I had a cleaved section of Selenite with Copper dendrite inclusions that I needed to polish recently so I could show the inclusions. Please, do NOT use this technique on your fave specimen! It worked for me but I take no responsibility, etc etc. :) The section had been cleaved and was shiny at one time, but over various handlings, it had become rather scratched. So, several compounds and no luck later, I remembered that Selenite dissolves in water... I then ran hot water from the tap over it (Slowly heating the water so that it didn't get shocked, the specimen I mean) and then cooling the water and flinging the excess off. I ran the water over it for about 15 minutes and amazingly, there was a super shiny finish with interesting patterns on it. This is just a tip for if anyone else does a search like 'How to polish Selenite' :) -Bri http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,210370#msg-210370 Sun, 19 May 2013 19:14:35 +0000 Phorum 5.2.15a http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,263453#msg-263453 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,263453#msg-263453 Edgars Endzelins Lapidary and Faceting Mon, 11 Jun 2012 21:43:57 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,263452#msg-263452 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,263452#msg-263452 Aaron Cross Lapidary and Faceting Mon, 11 Jun 2012 21:17:29 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,263444#msg-263444 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,263444#msg-263444 Edgars Endzelins Lapidary and Faceting Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:49:03 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,263441#msg-263441 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,263441#msg-263441 www.mindat.org]]]> Rock Currier Lapidary and Faceting Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:34:21 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,263413#msg-263413 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,263413#msg-263413
Thanks Aaron,]]> Aaron Cross Lapidary and Faceting Mon, 11 Jun 2012 18:28:21 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,261553#msg-261553 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,261553#msg-261553 Donald Slater Lapidary and Faceting Wed, 23 May 2012 17:58:32 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,261247#msg-261247 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,261247#msg-261247 www.curiogrove.com] (I did not get this from this site). It's representative of its size as well. But I also got an e-mail from someone who said that selenite loves water-- just not being submerged in it. It will dissolve if submerged.

I don't have any buffing tools-- and it's sort of sounding like hand buffing won't quite cut it. The stone is still smooth-- just no longer polished.

Thanks all for the comments and suggestions. I will check back periodically to see if anything else is posted...]]> Beth Lapidary and Faceting Sun, 20 May 2012 13:24:38 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,260880#msg-260880 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,260880#msg-260880 Andrea Sansoni Lapidary and Faceting Wed, 16 May 2012 09:56:33 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,260876#msg-260876 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,260876#msg-260876 Rock Currier Lapidary and Faceting Wed, 16 May 2012 07:48:16 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,260835#msg-260835 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,260835#msg-260835 Donald Slater Lapidary and Faceting Tue, 15 May 2012 17:37:54 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,260825#msg-260825 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,260825#msg-260825
I'm a little leary of doing anything more with water since that seemed to have ruined the finish to begin with. Is there a link to the before/after photos? And are there any more specific details such as how long you ran hot water over it before changing to cold water, etc...?

Otherwise, are there any other suggestions out there for polishing selenite.

Thanks much!]]> Beth Lapidary and Faceting Tue, 15 May 2012 15:21:01 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,210492#msg-210492 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,210492#msg-210492

-Bri]]> Bri Dragonne Lapidary and Faceting Sun, 16 Jan 2011 00:46:44 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,210483#msg-210483 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,210483#msg-210483 Matt Neuzil Lapidary and Faceting Sat, 15 Jan 2011 22:47:27 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,210460#msg-210460 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,210460#msg-210460 John Truax Lapidary and Faceting Sat, 15 Jan 2011 18:47:03 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,210370#msg-210370 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,57,210370,210370#msg-210370
Please, do NOT use this technique on your fave specimen! It worked for me but I take no responsibility, etc etc. :)

The section had been cleaved and was shiny at one time, but over various handlings, it had become rather scratched.

So, several compounds and no luck later, I remembered that Selenite dissolves in water...

I then ran hot water from the tap over it (Slowly heating the water so that it didn't get shocked, the specimen I mean) and then cooling the water and flinging the excess off.

I ran the water over it for about 15 minutes and amazingly, there was a super shiny finish with interesting patterns on it.

This is just a tip for if anyone else does a search like 'How to polish Selenite' :)

-Bri]]> Bri Dragonne Lapidary and Faceting Fri, 14 Jan 2011 23:58:55 +0000