A scaif is a polishing wheel infused with a mixture of olive oil and diamond dust used in the

diamond cutting Diamond cutting is the practice of shaping a Diamond (gemstone), diamond from a rough stone into a faceted gem. Cutting diamonds requires specialized knowledge, tools, equipment, and techniques because of its extreme difficulty. The first guild ...

industry. It was invented in the late 15th century by

Lodewyk van Bercken Lodewyk van Bercken (also known in French as ''Louis de Berquem'') was a mid- to late-15th century Flemish Region, Flemish jeweller and diamond cutter, renowned in the industry for inventing the scaif. The device revolutionized the diamond cutti ...

in Antwerp. With the scaif, it became possible to both polish and cut facets of the diamond symmetrically and with great precision, also allowing for more complex cuts to be made. This invention revolutionized the diamond cutting industry and, correspondingly, greatly increased the popularity of diamonds. The scaif consists of a hard disk, parallel to the floor. The disk looks like and is rotated in the same way as a

potter's wheel In pottery, a potter's wheel is a machine used in the shaping (known as throwing) of clay into round ceramic ware. The wheel may also be used during the process of trimming excess clay from leather-hard dried ware that is stiff but malleable, ...

. On the top surface a film of olive oil and diamond dust is placed. Surrounding the disk is a circular frame to catch the oil that is spun off as the disk is rotated. Diamantschleifer2

Hovering just above the surface of the disk is a

mechanical arm A mechanical arm is a machine that usually mimics the action of a human arm. Mechanical arms are composed of multiple Beam (structure), beams connected by hinges powered by actuators. One end of the arm is attached to a firm base while the other ...

to hold the diamond. It can be finely adjusted, to move the diamond into the exact position needed for polishing the facets. As the facets are polished more diamond dust is produced, replenishing the supply.

References

External links

The Diamond Invention. Chapter 11
by

Edward Jay Epstein Edward Jay Epstein (December 6, 1935 – January 9, 2024) was an American investigative journalist and a political science professor at Harvard University, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. ...

Diamond cutting. Thank you, Lodewyk van Berken
by Jeffrey Blancq. April 21, 2006 Diamond cutting Cutting tools Belgian inventions Jewellery making {{tool-stub

See also

References

External links