Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1895 — DIAMOND WASTE. [ARTICLE]

DIAMOND WASTE.

Curious Phase of the Amsterdam Diamond-Cutting Industry. One of the curious phases of the Amsterdam diamond-cutting industry is the extent of the trade in diamond waste. Most of this material comes now from the cleavers. Formerly, when diamonds were still very expensive, cleavers did not deign to set to work upon a stone unless it was mainly of fair quality, and the most of it could be turned out as valuable diamonds. But now, through the great competition in price, nothing may be rejected. If a piece of boart contains but one good corner, though not more than one-eighth of a carat in weight, and consequently less than half that weight when polished, it must be turned to account; and if this little available portion lies in the center of the stone it can only be reached by a great deal of cleaving, which will unavoidably produce many splinters and much dust. Cleavers’ waste is of several kinds, generally sold in a lump to dealers. First, there is the boart, or the remnants of stones from Which small corners have been taken off; these realize the full market price of boart. Out of the other waste are picked the few splinters yet fit to be worked iu?o rose diamonds, next the lon ' pointed splinters which when inserted in a handle are used for points in engraving upon stone, glass, etc. After these come the smaller bits, some of which may also be used for engraving and the stronger .mes for boring holes in porcelain, glass, etc. The smallest material of this kind is generally stamped into powder and employed in polishing diamonds and in the arts. Some of the coarser pieces, when smooth, are used for slabs, in which holes are drilled, and they are sold for wire-draw-ing, being much harder and more durable than any other substance for this purpose. A great deal of waste also conies from tlie cutters. During the cutting a variety of splinters and fine fragments are thrown off: hence the waste material furnished by cutters, and to some extent by the cleavers, is the sweepings, of which there are again two kinds, viz.: Hirst. “bak fulles,” the residue of the bak or box upon which the friction of the two diamonds occurs, a mixture of minute diamond particles and scrapings of cement; second, “table fulles,” or sweepings of the floor of the shop. All these pass through complicated processes of cleaning by dextrous and experienced hands. At first nothing is seen but black, dust}' fragments of the cement used to fit the diamonds on the handles, with here and there a glimmering bit hardly visible to an inexperienced eye. The buyer, however, knows how to treat it by sifting, burning and boiling in nitric acid, so that out of this black mass is brought a fine snow-white powder, mixed with minute fragments of diamond, used for stamping. An extensive trade is done in these different kinds of waste, aud it is exported from Holland to various parts of Europe and America for technical purposes. Over 200 persons in Amsterdam gain their living as dealers in diamond waste and sweepings.