Brut polishing of superhard materials

1. A method for brut polishing surfaces of superhard materials comprising the steps of:

selecting a surface of a superhard material which is to be polished;

placing a tool in contact with the superhard surface so as to contact only a small portion of the superhard surface;

rotating the tool so as to cause-relative motion between the superhard surface and the tool,

applying pressure between said tool and said superhard surface in a manner that causes said superhard surface to heat enough to degrade positive asperities on said superhard surface in order to brut polish said superhard surface; and

moving the tool relative to the superhard surface so as to move the contact area between the tool and the superhard surface across the superhard surface so as to polish the superhard surface; and

wherein said bruting is achieved by use of essentially a single point of contact between said tool and said superhard surface.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said tool is a bruting form.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said degradation of positive asperities bums away material of said positive asperities.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein at least a part of said superhard surface is brut polished to within about 0.05 to 0.005 μm.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said relative movement between said tool and said superhard surface is in the range from 20,000 to 40,000 surface feet per minute.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said pressure between said tool and said superhard surface is greater than 10 pounds per square inch.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said pressure between said tool and said superhard surface is not less than 100 pounds per square inch.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said temperature of at least a portion of said superhard surface in contact with said tool is not less than 650 degrees Celsius.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said temperature of at least a portion of said superhard surface in contact with said tool is to not less than 750 degrees Celsius.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said temperature of at least a portion of said superhard surface in contact with said tool is between about 650-750 degrees Celsius.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said superhard material is sintered polycrystalline diamond.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said superhard material is sintered cubic boron nitride.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising using a cooling liquid to prevent excessive heat buildup on said superhard surface.

14. A method for brut polishing surfaces of superhard materials comprising the steps of:

obtaining a sintered compact of superhard material,

selecting a surface of said superhard material to polish,

selecting a bruting form to apply against said superhard surface in order to brut polish it,

contacting the bruting form and the superhard surface such that only a small portion of the superhard surface is in contact with the bruting form at a time;

rotating the bruting form to cause-relative movement between said bruting form and said superhard surface,

applying pressure between said bruting form and said superhard surface,

causing friction between said bruting form and said superhard surface,

causing the temperature of at least a portion of said superhard surface in contact with said bruting form to increase, and

moving the bruting form relative to the sintered compact to move the contact area between the bruting form and the superhard surface across the superhard surface and thereby polish the entire superhard surface by causing positive asperities on said superhard surface to be lowered or removed by a combination of said pressure, friction and temperature increase by a bruting effect; and

wherein said bruting is achieved by use of essentially a single point of contact between said bruting form and said superhard surface.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein at least a part of said superhard surface is brut polished to within about 0.05 to 0.005 μm.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said relative movement between said bruting form and said superhard surface is in the range from 20,000 to 40,000 surface feet per minute.

17. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said pressure between said bruting form and said superhard surface is greater than 10 pounds per square inch.

18. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said pressure between said bruting form and said superhard surface is not less than 100 pounds per square inch.

19. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said temperature of at least a portion of said superhard surface in contact with said bruting form increases to not less than 650 degrees Celsius.

20. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said temperature of at least a portion of said superhard surface in contact with said bruting form increases to between about 650-750 degrees Celsius.

21. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said superhard material is sintered polycrystalline diamond.

22. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said superhard material is sintered cubic boron nitride.

23. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising using a cooling liquid to prevent excessive heat buildup on said superhard surface.

24. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said bruting degrades superhard material of said positive asperities.

25. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said bruting bums away said positive asperities.