How Do You Shine A Rock Without A Rock Tumbler?
You may choose to shine rocks by hand either because you don’t have a rock tumbler, a rock tumbler did not yield the results you desired, or you want to invest the time and effort required to polish a rock. Whatever your reasons for initiating this task, shining and shaping a rock by hand is easier if you choose softer rock, with a hardness of approximately 3 to 4 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. These include onyx, wonderstone rhyolite and limestone. Softer minerals will yield to pressure more readily. Choose a rock at the lower end of the Mohs Hardness Scale for easier polishing. Use the link in the “Resources” section of this article if you need help determining the hardness of the rock you plan to polish. Put on safety glasses and gloves and use a small rock hammer or chisel to remove any large protruding areas from the stone. Rub the stone against a piece of concrete to remove smaller protrusions. Use 50-grain sandpaper to fashion the rock into a rounded shape. Rub the rock until it ha
