Polinum

[Neverenoughwatches]

Eyup watch peeps, hope yous all well. Has anyone had any experience with these polishing compounds polinum and polinoxx. Ive just had some arrive from cousins, they both come in a solid block form. I'm thinking of making into a paste to use for polishing steel and also watch crystals. I guess i have 3 carriers - water , oil and alcohol . Water for crystals and alcohol or oil for steel. Any thoughts or anyone used these products tia.

[SpringMangler]

I use polinum a lot for final polishing. Works on just about anything but I just use it straight from the block either onto a cloth or a polishing mop. It is quite solid but no more than the Dialux polishes I use.

[tomh207]

I sometimes use polinum as a final shine for a wee bit extra sparkle. Use a chamois buffing mop though. IIRC this stuff is for platinum so even finer polish than jewlery rouge(Dialux red).

 

Tom

[Neverenoughwatches]

22 minutes ago, SpringMangler said:

I use polinum a lot for final polishing. Works on just about anything but I just use it straight from the block either onto a cloth or a polishing mop. It is quite solid but no more than the Dialux polishes I use.

 

27 minutes ago, tomh207 said:

I sometimes use polinum as a final shine for a wee bit extra sparkle. Use a chamois buffing mop though. IIRC this stuff is for platinum so even finer polish than jewlery rouge(Dialux red).

 

Tom

It cuts quite well using a chamois cloth. Just thought having it in paste form might work better on an acrylic crystal.  It doesn't mix into water. 

[tomh207]

1 hour ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

 

It cuts quite well using a chamois cloth. Just thought having it in paste form might work better on an acrylic crystal.  It doesn't mix into water. 

Hmmm, maybe IPA then?cut shavings and see if the will dissolve so you can form a paste? I have used Dialux with a cloth but that can be a pain to get any reasonable amount on the cloth. Polinum being much finer might be easier Rich.

 

Tom

Oh sorry, reading comprehension left me for a moment. You have done it with chamois so for hand work I would go that way, remember though chamois itself can be abrasive if you are trying to get an ultra fine finish.

[GuyMontag]

1 hour ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

 

It cuts quite well using a chamois cloth. Just thought having it in paste form might work better on an acrylic crystal.  It doesn't mix into water. 

Alex uses it as part of his crystal polishing process, shown in this video:

 

 

[tomh207]

He uses it to polish barrels as well

 

Tom

[mikepilk]

I've never heard of  polinum and polinoxx. I use Dialux White for final polish, as it works on just about everything I need - steel, gold, silver, plastic.  Has anyone compared them ? 

[tomh207]

3 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

I've never heard of  polinum and polinoxx. I use Dialux White for final polish, as it works on just about everything I need - steel, gold, silver, plastic.  Has anyone compared them ? 

I find that Dialux red and polinum give an extra lustre as a final, but that maybe is subjective just because I have done it. I only use Dialux red and/polinum on gold, even silver. Simply because I want to be as gentle with them as I can but still make a difference. I tend to move away from steel polishing compounds for that reason, maybe I am just reading too much into it as we do with lubricants.

 

Tom

[mikepilk]

48 minutes ago, GuyMontag said:

Alex uses it as part of his crystal polishing process, shown in this video:

 

I'm not impressed by his methods. I get better results with less effort.

He doesn't use any water when using wet and dry - it makes a big difference.

I work through wet and dry grades (800 if deep scratches) 1000 to 3000. It doesn't take long with each grade, no more than a minute. Clean after each grade to remove loose particles of grit.  After 3000 grit, a quick buff with some Polywatch. 

[tomh207]

2 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

I'm not impressed by his methods. I get better results with less effort.

He doesn't use any water when using wet and dry - it makes a big difference.

I work through wet and dry grades (800 if deep scratches) 1000 to 3000. It doesn't take long with each grade, no more than a minute. Clean after each grade to remove loose particles of grit.  After 3000 grit, a quick buff with some Polywatch. 

I suppose that over time we all find a way that works. I think maybe you and I are are a bit alike Mike in that finding the optimal way of obtaining the results is much better than following a rote formula.

 

unless we create that formula.

 

Tom

[mikepilk]

 

6 minutes ago, tomh207 said:

I suppose that over time we all find a way that works. I think maybe you and I are are a bit alike Mike in that finding the optimal way of obtaining the results is much better than following a rote formula.

True. But with "wet and dry", the clue is in the name 

Using it wet gives a finer finish.

[tomh207]

It certainly does Mike, fine dry for rough stuff but when you get to anywhere close to finishing it does have to be wet and imho wiped and spritzed regularly. TBH if you are not aiming for black polish/specular/zaratszu levels then wet wet & dry gets you there with sufficient grit.

 

Tom

[GuyMontag]

29 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

I'm not impressed by his methods. I get better results with less effort.

He doesn't use any water when using wet and dry - it makes a big difference.

I work through wet and dry grades (800 if deep scratches) 1000 to 3000. It doesn't take long with each grade, no more than a minute. Clean after each grade to remove loose particles of grit.  After 3000 grit, a quick buff with some Polywatch. 

 

I also use water on my sandpaper, I go 800, 1000, 2000 and then switch to diamond paste, 3 micron, 1.5 and then 0.5. Probably don't need that many steps but it doesn't take that long.

[SpringMangler]

I've started using diamond paste. Works a treat.

Edited March 29, 2023 by SpringMangler

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, tomh207 said:

Hmmm, maybe IPA then?cut shavings and see if the will dissolve so you can form a paste? I have used Dialux with a cloth but that can be a pain to get any reasonable amount on the cloth. Polinum being much finer might be easier Rich.

 

Tom

Oh sorry, reading comprehension left me for a moment. You have done it with chamois so for hand work I would go that way, remember though chamois itself can be abrasive if you are trying to get an ultra fine finish.

Yes I've noticed chamois can cut with no compound. The block is quite hard and as you say ii doesn't pick up well with a cloth. So tried heating it, it melts very easily but quckly forms back to a solid when taken from the heat source. Yet to try ipa, this might be a problem used on an acrylic crystal .

3 hours ago, mikepilk said:

I've never heard of  polinum and polinoxx. I use Dialux White for final polish, as it works on just about everything I need - steel, gold, silver, plastic.  Has anyone compared them ? 

No comparison Mike but I've just dressed up some crappy brass tweezers. After a 400 wet and dry Used a super heavy cut compound from cousins , then a heavy, then a medium. Finished with polinum. The finish looks very shiny.

[mikepilk]

5 hours ago, GuyMontag said:

 

I also use water on my sandpaper, I go 800, 1000, 2000 and then switch to diamond paste, 3 micron, 1.5 and then 0.5. Probably don't need that many steps but it doesn't take that long.

You can save time by going from the 2000 grit straight to Polywatch - within seconds you will have a nice shiny crystal.