POLISHING & BUFFING TERMINOLOGIES

Polishing:

Polishing removes a layer off surface, hence the surface is prepared for buffing. In this process coarse sand paper or compounds are scoured over the metal surface.

Buffing:

Buffing makes the surface of metal shiny and gives mirror finish. This process requires the use of buffing wheels and buffing compounds. Buffing is subdivided into two steps.

Cut Buffing:

This is the initial step to colouring using a coarse buffing compound. This buffing operation is for removing scratches and makes the surface smoother. Black emery polishing compound with a spiral sewn buffing wheel is generally used for copper, brass, aluminium, steel, stainless steel, nickel, and iron. Brown Tripoli buffing compound is not as course as black emery polishing compound but will cut and colour copper, brass, and aluminium in one operation. If cutting down provides a bright, satisfactory result then colouring is not required.

Colour Buffing:

This buffing operation gives out the maximum shine and produces a mirror finish. Colouring can be done after cutting down or right-away if surface is polished enough. Loose cotton buffing wheels are most preferred for colouring but spiral sewn buffing wheels are just fine. Brown Tripoli buffing compound is a double duty buffing compound and can be used for both colouring and cutting down. White rouge polishing compound can be used to colour chromium, stainless steel, brass, and aluminium. The finest buffing compound is jewellers rouge or red rogue rouge polishing compound.

Jewellers Rouge:

These compounds are useful to polish metals, plastic, wood, and other materials. These compounds are abrasive fillers and are moulded in shape of bar in solid and liquid state. Jewellers rouge or red rouge is the used for buffing precious metals and is developed by jewellery trade. Moreover, Jewellers rouge gives maximum shine and mirror finish. In order to apply a polishing compound to a buffing wheel, spin the buffing wheel on a bench grinder or an electric drill and gently press the compound onto the wheel.