Polishing Copper

Upon storage and exposure to air and moisture, may metals will oxidize and corrode creating surfaces that need to be cleaned and polished for restoration. The copper parts in the picture had been stored for years (far left) and a process was required to return the part to it’s original shine.

The first trial (middle part) was barrel tumbled for 15 hours with a K-Polish Precision Ceramic Sphere and Kramco 1030 Mild Acid Cleaner to return the part to a clean bright finish. While the polish was acceptable, the requirement called for a much better finish.

The second trial (far right) used the same compound in a barrel tumbler. The media was a Stainless Steel Ball and a beautiful, near-mirror surface finish was the result.