Nothing else cuts EDM faster and has a more controllable finish than a stone. While diamond files start off as being faster than stones,

they quickly wear down from use and do not replenish their cutting action with new layers underneath as stones do. The fastest of all stones is a medium, hard-bond, aluminum oxide, nonoil-filled, 220-grit stone. This type of stone, when used properly, is EDM’s worst nightmare. The secret to proper use is to cut it to thinness, dress it with 220-grit (mesh) natural diamond and stone by hand with a side-to-side sweeping motion – exactly like a windshield wiper on a car.

This action will tear EDM out of a rib faster than any other method and allow the polisher to maintain total control over the final finish. The downside is that all stones break very easily when dressed down this thin. The cutting action is phenomenal, but when pressure is applied the stone always snaps off. The only thing this combination needs is the strength of steel or brass to become the ultimate rib polishing tool.