Choosing the right polishing mop can appear daunting and baffling, but with a few pointers we can help you make the right decision. For the purposes of a ‘quick start’ guide we’ll keep things simple… There are plenty more tips and considerations which we will cover in future blogs.
Choosing a set of Mops to start with...
Depending on the metals you are working with you’ll need at least two mops and two compounds. A 3 stage process will give a better finish. A dry sisal, G mop and WDR are a good start. It’s best to have a different mop for each compound and also each type of metal. A mop for aluminium, brass etc and a separate one for Steel is important. Again precious metals should have their own mops ideally.
For non ferrous metals i.e aluminium, brass etc Apollo, 2000D and 309BX (or FF9) lea compounds are best. Apollo and 309BX would suffice.
For ferrous metals i.e Steel and Stainless Steel, Abracut, 2000D and FF9 is best.
For Precious Metals, I would go for WFC if you have lots of cutting to do with Apollo, then a G mop with Apollo if there’s less work to do. Finally I’d go for Reflex or WHR with Rouge, FF9 or one of the Menzerna finishing bars.
2000D, 309BX and FF9 are great options because they will work on all metals.
There are 3 main styles of mop...
Dry Sisal Mops are used for the first cut to get a good, flat surface ready for polishing. To get an effective polish, the metal needs to be as flat as it can possibly be without scratches or dings. Dry sisal normally suits harder metals, it can be used on silver but with any soft metal it will remove material quickly something you need to consider if it is a delicate item. It is ideal for Aluminium, Brass, Steel etc. They’re not normally necessary for precious metals i.e jewellery but are used by silversmiths for large items.
Standard Dry Sisal
Coarse mops for initial cutting and flattening with compound.
Very popular for stainless steel. They are also used on alloys, aluminium and many other metals where there are tough to remove scratches etc.
Made in our UK factory.
Impregnated Green Dry Sisal Mops (Harder)
Similar structure and purpose to the standard Dry Sisal mop, but slightly harder and firmer – offering more cut.
Blue Cord Dry Sisal
These Dry Sisal mops offer more flexibility than the other variations while still achieving an excellent cut.
Use dry sisal mops with a cutting compound, something like Abracut or Apollo depending on the metal you are polishing. These compounds are coarse and will flatten the metal quickly.
Coloured Sisals are harder/firmer than dry sisal mops, the colour denotes the hardness.
White Stitched Mops are the next firmest, they are normally used either as a first cut or after dry sisal mops. They can be used with polishing compound on Stainless Steel for instance but can also be used for cutting with coarse compound such as Abracut and Apollo. They really are an all rounder, they can be used for all metals. Normally still a little hard for precious metals, some people really get on with them so there’s no hard and fast rule.
White Stitched Polishing Mop
Rigid Stitched Mops – Popular for both cutting and polishing stages with compound.
Useful on a range of metals and other materials.
Made in our UK factory.
A really good combination is a white stitched mop and 2000D a one operation bar. It will flatten and then polish any metal type so long as it is reasonably smooth (sanded to around 800g, 1200g would be even better).
Loosefold Mops offer lots of options!
These are used for their flexibility, usually for the latter finishing stages to produce a mirror finish. They vary in hardness depending on the material used.
Loosefold ‘G’ Polishing Mop
‘G’ unbleached calico is our most popular choice because it can be used for cutting and polishing. It is very popular with jewellers who often use it for the initial cut with Apollo Tripoli compound. It is a good general purpose mop in the middle in terms of hardness.
Made in our UK Factory.
Loosefold ‘WDR’ Polishing Mop
‘WDR’ white double raised is our most popular finishing mop, it is soft and brush free. It can be used with polishing compound as well as clean (with a little Vienna Lime) to clean up after polishing and remove swirls.
Made in our UK Factory.
Loosefold ‘WHR’ Polishing Mop
‘WHR’ mops are very soft, making them well suited to a high finish when used with the correct compound. We would recommend Lea FF9 ultimate finishing bar or Menzerna (M5 or P175). These mops are popular with jewellers for the final polishing stage.
Loosefold ‘Reflex’ Polishing Mop
‘REFLEX’ mops are very soft. Reflex is the softest in our range. They are often referred to as Swansdown. Very well suited to a high finish when used with the right compound. We would recommend Lea FF9 ultimate finishing bar or Menzerna (M5 or P175). Jewellers generally use these mops for their final polishing stage.
Loosefold ‘Razor’ Polishing Mop
‘RAZOR’ mops are available in thinner thicknesses, making them great for getting into areas that larger mops can’t get into.
Available in ‘WDR’ and ‘WHR’
Loosefold Chamois Polishing Mop
Chamois Mops are different once again. Perfect for polishing precious metals. Jewellers often use them with rouge for final polishing, it’s a good traditional option. They are also used for glass polishing.
Made in our UK Factory.