Silver Buffing? What's the best buffer?

john pilk

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Joined
Dec 22, 2006
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36
there is no best buffer . but there are many that will give the best results. all due to experience. you,ll find yours. mine is the final buff with the fabuluster on a loose muslin wheel . go easy and don,t overload the wheel with compound . works everytime .
 

laserboy

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Joined
Feb 29, 2012
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14
After being a bench jeweler for 30 plus years. I found something that works unbelievably well. Use any tripoli very lightly and lightly charged with compound. After getting the major scratches out the silver will look hazy. Clean by steamer or any other method where you won't actually touch the piece. Let piece dry off on it's own. Do not attempt to rub with cloth as this will scratch the piece. Now this is the secret, use a chamois buff wheel. Again, I repeat CHAMOIS buff charged with blue picasso. This I discovered 4 years ago and will produce a shine like that of a mirror without pulling lines on the metal from your engraving. Lightly is key here, with light on compound with light sirling touch to the wheel.I have amazed other jewelers with this technique. Larry
 

grumpyphil

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Sep 18, 2011
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106
Gesswein has it. The real stuff is Japanese and expensive by comparison but last forever. I polish my gravers with it not to make bright cuts but because when I do, they seem to stay sharp much longer.
 

bronc

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Nov 12, 2006
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Portales, NM
Lol, I guess I have probably looked right over it a jillion times. I'll be trying some soon.

Stewart
 

cowgirlup

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Dec 4, 2011
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32
Location
Oregon
Thank you all so much for your input! My buffing improved ten fold this weekend. I was able to manage a mirror finish on my pieces and without black stuff! I can't say enough about this lovely forum. I really would be miles behind where I am now without all of this information. :)
 

DakotaDocMartin

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Oct 15, 2007
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Grand Forks, ND
Thank you all so much for your input! My buffing improved ten fold this weekend. I was able to manage a mirror finish on my pieces and without black stuff! I can't say enough about this lovely forum. I really would be miles behind where I am now without all of this information. :)

It was a lot different years ago without computers and the internet. Resources were magazines like Rock & Gem and Lapidary Journal, a couple of catalogs, books, and a lot of trial and error. Learning about "buffing wheel grab" with a ring pinging off a wall making it oval was a good lesson. :)
 

cowgirlup

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Dec 4, 2011
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Oregon
You know, I actually thought to myself this weekend when I was buffing an odd-shaped, small item, "Gee, I wonder what would happen if this wheel did get a hold of this and send it flying into the wall? That would be terrible!". Sad day! I hope it wasn't a gold ring at these gold prices. ;)
 

Marrinan

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Nov 11, 2006
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outside Albany in SW GA
Cowgirl Jane, I have watched this thread for several days and have learned some wonderful insights-However--The buffer and it's various compounds are intended to put the final finish on the metal, whether that be hi gloss mirror bright or a light matte. It is not the appropriate tool to remove scratches. That is the job of burnishers, files then ever finer backed polishing papers. When used to remove scratches it is difficult to maintain the flat surface and in high polish, mirror finishes this will reflect light and show as uneven surfaces, polished or not. Fred
 

laserboy

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Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
14
I guess I must have interpreted scratch wrong, deep scratches will have to come out with sand paper.But if it a flat piece you will have to put your sandpaper on a flat surface with the sand side up and run your piece over it flatly. If you take a file to it unless it is a very small piece I know of no way to insure eveness. I do have the pleasure in owning a laser welder which if there was a deep scratch I could hit it with broad beam at an angle and take it out and keep the piece perfectly flat. On watches and jewelry I have taken out engraving so well that the piece even before polishing looks like it was never engraved. But back to the subject, like I said those whom are using picaso blue already try a chamois wheel if you are not already. It works wonders. I know stuller caries them. Larry
 

cowgirlup

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Joined
Dec 4, 2011
Messages
32
Location
Oregon
I haven't had problems with scratches, I was just having issues with that mirror finish and black residue. I have since eliminated these problems thanks to this thread! :) I also acquired a fancy new nick name "Cowgirl Jane"! :D
 
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