Polishing & Finishing

A great finish is what separates a handmade piece from a professional one — and it is almost entirely about the kit and the order you use it in. This collection covers polishing and finishing tools for the bench and the pendant motor: buffing wheels and mops, polishing compounds, burnishers, and tumbling media for batch-finishing.

Work up through the grades — abrasives first, then cutting compound, then rouge — and a dull, scratched surface comes up to a bright mirror or a soft satin sheen. Burnishers harden and shine edges and bezels by hand; rotary mops and a tumbler make light work of larger batches. Choose the right wheel and compound for each metal and stage and you'll get a cleaner result in less time. For the full method, read our guide to polishing jewellery by hand, and pair with the forming tools you used to shape the piece.