Thread: Polishing Compounds Vs Greaseless Compunds

I think maybe this might answer it? Emory, bobbing, and blending compounds are used to remove deeper scratches from sanding and greaseless compounds (abrasive) when removing rust and pitting. They are grease based...the binder is grease based. It lets them adhere to anything...wire wheels, muslin, sisal, felt,ect. Polishing is used to leave the soft satin or mirror finish, they arent used to remove scratches or pits, but realy just to buff. They are not suspended in a grease matrix, and can only be used with softer fibrous wheels that can trap the compound...muslin, felt, flannel because they turn to a powdery consistency when applied, so sisal, wire, and other non cloth wheels will only spit the powder off into the air. Wew I hope that was it, lotta typing if it werent lol!

Originally Posted by mainaman

What do you use?
Buffing compounds are fine compunds for coloring the steel, greasless compounds are in essence sandpaper in some kind of resin that melts under high temperature and allows for it to stick to the wheels.
What grit ratings are your buffing compounds? Black emery, white rogue etc?

Used to work as a goldsmith so I've got lots of them, sorry to say most are unmarked...
Dialux and Luxor in all colors are the ones I use mostly for polish, then i got some hefty clumps of "mystery paste" in bright colors.
I don't know where to draw the line between grinding paste and buffing paste.

Huh Interesting answers

For me the is no either or, nor a -vs- in the equation, there is no line...

The razor decides where I need to start the clean up plain and simple, some require a start at 80 grit greaseless to take out pits, then it is a simple step by step progression upwards in grits, stopping at the point where I desire that finish to be with the Polishing Compounds..

Pretty much the same as sanding the scales or honing the edge..

Originally Posted by Lemur

Used to work as a goldsmith so I've got lots of them, sorry to say most are unmarked...
Dialux and Luxor in all colors are the ones I use mostly for polish, then i got some hefty clumps of "mystery paste" in bright colors.
I don't know where to draw the line between grinding paste and buffing paste.

I see, but we are talking about tempered steel, it needs more than buffing to remove heavy pitting and such, that job is done by greaseless compounds.

All compounds remove steel but its a question of how much. I have a Buffing Compound kit (not Greasless) with 6 pieces that starts with Black = Emory, Brown =Tripoli Whatever that is, White = Buffing Compound, Green = Fine Buffing Compound for General and Stainless Steel,Red = Jewelers Rouge, Blue = rouge for plastics.
So I guess Black and Brown are in the coarser range. Not enough product to use on 6 0r 8 inch wheels to remove a lot of rust on a blade.

So Greaseless is larger quantity and coarser grits but what is the benefit of using greaseless vs non greaseless ? Cleraning up the blade when done ???? Caswell sells this with their GREASELESS compound kit

HAZE REMOVER
Specially formulated powder removes light compound residue and haze, allowing for close inspection of the polished part. Helps remove those annoying micro-fine scratches. Sprinkle on the part and wipe off with a soft cloth, microfiber cloth or microfiber glove.

@Tidel
Are you saying Greaseless Compounds use GREASE to bind, and Buffing Compounds dont ? Now I am really confused !

Originally Posted by DaveN

So Greaseless is larger quantity and coarser grits but what is the benefit of using greaseless vs non greaseless ? Cleraning up the blade when done ???? Caswell sells this with their GREASELESS compound kit

I believe I already stated the difference, heavy pitting is removed with greaseless, the buffing compounds are for coloring the steel. You are not going to remove any pitting with a buffing compound.
There is no benefit they are used in succession, start with the correct grit (depending on the razor condition) greaseless and then move on to buffing compounds. Some razors will need only buffing compounds to make look nice again. So if you want to be able to tackle any razor you IMO need the following
Greaseless 80, 240, 400, 600
Black emery, white rogue, green stainless and then finally CrO polishing.

OK. That puts it in a row ! I wasnt sure where the Black emery stood. I thought it was coarser then the 400 or 600. The greaseless stuff is also a lot more pliable to work with. Tanks !

The Fomax Greasless Compounds are Grit bound together by a Glue like resin, they will take steel off the razor literally sparking just like a belt or a stone..

The Grease based Polishing compounds will not they simply polish


Yes if you want to talk in engineering terms they all remove steel, but in practical terms one only polishes and the other grinds

Stefan typed way faster

Originally Posted by DaveN

The greaseless stuff is also a lot more pliable to work with. Tanks !

No just the opposite, the Greaseless dries into a Hard as Rock coating on the wheels

So I now understand my Dremmel and Black emery aint gonna cut it for the couple of rusties I bought. Hope my wife doesnt look in the checkbook again when I'm done or they'll be matching purchases :-( Set of Greaseless = Set of Christian Dior......Bench Buffer = Juicer Blender.......

Now if someone can tell me how to tell the difference looking at horn, celluloid, and bakelite !

Hehe the the Unmarked packages start arriving