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Best polishing compounds 2018 – [Buyer’s Guide]
Last Updated September 1, 2023
Looking for ways to bring your polishing compounds to the next level? Then you’ve come to the right place. I’m Brayden Diaz. I spent 36 hours researching and testing 20 different types of polishing compounds and found that material, variety of sizes, and style were most important.
I have been writing about technology and entertainment since the early 90s from my secluded home in West Virginia. Like most products, some outdo others, so use my top three list below to get started on your search for the best polishing compounds of 2018.
Best polishing compounds of 2018
If you’re scouring the market for the best polishing compounds, you’d better have the right info before spending your money. Come with me.
After carefully examining the reviews and ratings of the people who have used them earlier this listicle has been made. Based on customer reviews and my own experience with the cowboy method I’ve found the best 3 polishing compounds on the market.
Test Results and Ratings
| Rank | №1 | №2 | №3 |
| Product |  |
 |
 |
| Total | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| Ease of use |
4 points
|
4 points
|
4 points
|
| Materials |
5 points
|
5 points
|
5 points
|
| Durability |
5 points
|
5 points
|
4 points
|
| Value |
5 points
|
4 points
|
4 points
|
| Awards |  |
||
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
How to save up to 86%? Here is little trick.
You must visit the page of sales. Here is the link. If you don’t care about which brand is better, then you can choose the polishing compounds by the price and buy from the one who will offer the greatest discount.
№1 – Diamond Paste Set of 15 Syringes X 5 Grams
| Total: |
4.8
|
Why did this polishing compounds win the first place?
I don’t know anything about other models from this brand, but I am fully satisfied with this product. I am very happy with the purchase. It is definitely worth its money. The product is top-notch! The rear part fits perfectly! It is mounted really tight and reliable. The product is very strong. Its material is stable and doesn’t crack.
4
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
№2 – TEMO 12p 5gram Diamond Polishing Lapping Paste Compound Syringe Set 0.5-40 Micron
| Total: |
4.5
|
Why did this polishing compounds come in second place?
I recommend you to consider buying this model, it definitely worth its money. The design quality is top notch and the color is nice. The material is pretty strong and easy to wash if needed. I really liked it. It is amazing in every aspect. It did even exceed my expectations for a bit, considering the affordable price.
4
|
5
|
5
|
4
|
№3 – ZFE 12Pcs 5 Gram Metal Polishing Compound Diamond Polishing Lapping Paste Compound Syringes 0.5 to 40 Micron For Metal jewelers polishing
| Total: |
4.3
|
Why did this polishing compounds take third place?
It is inconvenient to use due to the size. I am going to get something different next time. I liked the design. We’ve been using it for 2 months and it still looks like brand new. This price is appropriate since the product is very well built. The material is incredibly nice to the touch. It has a great color, which will suit any wallpapers.
4
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
polishing compounds Buyer’s Guide
Item Weight: 11.2 oz.
3M once more comes in on the 4th position. This 03900 rubbing formula, just like its earlier sibling, works instantly removing each and every visible scratch. It not only works on the surface to remove blemishes and defects but also restores the lost attractiveness of your car’s surface making it look new once again. If you dislike dull looking cars, that makes the two of us.
To be honest, disliking isn’t enough; you also have to take action against what you dislike. And yes, with this formula, you will definitely have that attractive car you have always wanted. Extremely easy to use, you can either use a machine or your hands to rub it over the surface of your car.
In fact, it effectively and safely gets rid of grade 1200 or even finer sand scratches on your car making it look attractive. Whether you are worried about medium oxidation, coarse swirls or even water spots, this formula is your solution.
Effectiveness
Before you pick any rubbing compound, it’s important that you consider how effective it is. Of course, determining how effective a rubbing compound is would require you to check the manufacturer’s information, customer reviews and ratings, as well as information from friends and relatives who have used the product before. We have those products which can remove effectively get rid of swirl marks, oxidation and water spots.
The Ingredients
The performance of any rubbing compound is as good as its ingredients. Ensure that the content of any given formula does not have any filler or toxic ingredients such as silicone which would have adverse effects on your car’s surface instead of producing good results.
A rubbing compound
It is an abrasive material that grinds the surface layers of dull and damaged paint. It creates a magic by making the scratches vanish! But of course, you need to follow certain techniques to use it efficiently. This guide will exclusively teach you how to use rubbing compound to get rid of scratches.
Rottenstone
A ferrous oxide abrasive material consisting of coarse grains of ferrous or iron oxide that is used for grinding metal before polishing. Finer grains are called rouge.
Lightweight, glassy volcanic rock that is crushed into a powder for use in jewelry work for producing non-polished finishes on metal. It should always be used with water for lubrication, and should also be rinsed frequently (for jewelry applications), for woodworking, paraffin oil can be used for lubrication.
Compound Confusion
One of the difficulties in using and understanding rouge or abrasive compounds is that each manufacturer uses his own recipe to make the finished material. Most metal smiths also have basic knowledge of some of the terms used in lapidary work. Polishing finished stones is as difficult as polishing a finished piece of jewelry. Aluminum oxide is a material that is regularly used in lapidary polishing as well as metal polish.
Tripoli Compound
Tripoli in compound form is red/brown in color and is used to remove light scratches, imperfections, and oxidation on non-ferrous materials such as wood, aluminum, brass, copper and die cast metal. Medium cutting action. It is used as an abrasive for preparing jewelry work for polishing. The powdered stone is usually mixed with a binder and molded into cakes for easy application to buffing wheels. The most popular general compound for cutting down and buffing base metals. Gives a smooth, satin finish to copper, aluminum, pewter, gold and even hard plastic surfaces. Use Tripoli first to remove scratches and pits then follow with rouge for high luster. This compound is water based for easy cleaning in ultrasonic. Use with yellow buffs. Used for fast cutting action and some degree of color on all metals.
Cerium-R Oxide
On a telephone conversation with Matchless Metal Company a large supplier of abrasive compounds, they indicated the their chrome oxide was less than micron. This is unverified information.
Cratex Abrasives
Cratex is a tough, resilient, rubberized abrasive that utilizes silicon carbide as the abrasive grain in a standard bond of premium grade, oil-resistant chemical rubber.
This product contains ceramic particles mixed in a rubber carrier.
Soft, flexible rubber wheels compounded with pumice abrasive.
Blaze incorporates a coarse (100 grit) silicon carbide abrasive with a silicone rubber bond.
Like the name suggests, this is the second round of cutting. You are going to want to soften the wheel and use a finer rouge for this step. If you are using Zephyr products for your cleaning project, this is a good time to use the Hall Green Buffing Wheel and cutting rouge. You could also use the purple wheel and rouge depending on the condition of the metal or personal preference.
Pro Tip: Use a buffing wheel rake or wire brush to “rake” or clean the edges of a wheel or other lipped surfaces that needs polishing. A dirty wheel caked with rouge will not give you the results you are looking for. Do not mix rouges on a wheel you have used with another rouge. This will also affect your results and could cause scratching and swirl marks.
Additional Things to Keep in Mind
Whether an 8” or 10” wheel is used is a matter of choice. Typically 8” wheels are used by individuals new to polishing or occasionally polishing, while the 10” size is more frequently used by more experienced polishers and professionals.
Tripoli Polish for Wood
It is a fairly mild rock in terms of abrasive quality, which makes it preferable to other polishing rocks such as pumice. Overall due to its qualities (rounded particles instead of pointed), tends to offer a much more glossier polish than alternatives and is valued for such use.
Common usage included combining with oil or water and to polish varnished wooden furniture as a finishing polish. Best used with a soft polishing cloth such as a terry towel. Works really well on removing stains such as water marks too instead of using rougher sandpaper.
Tripoli Powder ( polishing powder ): Tripoli Powder is an extra fine abrasive powder for polishing wood and furniture finishes.
Scraping
Purchase a razor blade or another type of sharp scraping tool to eliminate any machine markings that may be left on the acrylic. Move the sharp instrument from side to side, evenly scraping off the excess and scratched acrylic. Be careful not to dig into the acrylic. You can avoid this by angling the tool at degrees. Using the acrylic scraping method is also great for shaping any jagged or uneven edges.
Buffing
Stationary polishing wheels are great for buffing acrylic back to a nice clear finish after its been sanded. To make sure you are less likely to overheat the acrylic, use an 8”-14” diameter, 2”-3” wide piece of bleached muslin with bias strips. This will allow the wheel to run much cooler. Make sure you clamp the acrylic in place so that it doesn’t move when buffing.
The finished quality of the acrylic will depend on the type of polish compound you use. A medium cutting compound will result in a glossy finish. A higher, luster finish can be accomplished by applying a fast cutting compound followed by a fine compound. This is a longer process but it will give you the best finish.
If All Else Fails…
Dishwashing detergent contains a higher concentration of salt and strong chemicals that are harmful to the paint, rubbers, and plastic trim in the long term.
As for washing detergent Bowden says the best car wash products are those with formulations that are pH balanced to be gentle on the paint, don’t contain strong chemicals, with a layer of lubrication and good soapsuds to keep grime suspended and away from scratching the paint. For him, a good quality detergent serves a dual purpose in reducing the damage from the elements and adding a layer of protection to the paint surface.
When asked how often should you wash your car, and can you wash your car too much with any risk of damaging it? Bowden assures that as long as the proper preparations are taken beforehand and the correct steps are followed, there really shouldn’t be any risk of damaging the paint from multiple washes.
Snow foam should be left to sit for three to four minutes to break down any grime that can scratch the paint surface during the wash.
Proper car washing techniques
Besides getting a proper microfibre wash pad or mitt, and a good quality car wash detergent, Bowden recommends having two buckets ready, one with fresh ‘soft’ water for rinsing, and another for the detergent mix. If your buckets permit, it is good to fit them with a grit guard to safely trap any dirt particles and grime that gets washed off the car, and prevents it from mixing with the washing liquids and being splashed back on the car.
Every wash should start with a thorough rinse, although for more fastidious enthusiasts, Bowden says they can start off a wash with a pre-washing using a pH balanced ‘snow foam’ formulation, such as their Snow Job. The snow foam is sprayed over the car and left to sit for three to four minutes to breakdown any grime that can scratch the paint surface during the wash, before being rinsed off.
With any loose dirt and soil washed off the body, the car wash detergent can now be applied with a microfibre wash mitt or pad starting from top to bottom (cleanest to dirtiest parts of the car) to ensure any dirt left behind doesn’t get moved onto the cleaner parts of the car during the washing process.
Though chamois is effective at soaking up water, scratches can occur when it gets dragged over sections of grime that were missed in the process of washing. “Avoid washing the car with circular motions as this may leave swirl marks if the dirt isn’t completely rinsed off. Instead run your wash mitt or towel along the body in a lateral direction to wipe away the remaining dirt,” says Bowden.
Bowden also advises using an electric blower to remove any pockets of water in hard to reach nooks and crannies, such as the wing mirrors housings, may contain water that could allow rust to form. Also after a wash Bowden recommends taking the car for a short drive to draw out any remaining pockets of water.
An electric blower can be used to remove any pockets of water in hard to reach nooks and crannies.
How to wax a car
Once the paint surface has been thoroughly cleaned and prepared, Bowden recommends giving it a coating with a quality carnauba wax. These sort of waxes are one of the best car wax around as it provide a more naturally based paint protection that is ideal in the harsh Australian environment, as well as adding a wonderful glowing shine. In order to work the wax into the paint, the car’s surface must be kept cool and out of the sun during the whole process.
The wax should be applied to a panel at a time. Start by smothering the wax completely over an applicator pad before lightly applying it on the body in circular motions. Once spread over the whole body, and left to dry for around a minute, it will form a light dry haze over the paint surface.
Wax is best applied with an applicator pad in circular motions.
There should be no wax residue remaining once buffing is complete, leaving a good shine to the paintwork.
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TESTING
Add color and shine to your ride. From the December 199issue of Motorcycle Cruiser.
For as long as humans have been working with metal, we have been polishing it for the simple pleasure that the sheen brings to the viewer. Naturally, we want our motorcycles to be shiny too. When compared with mankind’s longstanding relationship with polished metals, powder coating is a relative newcomer–but one that’s steadily gaining popularity in both the manufacturing and customizing aspects of motorcycling. While one process is old-fashioned and brutish, requiring hard physical labor, and the other is high-tech, employing electricity, heat, and epoxies, both can be used individually to create stunning finishes on motorcycles. Combining the two produces a synergistic relationship that can become the crowning touch of a custom project.
Back on the Bike
Both Andrews and Stankovich stressed the need for care when reassembling the polished and powder-coated parts. Parts that will hold fluid should be thoroughly flushed (water or alcohol will work fine) and dried before reassembly, and all seals should be checked to make sure no powder coating ended up on the mating surfaces.
Representatives of American Honda, who were nice enough to let us use their Valkyrie in this project, asked us to state that calipers and other brake components were not designed to be powder coated or polished and that the stresses of these processes may impair the ability of the parts to function up to the manufacturer’s specifications. While neither Stankovich, Andrews, nor anyone at Motorcycle Cruiser has heard of problems associated with powder coating or polishing, extra care should be taken during the assembly and a test of full functionality should be conducted after modifying anything on a motorcycle as important as the brakes. We routinely check the calipers during our cleaning and maintenance regimen.
Since a polished part’s pores are only closed, not sealed, and since oil, dirt, and water will age polished metal, Stankovich recommends a regular cleaning schedule to keep the metal shiny, but he warns against using metal polish to clean newly polished parts. Instead, he recommends using corn starch to clean oily finger prints off the metal. Weekly wipe-downs will keep light dirt away, and occasional soap and water washes followed by carnauba wax will protect the metal. Stankovich says a major cleaning every six months with a quality metal polish followed by carnauba wax will keep the polish looking fresh. However, he warns not to use wheel cleaners or gritty polishes, which may dull the finish.
Powder coating also needs some special care. Avoid contact with battery acids, acetone-based solvents, carburetor cleaners, contact cleaners, and brake fluid, all of which will partially dissolve the surface of the coating, diminishing its shine and durability. Andrews recommends washing with soap and water and protecting the powder coat with wax. Parts that are powder coated and not polished can be cleaned with a wheel cleaner that is listed as safe for clear-coated wheels. Any brake fluid that drips onto coated parts can be removed easily with alcohol. Also, never clean the parts while they are hot.
How to save up to 86%? Here is little trick.
You must visit the page of sales. Here is the link. If you don’t care about which brand is better, then you can choose the polishing compounds by the price and buy from the one who will offer the greatest discount.
Final Word
First of all thanks for reading my article to the end! I hope you find my reviews listed here useful and that it allows you to make a proper comparison of what is best to fit your needs and budget. Don’t be afraid to try more than one product if your first pick doesn’t do the trick.
Most important, have fun and choose your polishing compounds wisely! Good luck!
So, TOP3 of polishing compounds
- №1 — Diamond Paste Set of 15 Syringes X 5 Grams
- №2 — TEMO 12p 5gram Diamond Polishing Lapping Paste Compound Syringe Set 0.5-40 Micron
- №3 — ZFE 12Pcs 5 Gram Metal Polishing Compound Diamond Polishing Lapping Paste Compound Syringes 0.5 to 40 Micron For Metal jewelers polishing
Questions? Leave a comment below!
Chatting about polishing compounds is my passion! Leave me a question in the comments, I answer each and every one and would love to get to know you better!
