What do you use to cut diamonds?

[warpig1]

Do you use othere diamonds or something else. Also what is the hardest substance on earth either natural or man made.

thanks
warpig1

[Eurox]

Lasers are usually what are used to cut diamonds, before lasers they usually used daimond tipped saws or drills, but it took a while.

[warpig1]

Thanks Eurox.

[jake-the-peg]

Try this link
http://jewelry.quickfound.net/cutting_cullinan _diamond_1908.html

It is a reprint from the London Evening News from 1908 describing the cutting of the Cullinan diamond

[Clanad]

Actually, the first tool used to "cut" a raw diamond is a steel blade... A skilled craftsman uses a steel wedge struck with a wooden mallet to seperate the diamond along natural fault lines. Similarily, during the process of shaping the diamond, it is placed against a wheel or more accurately, a plate that is imbedded with diamond "dust". This is used on a diamond fixed in a device at precise positions to shape the facets at correct angles to produce the finished product. The Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness is used to rate the "hardness" of, well, minerals. As already referenced, diamonds are rated at "10", while, for example, Talcum powder is rated at "1"...

[Caladon]

The word "cut" is not very accurate. The term "fracture" is what happens to a diamond.
And though it may be the hardest substance on Earth, it is remarkably easy to destroy.
Merely heat it with an industrial lazer then drop it in liquid oxygen. It dissolves away in seconds.

[misswright]

I believe "cleavage" is the correct gemmological term Caladon. (ie. "that diamond has more cleavage than yo mamma")

[warpig1]

missright, have you met his mamma????

:-o)

[shantijewel]

In Bruting Process, the diamonds are cut for making the stones round. Usually use lasers or a rotating disk in which two diamonds spin in opposite directions from each other so they grind against each other & form round shapes. This was traditionally done without any technological help, but now many diamond cutters use computer software to help them analyze the cuts, maximize precision and guarantee that the stone was expertly cut.

During polishing, a spinning wheel is used to create the smooth facets for the specific stone.