Tumblers for Sea Glass?

by Rock T. Umbler

Can I use a rock tumbler for sea glass? Questions and comments from sea glass viewers.

I was wondering about polishing sea glass. When or why should I use a tumbler?

by Jackie
(Plymouth, MN)

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What is the best way to polish genuine sea glass? Polishing Sea Glass- Good or Bad Idea?

by Richard Allen
(Sacramento, CA USA)

I have a few pieces of light green and brown sea glass that I collected as a child while living on Kodiak Island, AK.

As I got older and had amassed quite a nice rock collection, I decided to tumble many of my finds.

So, in my youthful ignorance, I tossed the sea glass in too (I think the frosting looks terrible).

They game out looking smooth and perfectly clear. They are so much more beautiful this way, and am hoping to head to the SF Bay Area soon to look for more colors to polish.

If the green and brown look so nice polished, I just imagine how beautiful other colors may turn out.

Now, I really don't care about value of my stones/sea glass, but I was just wondering if polishing like this was frowned upon by collectors or if it reduces the value at all.

It improves the aesthetics greatly in my personal opinon, but that doesn't mean others think the same way. Anyway, I was just curious.

Thank you for your time!

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Can

I put sea glass in a tumbler?

by Lindsey
(New Hampshire)

I have a few pieces of sea glass that I want to use for jewelry because of their colors; however, they have rough edges. If I put them in a rock tumbler will they still look natural?

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Tumbling Sea Glass

Does all sea glass need to be tumbled? How do I drill a piece of glass? Thank you! Joyce

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Hi Joyce,

Since sea glass or beach glass by definition is naturally tumbled by wave action, it NEVER needs to be tumbled by machine.

In fact, if it is machine tumbled, it becomes artificial or faux sea glass, no longer classified as real sea glass.

Also, if you tumble sea glass artificially, it does not have the same look.

See a very detailed explanation of this topic on our page Tumbled Sea Glass.

David and Lin (Odyssey Sea Glass)

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Where can I purchase the best quality tumbled sea glass?

by Karin

I would love natural sea glass but do not know if I can afford it. I am in a training and wish to give it as a token at the end of the training.

I would need decent size pieces, about 65. The cost is what would determine natural vs. tumbled.

I have been collecting sea glass for years but am not willing to give up my collection.

Thanks for your help!

Best,

Karin

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