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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;stracci, post: 3113903, member: 13814&quot;]I don&#039;t know if 409 makes any difference. I have always used a wet paper towel to clean the stone. It&#039;s been working for me all these years!</p><p><br /></p><p>If you make a long streak, like maybe 1&quot;x 1/16&quot;, then you can neatly place all the drops along that one streak. Starting with 10k on one end and working your way up to 22 if necessary. So one streak will be all you need to test one item, and you wont need to keep rubbing your item on the stone.</p><p>Rub lightly, just enough to create the mark. Don&#039;t be heavy handed.</p><p>You just need a light touch, not enough to put an obvious flat area on your item.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have some pieces in my collection that I have already tested. I need the loupe to see where I rubbed it on the stone. You should only see a tiny flat spot on a previously tested piece.</p><p><br /></p><p>I also use a small pen light to view my results. A bright light right on your stone helps to see very clearly the change under the drop of acid. And I mean ONE drop. I wont make a big puddle.</p><p>I am very stingy about using up my acid! LOL</p><p><br /></p><p>The photo below shows the results of a 14k ring. The mark I made is roughly 1&quot;x1/16&quot;.</p><p>The 10k drop is on the bottom, followed by 14k, 18k, and 22k.</p><p>As you can see, the mark held at 10 and 14, but vanished under 18.</p><p>(I didn&#039;t really need the 22k drop, but I just wanted to show you how the drops can be placed on the streak without bleeding into each other.)</p><p>So we know this ring is 14k.</p><p><br /></p><p>I held my pen light over the stone so you can see how the light really amplifies the streak under the drop of acid.</p><p>Because I did it this way, I don&#039;t need to make any more marks.</p><p>I got my 14k result, and the ring is unharmed!</p><p>[ATTACH=full]293852[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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