating fluid onto the strop and then spreading the polishing substance across its surface. It’s recommended to switch out the strop with each new grit of diamond paste, so you can avoid accidentally mixing a coarser grit with a finer grit and scratching the strop. It’s also important to organize strops, wheels and syringes according to grits in order to avoid confusion. It’s also a good idea to purchase a set of syringes with different micron sized diamond compounds. These will save you time and money by eliminating the need to refill your syringes with more polishing compound every few strops. This makes stropping more efficient and reduces the likelihood of mistakes.