How to polish a stainless steel?

In the modern world, we regularly encounter stainless steel objects, because they are firmly entrenched in our lives. These are elements of the interior on the street and at home, various fences, various dishes in the kitchen. In this article you will find the answer to the question: how to polish a stainless steel or a metal pipe, because even such a durable metal can lose its original appearance under the influence of various factors.

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What is household stainless steel?

Corrosion-resistant steel or, as it is also called, stainless steel is an alloy of iron and carbon with an admixture of special elements. Steel acquires high resistance to negative environmental factors due to these elements. The main one is chrome. The percentage of its content in the metal can be different, but not less than 10.5%. Steel products with 18% chromium content acquire very high strength, but it is difficult to process such an alloy. Therefore, in everyday life, steel is mainly used with an optimum chromium content of 13%.

Important! Products from such a stainless steel are characterized not only by durability and the possibility of long operation, but also by their attractive appearance with a mirror surface.

Due to the sufficient chromium content, an oxide film forms on the metal surface, which protects the stainless steel from corrosion. But still, moist air and other factors can negatively affect the state of the alloy over time.

Important! Noticing the first signs of corrosion in the form of turbidity or tarnishing, it is necessary to polish the metal.

If there are scratches or welds on the surface of the products, it also becomes necessary to polish the stainless steel.

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How to polish a stainless steel?

Electropolishing - is it possible to polish her pipe? If there is a need for polishing metal, then there are two options for possible action.

Option number 1. Specialized assistance

Nowadays, many specialized companies provide high-quality polishing services for stainless steel products. If you do not have the time and opportunity to polish the metal yourself, then contact one of these companies, which will give your product a second life.

Option number 2. Polishing at home

At home, you can also get a polished, shiny and spotlessly smooth stainless steel surface. To do this, there are several ways that will help return the product to a perfect look. Consider how to polish a stainless steel.

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How to polish a stainless steel to a mirror at home (video)?

To polish a stainless steel to a mirror at home, you will have to make some efforts. But they will be more than justified when you get the result of your labor.

Primary processing

Before polishing a stainless steel, it is necessary to clean the product. To do this, you can use the dishwashing detergent:

1. Dilute the detergent with water to get a soap solution.
2. Wipe the metal surface with the prepared solution.
3. Wash off the soapy residue with clean water.
4. Dry the product.

To polish stainless steel products at home, some foods, certain household tools and chemical fluids will help. It is with their help that you will continue to polish the stainless steel to a mirror.

Olive oil

This method is suitable for polishing tarnished products. You will need olive oil and a soft cloth:

1. Apply olive oil to a clean cloth.
2. Lubricate the oil so that the entire surface of the product is covered with an oil film.
3. Press the oiled fabric firmly against the surface and polish the product smoothly in a circular motion.

Important! Polishing should be continued until a noticeable change in the structure of the product is felt.

4. To prevent the polished surface from fading, remove excess oil. This can be done with a dry towel or napkins. Wipe the product in an intensive circular motion until the surface is dry.

Flour

You can polish stainless steel with flour. This method is more suitable for flat surfaces, such as a sink or pan.

Mode of application:

1. Sprinkle the product with flour so that it covers the entire surface.
2. Spread the flour evenly over the metal.
3. Using a dry cloth, circular movements of the hand should be polished stainless steel.

Important! Instead of fabric, you can use a toothbrush of medium hardness.

4. Remove all flour from the surface.

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Fine mechanization for polishing

You can polish a stainless steel to a mirror not only in specialized companies or factory conditions, but also at home when using small-scale mechanization.

Important! This method is suitable for cleaning welds, sealing scratches, to give a beautiful look to homemade products.

To polish stainless steel you will need:

• angle grinder, better known as “grinder", as a tool for polishing;
• grinding wheels of various grit;
• sand paper, stone is possible;
• polishing agent;
• felt or felt circles.

Polishing steps:

1. First you need to remove from the weld bead of metal, in other words, conduct a rough surface cleaning. To do this, you need to use an angle grinder and a fiber-based wheel. The grain size of the circle should be P60.

Important! If the surface of the stainless steel product is smooth enough, you can skip this step.

2. Grind the metal again with P120 grain. This action is carried out in order to remove strips from the previous grain.

Important! If at hand there is no circle with the desired grain parameter, you can do it yourself. You need to take a felt or felt circle. Using a spatula, apply wood glue to it and walk on the abrasive chips. Such crumbs can be obtained by rubbing a stone and an emery skin against each other.

3. Each time, halving the size of the abrasive, grind the stainless steel surface several more times.

Important! After each grinding, do not forget to flush the surface of the stainless steel. If possible, do not set the speed of more than 4500 revolutions per minute on the grinder.

4. Make sure that any rough roughness is eliminated. The surface of the stainless steel after grinding should be completely smooth.

Important! If defects remain on the product after polishing the stainless steel, these areas will have to be sanded again.

5. Take a polishing agent (in most cases a paste) and a clean felt or felt circle.

Important! It is necessary to choose the right polishing paste. There are different types of similar products for different brands of stainless steel. It is best to take a diamond paste, which is most suitable for the grain size of your metal. If this is not, then GOI paste (chromium oxide) or ordinary polishing paste is suitable.

6. Now proceed to finish polishing the stainless steel. Consistently remove visible risks. Over time, the surface of the stainless steel will become more and more smooth.This is due to the redistribution of the structure of the upper layer of stainless steel. Under the influence of the active components of the paste, air, heating and friction, the old oxide films are destroyed, and when the product cools, new ones are created.

Important! Do not overheat the metal, from this it can change color.

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Manual polishing

It should be borne in mind that in places that are not convenient for access, ideal smoothness and brilliance are not created. Therefore, if the product has such areas, then they must be finished by hand polishing. It takes patience, since polishing a stainless steel to a mirror in this way takes a lot of time and labor. For this you will need:

• piece of felt;
• abrasive paste.

Polishing steps:

1. Apply paste to the felt.
2. Polish the product to the desired mirror finish.

Important! Polishing pastes can be harmful to the body, so when using them you need to wear gloves and a protective mask.

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Chemical polishing method for stainless steel

This method is suitable for processing small parts made of stainless steel. It does not require much time and great physical labor. Chemical liquid can be prepared according to one of the following recipes.

Option number 1:

1. Prepare the solution, taking into account the dosage: sulfuric acid - 230 ml, hydrochloric - 70 ml, nitric acid - 40 ml.
2. In 1 liter of solution add 6 g of acid black dye, 10 g of wood glue and 6 g of sodium chloride.
3. The temperature of the liquid should be 65-70 degrees C.
4. Place the stainless steel in this composition for 5-30 minutes.
   

Option number 2:

1. Prepare a solution with the following ratio of acids to the full volume: phosphoric 20-30%, hydrochloric 3-4%, nitric 4-5%, methyl orange - 1-1.5%.
2. Soak the part in such an aqueous solution for about 5-10 minutes at a temperature of 18-25C.

Option number 3:

1. Prepare a solution taking into account the amount of acids per liter of composition: hydrochloric - 660 g, sulfuric acid - 230 g, orange acid dye -25 g.
2. In such a solution with a temperature of 70-75 degrees C, it is necessary to withstand a stainless steel for 2-3 minutes.

Important! All components are very aggressive. Therefore, with this method of polishing stainless steel, you need to ensure complete protection for your eyes, hands, face and respiratory system.

Polishing steps:

1. It is necessary to immerse the pre-cleaned part in a container with a chemical solution, which consists of reagents and distilled water.

Important! To obtain the desired concentration of the solution, adhere to a strict dosage of reagents.

2. The fluid must be continuously stirred - to complete the chemical reaction.
3. After the specified time, the part must be removed, rinse off the remaining chemical reagents with clean water and wipe the product with a polish cloth.
4. When exposed to liquid reagents for a certain time, all the roughness of stainless steel is eliminated.

Important! Be sure to know the brand of stainless steel for the correct selection of components and their concentration in water.

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Stainless Steel Care

Polished stainless steel looks very impressive and beautiful. But to keep it as long as possible, you need to protect the mirror surface and ensure proper care for it.

For these purposes, use polishes. They are available in the form of concentrates and liquid emulsions. Use polish immediately after polishing the stainless steel. Also, it is recommended to use such funds regularly with some periodicity. This will help ensure your product has a glossy finish for a long time.

The technique of its use is very simple:

• Simply put the product on a napkin and wipe the product evenly in a circular motion.
• After processing, the surplus should be removed.

Important! If there is an opportunity and desire, you can use a special power tool, for example, a grinder with a speed of not more than 1500 revolutions per minute.

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Stock footage

With periodic use of polishes, your stainless steel products will be protected from the abrasive effects of dirt, corrosion and other natural factors. But still, if you need to polish stainless steel, then choosing the method that is more suitable for you, described in this article, you can even give products a smooth surface and mirror shine even at home.