Message #49287

[George]

The bottom left drawing shows a shaped tool which was said to have been turned back and forth as the confines of the bottle wouldn't allow it to turn full circle. Is this shaped tool the bent wire described by Bob Stevens which he said was turned with a lathe which doesn't make much sense. It is more likely the shaped tool was worked by hand with abrasive powder to perform the final hollowing and polishing.

Adrian, thank you so much for such an informative post !

The types of tools/methods in the picture you shared leave me in just as much awe as before.. The amount of time involved to use these tools either in full circular or half/back and forth motions would require a great deal of time to accomplish the removal of super hard jade, agate, and some jaspers materials.

It reminds me a bit of honing tools I have used to prepare engine cylinder walls when rebuilding motors. Even these tools on a rotary drill barely scratch the surface of hardened steel..