Are those sratches or just some sort residue streaks? HELP WITH FINAL POLISH PLEASE!

[Alexa]

I know this may be duff question but I gave up now! My silver is never "mirror" polished no matter what I do. I start polishing with emery papers, tripoli, rouge or blue and then white luxi polishing compounds. I clean all pieces between switching to finer compound in hot water and washing up liquid. After I am done I place silver in ultrasonic cleaner, but pieces have some kind of streaks (?) everywhere? I know that last step should be steam cleaning (I wish I had a steamer) but tried boiling my jewellery and still nothing. I think after I ended up with even more scratches than when I have started

My question is... Are this some king of streaks or just scratches? What am I doing wrong?

It's really hard to capture those streaks on photo as can bee seen only at some angle. How is the jewellery bougt on high street so perfect?
Alex

[Truffle & Podge]

From what I've read on here barrel tumbling but to be honest I'm learning as i go myself

[Truffle & Podge]

Just had a thought do you use a dremel type set up with a split mandrel to emery paper it? I noticed that when I did it left a weird uneven looking surface, I have brass brushed it after and it looked more uniform but am yet to final polish so I don't know if I will have the same problem

[Alexa]

I have barrel and I am no fan of it. At least not for a large flat pieces. Maybe I am doing it wrong too

[Truffle & Podge]

I have barrel and I am no fan of it. At least not for a large flat pieces. Maybe I am doing it wrong too

Does it need a new home?? lol

[Alexa]

Does it need a new home?? lol

Haha! Didn't think about that as yet but I might... Will let you know first if it will look for new home.

[Truffle & Podge]

Nice one! Cheers

[Patstone]

Dont forget Andrew Berry's podcast is on tomorrow afternoon and its on polishing.

[Alexa]

Hmm... So are you telling me I have wasted 2h of my life by pulling out fine pins from my shot? I thought that these are responsible for matte finish on pieces?

@ Patstone where Andrew's podcast can be seen? Sorry, I am new to this forum

[mizgeorge]

Don't worry Alexa! These pins are much, much, much smaller and finer than the ones in the mixed shot. I've found that most mixes contain pins that are pretty sharp and damaging, though the one from Rio is much better - with lovely smooth, soft pointed pin ends that don't seem to leave any marks at all on even quite large pieces. The ones for the mag polisher are tiny - like these: http://www.manchesterminerals.co.uk/...er-94_091.html