Omaha daily bee., 1895-11-10

and II successful I would have to pay nothing,
while If unsuccessful, diamond powder was
to be substituted for the carborundum and |
would have to pay S. for the work. The lap
was mounted and a workman was supplied
with half a carat Of carborundum powder
and told to use it in polishing the diamond.
In the meantime the diamond had been re-
moved from its setting and mounted in lead.
as is the practice in diamond polishing.
Much to the surprise of the work.
man, the proprietor, and in some measure to
myself, an application of the diamond to the
lap for a period of twenty minutes removed
all lines from the face and restored it to its
former beauty. Since these tests l have at
odd times spent several hours in watching
the polishing Of diamonds with Carborundum
powder and some workmen have told me that
the work is performed in shorter time than
when using diamond powder
On account of the remarkable hardness 81
CarbOrundum it is a far more valuable ma
terlal than either emery or cOrundum, In that
It does work quicker, thus saving time and
labor, and in this way more than r%epaying
its Initial expense. Up to the present the
Carborundum company has been unable to
manufacture CaTborundum in sufficient guam
tity to meet the demand for large wheels. 1t
has made a fair number of these. and the
buyers seem to be highly satisfied with them.
Their statements as to the superiority Of car
bOrundum over emery appear TO vary a good
deal, some saying that it is three or four
times as satisfactory, while others claim that
it is at least ten times as good. Taking it at
the very lowest estimation, it saves a good
deal of money over emery. 1t has been used
with great success in glass cutting, doing
the work well and with great rapidity.
An interesting test Of the grinding qualities
Of CarbOrundum was made by one of the great
est iron firms in America. 4 large roll of
iron was nearly half an inch out of the true,
and under ordinary circumstances 1t would
have to be recast, as the labor Of grinding
1t down by means of emery would have been
too great, 1t was thought that it offered an
excellent opportunity to put carborundum to
a really severe test, so the mineral was used
to turn up the roll. The result was highly
satisfactory, for it was found that the work
was done in just one-twelfth Of the time
that would have been required had emery
been used.
Carborundum Is sold in various forms, such
as wheels, homes, slips, files, rub stones.
knife sharpeners, scythe stones and cloth.
The manufacture of these articles from the
carborundum powder Is still carried on at
Monongahola City, whittier tho powder is
mixed with a binding material, moulded,
placed in hydraulic presses and a]fterward
vitrihed In ldlns. Among dentists the great
value of CarbOrundum has been recognized
and the yearly sales Of dental instruments Is
very large. 1t makes a wonderful knife
shaTpener, too.
Probably many people have read with in
terest various articles that have appeared in
scientific papers about Prof. Henri Moissan
and his discovery Of artificial diamonds and
carbide Of silicon, and yet few know that
this carbide Of silicon is now produced here
at a rate Of about two tons a day and sold
under the name Of Carborundum. 1t is also
an interesting fact that Mr.. Acheson procured
his patent on its manufacture In France be-
fore NJ. Molssan had ever commenced his ex-
psriments.
Six thousand tons OF emery are used in
America every year, and no doubt as car
borundum becomes more generally known IL
will be largely substituted for that material.
Large quantities OF Carborundum have been
purchased by European firms. A company
has bought Mr.. Acheson's patent rights in
Austria, and has established a factory at
Prague. An English company is at present
being organized to start a carbOrundum
factory In Great Britain. II may be that In the
futuTe other uses may be found for car
bOrundum, one Of which has been indicated by
Mr.. william NJ. Blake In an article in the
Engineering and Mining Journal, where he
writes:
II by any modification OF the process. pos
sibly slower action and an equable high tenn
p]erature long maintained, large crystals OF
this compound could be formed, We should
have a brilliant gem added 10 our list Of
precious m stones. It's fine color.
splendid adlmantine lustre, and its hardness
all ft it to occupy a high place In the series
Of Jewels.
An enterprising butcher on Third avenue
Nav York has a UIaUO In the back OF his