zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

: All polishing works by SCRATCHING the surface
: to different levels of fineness.

: Extremely fine scratches makes a highly
: polished surface. The surface looks smooth
: because the scratches are below the
: threshold of your perception. Most light
: reflects off the surface all in the same
: direction--more like a mirror.
Thanks Mark and Derek *NM*
: For a brushed surface, you need something more
: abrasive to make coarser scratches that are
: somewhat above the level of perception. By
: using the abrasive in a linear direction,
: the scratches form a smooth, consistent,
: visible texture. The coarse scratches cause
: light to be reflected in various directions,
: creating a diffused, softer, non-shiny look.

: For a quickie demonstration, try polishing an
: old stainless steel spoon. First, use a
: superfine steel wool--that will give a very
: shiny finish. Then try a very coarse steel
: wool. You'll see how the scratches become
: visible and the directions you polish it
: (straight, cross-wise, swirls...) changes
: the look.