Re: Polish.
Finishes hide a lot of sin.
Hence the reason a lot of items have a emery, satin, bead blast, lined, or even Florentine finish.
Metal prep is the key to the deep bluing Colt, and Smith & Wesson used to do.
I said metal prep, as Master Polishers prepped the metal.
I have done some of this before bluing and hard chrome was done on firearms.
Metal prep is also the key to plating. Plating with chrome, copper, then the silverplate, or copper then the nickel plate.
Same for Gold plating, including matching up Hamilton gold, or Rose gold plating.
Rhodium is used on white metals to make them whiter and brighter.
These precious metals are neat to work with, like making Sterling Silver blades to replace originals that fit into Mother of Pearl, Ivory and even Gold handles.
Oh yes, one can make Sterling hard enough for a knife edge, and it will take and hold an edge.
Easiest to sharpen is to use a old tool steel graver, free hand sharpened and re-cut that edge.
Do this correctly, and you leave a sharp, and polished edge.
Hand polish <razzle dazzle old tricks here> clean, use nail polish to mask the 18k yellow gold handle, with diamonds set in it.
Run this under water, if the water beads, the item is not clean, meaning oil or some thing is causing it to bead up.
When the water run off, it is clean.
Now Rhodium that blade.
No sins, just old school and done right.
You should see the Platinum knife , all Platinum. Plat is 24% heavier than gold and is "softer" still is quite durable. It has a diamond set in the handle
Something about lady that rides a Harley, carries a .44 spl.
Same lady looks good in a hi-dollar outfit, playing the game stepping out of a Pantera.
A lady I worked with. UC and that knife looked good cutting open the bags of Cocaine.
My 18k yg razor blade, cut fine lines.
Serious tools that cut, sharp enough for tasks, and gave perceptions we needed.
Still pretty slick to see her get off a Harley, head into a biker bar and cut a fat, greasy cheeseburger with that plat knife.
The "Scot, Butter Rum" stone , was great for touching this up. Plat gets a neat patina as it wears. That small stone was the color of a Lifesaver butterscotch candy.
Man! did that stone leave a polished edge that was sharp
!
Sharp for tasks...