Stainless Steel Flatware Set Polishing: Machine, Hand, and Tumbling

Polishing stainless steel flatware set can result in different effects depending on the type of polishing process used. Today, we will discuss the three types of polishing processes: machine polishing, hand polishing, and tumbling polishing. The cost of different polishing processes varies, as does the resulting effect.

Polishing is a method of reducing the surface roughness of stainless steel cutlery to obtain a bright, mirror surface using mechanical, chemical, or electrochemical effects. The process involves using polishing tools and abrasive particles or other media to finish the surface of the workpiece. The dimensional accuracy or geometric precision of the workpiece is not improved, but a smooth surface or mirror luster is achieved.

The three types of polishing processes are:

1. Mechanical polishing - This method relies on cutting and plastic deformation to remove the convex part of the polishing process to get a smooth surface. Generally, oil stone strips, wool wheels, sandpaper, and other hand-operated tools are used. This method is often used for shapes or details with higher requirements, but it is relatively expensive and time-consuming.

   
   

2. Wheel polishing - This method uses a high-speed rotating flexible polishing wheel and very fine abrasives on the surface of the workpiece to achieve polishing. Polishing wheels are made of multiple layers of canvas, felt, or leather, and are used for polishing larger parts.

3. Tumbling Burnishing - This method involves loading cutlery, abrasive, and polishing solution into a rolling brief that slowly rolls or vibrates in a vibration box. The stainless steel spoon and abrasive rub against each other, together with the chemical action of the polishing solution, remove the oil and rust layer on the surface of the cutlery, and grind off the bumps to obtain a smooth surface. This method is used for polishing small and large parts, and it is faster than manual polishing but has a slightly worse polishing effect.