This might sound like a trick question, but it’s not meant as such. I’ve wondered this for years and not been able to find an answer.
Question: if a diamond can only be cut by another cut diamond, how did they cut the first one? There must have been a cut diamond to cut the first one, but what cut that? and so on!
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Diamond is not the only thing that can cut diamond. People hear too many myths about diamonds.
They are the hardest NATURAL substance. Man can make harder materials.
Look for a picture of a diamond “glassy” that is a perfectly formed natural diamond. It looks like it can cut another diamond pretty well to me.
Steel can also cut a diamond if, as is usual, it is cut along a plane of symmetry. Think of a diamond, or any other crystal, as a bunch of really tiny legos stuck together. If you try to cut *through* a lego, you’re going to have problems. If you try to cut through the top layer of legos, you may have a problem because the underlying layers may not be layes out in the same pattern. However, if you cut *along* the layers, the legos will separate relatively easily. You can break, or shatter, a diamond simply by striking it with a hammer, as the *hardness* of a diamond does not affect the *resilience* of a diamond. As it turns out, diamonds, like most crystals, are quite brittle and easily broken or cut with iron implements, which tend to be quite resilient. The trick of the diamond cutter is not to find something hard enough to cut diamond, but to cut the diamond along a crystalline plane so that the cut is “clean” and sharp.
Jim, http://www.jimpettis.com/wheel/
Just because a diamond is a 10 on the Moh’s scale doesn’t mean that plain old pressure can’t pulverize it. A diamond is NOT forever; it’s just very expensive pencil lead (graphite).
Diamonds are not cut with already cut diamonds they are cut by diamond cutting lap wheels .Which are man made custom designed lap wheels that are impregnated with diamonds . Now if you had two rough diamonds you could shape them by rubbing them together but it is a bit ridicules you would not be able to facet them. It takes high tec and precision-ed man made tools to work on diamond cutting . And most important of all a master craftsman who knows how to cut diamonds , One who knows light refraction and how to angle and proportion the gem to bring out the best of the gems brilliance . Do not get me wrong there is one master craftsman who can actually cut a diamond by kerfing it with another rough diamond . Gabi.
A diamond saw is just crushed diamonds glued to a blade, I’m pretty sure that’s how the first one was cut. LOL Interesting question though, I can see why that would bother one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_too…
The crystal structure of a diamond is based on an octahedron – which has eight faces, twelve ribs, and six points. These features have different properties and degrees of “hardness”. You can split (cleave) a diamond parallel to any face. You can saw (on a diamond dust covered blade) a diamond parallel to any rib. You can also saw a diamond with a laser in almost any direction. And, you can cut & polish (abrade on a diamond sintered lap) a diamond perpendicular to any rib. So there you have it, the secret is out of the bag. Now go find yourself some rough and have fun! practicing.