Polish compound question.

[Ash]

Alright I don't know if its correct or not but someone told me that white diamond polishing compound has silica. If that's true what would be a good replacement that doesn't have silica? I use white diamond for taking out larger scratches from 14kt gold and sterling silver. Any help would be awesome
as im getting my kids into jewelry making and don't want them breathing that stuff.

 

[tbear]

Ash,
Do a search for White Diamond polishing Compound MSDS. I did it real quick but if you have a brand they will give you the data. Irregardless of what it contains you should have an extraction system to get rid of the dust etc. There is never going to be a totally safe polishing or buffing compound that you can breath without some sort of problem. That's why most jewelers or metal workers including woodworkers have a polishing or sanding system with an extraction system to get rid of the dust etc. You don't have to spend a fortune to have one you just need to have something that can get rid of the dust etc. and also the system should also have a motor that is explosion proof. There is no such thing as a breathable polishing compound. Some woods now have been shown to be carcinogenic, so figure out what the metal shavings and dust are like. This should not put you off from teaching you kids, but it should get you to teach them the benefits of proper safety. Heck sometimes when I'm at my house in Calif. the air is dangerous.
T

 

[Haraga.com]

Matchless green from k&g, lakeside Arizona.

 

[RedfordTrails]

I use "grey star" for scratch removal and first polish and "picasso blue" for final polish. These products are available from stuller and provide great results. Certainly use some sort of extraction system. Check out Quattro products, they work well for me.

 

[qndrgnsdd]

I use grey star first which is a fine pumice, and finish with Zam which gives me a finer polish than any other compound I have tried, and faster too, by all means use a dust collector and if it is going to be more than a quick one off, use a respirator. those white "dust masks" are useless and will protect you from nothing, a respirator works!

 

[Ash]

Thanks alot guys really appreciate the info, I do have a dust collector but cant be to safe with the kiddies. Aloha