We pick up the odd rock on a walk or scour the beaches and streams for rocks as a pastime (or addiction!). Some love to polish their rocks in tumblers and lapidary machines. If you don’t have one, here is an opportunity for some instant gratification.

Toredo Wood Hand Faced/Polished

Rock Facing is when a lapidary machine is used to grind away the surface material from a section of a rock to see what kind of colors and excitement lies inside. A grind leaves a flat or rounded ‘face’ that is matte finished though it can be taken all the way to a mirror finish polish as well.

Carnelian Agate Faced, Oregon Coast

An Agate should take a few minutes to grind a face, being as that it is a 7(ish) on the Mohs Hardness Scale. A full polish of the face would take upwards of a 1/2-full Hour. Depending on machine availability, stones may be faced or a polish on the face for a suggested donation (just for the wear and tear of the plates for the lapidary machine).

This is the perfect rainy day activity if you can’t go hit the beaches to rockhound. Come and see what your stone is really like!