Just Ask Jeff: Care and Treatment of Laps - "Just Ask Jeff" gives a few tips on the basic things to do in the care of your laps and laps treatment
9 Minute Read
I am mainly going to be talking about steel cutting laps. But most of this will apply to all laps in general. A complaint I hear periodically is that "there is something wrong with my laps…" Usually people think that it is a problem with the laps themselves. Which certainly can be, and is sometimes true. All lap manufacturers from time to time have some production problems. It just happens. not often, but it does. But in a lot of cases it is inexperience on the part of the faceter. Particularly new faceters, partly because of being a brand new faceter, bad advice, or mistakes and accidents (like dropping a stone and quill onto the cutting face of the lap) and various other problems. Of course another reason more beginners have problems with laps is they are usually buying quite a few because they need all of them and just the sheer number of laps they need to start faceting, mean they are likely to get a bad one occasionally.
It is common for a new lap to start out course, and "break in" over time.
By far the most common problem that people have with laps is they seem to quit cutting.
Note: Like I said before manufacturing problems happen, but are generally not common.
Now assuming that there is NO problem with the manufacturing/plating on the lap. There could be. Also assuming that the person with the problem lap has not done some thing to damage the lap, like clean it with a solvent or wire brush. The most likely problem that the lap has is that it needs to be dressed.
Dressing Laps - By far the most common problem that people have with laps is they seem to quit cutting. What basically happens is one of several things. The laps get "loaded" up with cutting waste and clog. Quartz is pretty famous for doing this, there is something about Quartz that clog's laps, I am not sure what. The person using the lap has used too much pressure (or maybe a really large stone) and driven the diamonds down into the lap. Basically the metal of the lap is covering the diamonds and they quit cutting. Or sometimes the diamonds just seem to become dull and need to be sharpened. I do not know if they really get dull but they sure seem to. Often the problem is a combination of these things. Of course the lap could be worn out too.
The solution to these problems is to "dress" your lap. By dressing I mean removing the waste clogging your lap and/or some of the metal that is covering your diamonds to re-expose them. Notice that there are two different grades of dressing sticks.
Lap Accessories - Dressing sticks are on this page.
Coarse - for 360 grit laps and coarser
Fine - for 600 grit laps and higher.
Note: Do not use a dressing stick on Nu Bond type laps, or on polish laps, they are strictly for steel cutting laps. Yes they are fine for steel "cap" laps.
It is very important to use dressing stick only when needed and sparingly. They do remove lap surface and over use of dressing sticks will eventually damage a lap, so never use them unless you have to. Take the correct dressing stick for the grit of lap you are dressing and run it at a moderate speed. Use lots of water, gently apply the stick evenly across the face of the lap once or twice. Flush with water. Try cutting a stone. Re-dress the lap again if needed. That is it really, generally dressing the laps will get them cutting again.
Assuming the lap is new it's time to talk to the manufacturer and/or the dealer you purchased from. Like I said before there are occasionally some manufacturing problems, it does happen. It is too early to tell if manufacturing problems are getting more common because of cutting corners (like cheap labor). I do not know yet, but it maybe happening, manufactures are certainly cutting cost corners and not being very responsive. Most dealers will try to help their customers. I have heard mixed results from people about manufacturers. But keep in mind that people do "clean" their laps with SOS pads, wire brushes, solvents and so on which ruins them. There is always two sides to the stories, you may not be hearing all the story. Usually the manufacturer will want to see the lap before making a decision.
On some laps the defects are obviously manufacturing and most of the time a replacement laps is just supplied. Either by the dealer (who later hopefully gets a credit from the manufacturer, it can take a long time, and sometimes not happen) or by the manufacturer. But here is the rub, on some laps there is not really any way to tell what the problem was/is caused by. It could be a manufacturing problem, or it could be something the customer did.
This is where things get difficult. It is the gray area that causes all the problems. Usually a dealer will try to give the customer the benefit of the doubt and try to help their customer. I do, most dealers do. Please remember that if a dealer makes it good to you trying to make the customer (you) happy there is a fairly good chance that the dealer will end up with a total loss on the lap. Particularly if the lap seems to be abused or maybe just falls into the gray area. Large manufacturers are a lot like insurance companies, any out is fine with them. I have had this problem with almost all manufacturers.
There is very, very little profit in laps (sometimes they are sold at virtually cost), so if the dealer makes a lap good to a customer (being a nice guy) the dealer is losing on the whole deal. If a dealer makes a questionable lap good to you… it is called customer service. Chances are pretty good the manufacturer will not support the dealer's decision. Most dealers still do make an honest effort to support their customers. Here is another article you should read.
Wonder why manufacturers are going out of business and getting product support is difficult?
I am about the only person I know making these issues public. You may not agree with me but this is how I see things in the business. Time will tell. In the mean time I will do the best I can for my customers.
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I am mainly going to be talking about steel cutting laps. But most of this will apply to all laps in general. A complaint I hear periodically is that "there is something wrong with my laps…" Usually people think that it is a problem with the laps themselves. Which certainly can be, and is sometimes true. All lap manufacturers from time to time have some production problems. It just happens. not often, but it does. But in a lot of cases it is inexperience on the part of the faceter. Particularly new faceters, partly because of being a brand new faceter, bad advice, or mistakes and accidents (like dropping a stone and quill onto the cutting face of the lap) and various other problems. Of course another reason more beginners have problems with laps is they are usually buying quite a few because they need all of them and just the sheer number of laps they need to start faceting, mean they are likely to get a bad one occasionally.
It is common for a new lap to start out course, and "break in" over time.
By far the most common problem that people have with laps is they seem to quit cutting.
Note: Like I said before manufacturing problems happen, but are generally not common.
Now assuming that there is NO problem with the manufacturing/plating on the lap. There could be. Also assuming that the person with the problem lap has not done some thing to damage the lap, like clean it with a solvent or wire brush. The most likely problem that the lap has is that it needs to be dressed.
Dressing Laps - By far the most common problem that people have with laps is they seem to quit cutting. What basically happens is one of several things. The laps get "loaded" up with cutting waste and clog. Quartz is pretty famous for doing this, there is something about Quartz that clog's laps, I am not sure what. The person using the lap has used too much pressure (or maybe a really large stone) and driven the diamonds down into the lap. Basically the metal of the lap is covering the diamonds and they quit cutting. Or sometimes the diamonds just seem to become dull and need to be sharpened. I do not know if they really get dull but they sure seem to. Often the problem is a combination of these things. Of course the lap could be worn out too.
The solution to these problems is to "dress" your lap. By dressing I mean removing the waste clogging your lap and/or some of the metal that is covering your diamonds to re-expose them. Notice that there are two different grades of dressing sticks.
Lap Accessories - Dressing sticks are on this page.
Coarse - for 360 grit laps and coarser
Fine - for 600 grit laps and higher.
Note: Do not use a dressing stick on Nu Bond type laps, or on polish laps, they are strictly for steel cutting laps. Yes they are fine for steel "cap" laps.
It is very important to use dressing stick only when needed and sparingly. They do remove lap surface and over use of dressing sticks will eventually damage a lap, so never use them unless you have to. Take the correct dressing stick for the grit of lap you are dressing and run it at a moderate speed. Use lots of water, gently apply the stick evenly across the face of the lap once or twice. Flush with water. Try cutting a stone. Re-dress the lap again if needed. That is it really, generally dressing the laps will get them cutting again.
Assuming the lap is new it's time to talk to the manufacturer and/or the dealer you purchased from. Like I said before there are occasionally some manufacturing problems, it does happen. It is too early to tell if manufacturing problems are getting more common because of cutting corners (like cheap labor). I do not know yet, but it maybe happening, manufactures are certainly cutting cost corners and not being very responsive. Most dealers will try to help their customers. I have heard mixed results from people about manufacturers. But keep in mind that people do "clean" their laps with SOS pads, wire brushes, solvents and so on which ruins them. There is always two sides to the stories, you may not be hearing all the story. Usually the manufacturer will want to see the lap before making a decision.
On some laps the defects are obviously manufacturing and most of the time a replacement laps is just supplied. Either by the dealer (who later hopefully gets a credit from the manufacturer, it can take a long time, and sometimes not happen) or by the manufacturer. But here is the rub, on some laps there is not really any way to tell what the problem was/is caused by. It could be a manufacturing problem, or it could be something the customer did.
This is where things get difficult. It is the gray area that causes all the problems. Usually a dealer will try to give the customer the benefit of the doubt and try to help their customer. I do, most dealers do. Please remember that if a dealer makes it good to you trying to make the customer (you) happy there is a fairly good chance that the dealer will end up with a total loss on the lap. Particularly if the lap seems to be abused or maybe just falls into the gray area. Large manufacturers are a lot like insurance companies, any out is fine with them. I have had this problem with almost all manufacturers.
There is very, very little profit in laps (sometimes they are sold at virtually cost), so if the dealer makes a lap good to a customer (being a nice guy) the dealer is losing on the whole deal. If a dealer makes a questionable lap good to you… it is called customer service. Chances are pretty good the manufacturer will not support the dealer's decision. Most dealers still do make an honest effort to support their customers. Here is another article you should read.
I am about the only person I know making these issues public. You may not agree with me but this is how I see things in the business. Time will tell. In the mean time I will do the best I can for my customers.
