THE BATTSTIK™ Oxide Polish Charging Stick.
The BATTSTIK™ was developed to reduce the mess and waste we all experienced with oxide slurries. This
became even more important when the Darkside™ laps came into common acceptance, because everyone learned they
require VERY LITTLE oxide polish! If too much oxide polish is used, it can pile up and cause scratching. One
benefit of the BATTSTIKs is they train people not to use too much oxides. Some forum writers are joking about
leaving the leftover from their pound of cerium oxide to local faceting guilds in their wills. The BATTSTIK™
resembles a crayon, except it is water soluble. They should be stored in cool, dry places. A car trunk in Summer
is not a good idea, as with any other "crayon". USE: Touch the BATTSTIK™ to the lap, move outward to
flowmelt the water soluble base, forming a thin uniform film on the lap. Turn on a SLOW water drip or light
mist, creating a slurry film right on the lap. Reduces waste and mess! Offered in Alumina A, Chrome Oxide,
Zirconium Oxide and Cerium Oxide.
NOW IN CHROME OXIDE!
Travellers to Brazil have told me how popular Chromium Oxide is there. They cut a LOT of stones, so know what
they are doing. But this is always accompanied by a comment.."..If you like a green shop, of course". Chrome
oxide even polishes the quartzes well, a little more aggressive than Cerium Oxide. Now we have a way of
addressing the worst of the messiness of chrome oxide, and samples sent out to cutters have resulted in good
comments for quartzes, garnets and tourmalines. Of course, the Cab and Jade cutters already know about this
polish. The only negative report I had is that it seems to be slow on Spinel.
NOW IN ZIRCONIUM OXIDE!
Zirconia is highly specific for quartz, and is a faster and more aggressive polish for the quartzes,
outperforming cerium oxide. It is not as versatile as other oxides, though, but quartz cutters have been getting
very fast results that more than compensate for the material being so specialized. Recent postings by users have
obtained stunning polishes on beryl and peridot, so zirconia is not as specialized as was first reported.
Very similar in appearance to the "French White" expensive premium Cerium Oxide in quartz polishing performance. (Suspiciously
so.)
SAFETY: The nontoxic
BATTSTIK™ base is used in skin-contact formulations such as body paints, as well as shampoos and other NF Food, Drug and Cosmetic Approved products.. Chromium Oxide is reported to be an eye irritant. I have not
noticed, myself, but I wear glasses when I cut.
NOW IN DIAMOND!The "DIASTIK™"
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