I'm trying to find a reasonable way to really gleam my nickel silver and anodized reel seat hardware for custom orders before I ship them off. I'm currently dabbling with different buffing wheels mounted on an old grinder. I bought a couple different jeweller's rouges and I'm trying to find the best setup.
Right now, I apply a medium buffing wheel with the rouge while it's spinning then touch the reel seat hardware to the rouged wheel, while spinning of course. Then I move the reel seat hardware to a clean, firm buffing wheel to buff off the rouge and hopefully get a good polish.
My results haven't been that good.
It's difficult to really clean and shine the threads.
It's hard to get all the rouge off.
What do you guys think I'm doing wrong?
Thanks in advance for perspectives.

Josh Markvan
www.markvanheirloom.com

One thing you don't want to do, is buff through whatever might just be plated. You've got to be careful.

There are better buff compounds for metal than jewlers rouge. ZAM and some others might give you better results. A knife maker could probably steer you in the right direction.

.............

Josh,

Jewelers rouge should easily polish the Nickle Silver reel seats. The anodized ones might require a stainless buffing compound. You can get a set of 5 different types of buffing compounds at Sears.

Buffing compounds polish metal by removing the rough (microscopic) surface layer until the entire surface is polished. Keep in mind that microscopic particles of metal are removed, so it possible to wear thru the anodized coating or plating of the metal.

For purposes of illustration, imagine the surface is made-up of spherical particles, unevenly packed tightly next to one another. The polishing compound will tend to level the uneven surface by removing the particles above the main surface level. In doing so, polish will be imbedded and packed tightly in between the spherical surfaces. (i.e. in the pores of the metal)

To have a really polished look, requires that this embedded polishing compound be completely removed. This can be accomplished by thoroughly washing the part in warm water and detergent, then rinsing in clear warm water. Repeat this proceedure until all polishing compound residue is removed. Note: buffing the part, as you did with a clean buffing wheel, will not remove all of the imbedded polishing compound.

I went to your website and was very impressed with the High Quality rods that you build. It's evident that you are a true rod building artist.


John (aka: @#$%&)

I used to try to be a silversmith and I recall that the polishing compounds came in a variety of "grits," just like sandpaper. The red stuff is very aggressive. If you're going to use that stuff, you would need the stuff used for the final polish. You might go to Walmart and buy a small jar of Mother's Mag Polish, in the automotive department. It doesn't actually remove any metal, it removes whatever crud may be on the surface. I use it to polish the valves and valve casings in a couple of very expensive pro level trumpets and a fluegelhorn. It's not very expensive so you won't be out much if it doesn't work. It does a great job on gold, silver and brass.

Come to think of it, I have used Simichrome polish on nickel silver parts and they absolutely gleam afterwards.

.........

John Mantele thanks for the compliment.
I appreciate the input.
I guess the secret is to wash after buffing.

Josh Markvan
www.markvanheirloom.com