Introduction

  Lapidary has never been a hugely popular hobby here in the UK and I don't really know why that should be.  Although many people do try their hand at tumble polishing pebbles they often don't progress any further and eventually give up altogether.  Perhaps the price and availability of equipment and raw materials is a deterrent.

 The internet can be a good source of second hand machines but membership of a lapidary club, of which there are quite a few scattered around the country, would avoid the need to outlay hard-earned cash .  It would also offer the opportunity to learn from someone more experienced.

 I’ve been cutting and polishing stone for more years than I care to remember and have progressively been building up a stock of material (see photo to the right of this text) so, although we don’t stock equipment, we can possibly help with the raw materials. 

SRB Stones

Our aim is to supply good quality rough and slabbed (pre-cut) rock at a reasonable price.

 My workshop is only small but is equipped with a slab saw, vibrolap, tumbler, grindstones etc., the most recent addition being a diamond lapping machine.  If you'd like to take a look at the machines in my workshop click here.  Although space is somewhat limited the workshop also serves as a display area for the rock.  In addition to working with my own materials I do occasionally cut and polish stone for customers. 

 We are able to welcome visitors by appointment, but even if you're just curious about the hobby you're welcome to drop by for a chat, though it’s best to get in touch by e-mail or phone beforehand.  We are to be found just a few miles south of Cambridge.

 Due to the high cost of postage we would much prefer that, should you wish to purchase some rock, you make a visit and select the material yourself, but if that's not practical just provide a description of what material you’re looking for and how you plan to use it and we'll do our best to supply your needs by post.  In this digital age it's a simple task to provide photographs to help you choose the most suitable pieces.

 The following pages list the rough rock that is currently available, and I hope that the descriptions provide a realistic impression of the quality.  The photographs are of actual pieces in stock at the time that the page was generated.  Apologies if the pictures are not that great, I don't claim to be a photographer.  Most material is also available in pre-cut slabs, suitable for making cabochons.  We also try to keep a small stock of broken rock for use in tumblers.

 We are still in contact with a few of our original sources and are trying to find new, reliable suppliers, so if there's anything specific that you're trying to locate we can try to help.  As time passes we hope to be able to offer a wider range of material and at the same time we'll do our best to keep prices as low as possible.

 Lastly, should you know anyone that has retired from the lapidary hobby and is looking for a home for their left-over material please ask them to make contact.  If it's good quality rough and is suitable for slabbing we might be interested in making an offer.  That's one way that we have managed to keep prices down in the past.