Which Tumbling Media You Should Use for Jewelry

If you want customers to admire your jewelry, then you need to offer clean, polished pieces. While you can experiment with different cleaning and polishing techniques, vibratory tumblers are often the best option. They are quicker and more efficient than cleaning jewelry by hand. You can also use different tumbling media for different polishing techniques and to create the finish you want. Keep reading to learn which tumbling media you should use for jewelry.

Use Walnut Shells in Dry Polish for a Mirror Finish

One of the first things people will notice when they pick up a piece of jewelry is whether it feels greasy or grimy. You should use organic tumbling media such as walnut shells for dry polishing because it can absorb grease, water, and other liquids. This ensures your jewelry is clean to the touch and more attractive to customers.

Additionally, walnut shells can create a beautiful mirror finish on jewelry. Simply mix polishing paste in with the walnut shell tumbling media to create that incredible shine.

Use Mixed Stainless Steel in Wet Polish for Quick Shine

Stainless steel isn’t absorbent and is also rust and corrosion resistant, so mixed stainless steel is a great choice for wet polish. The wet polish process cleans jewelry better than a dry polish alone since the water can provide a more thorough cleaning. Tumbling media also lasts longer from a wet polish since the water helps reduce the wear.

Another benefit of using mixed stainless steel on jewelry is that it quickly creates an effective shine. This shine is like the mirror finish you’ll see from walnut shells, but since the mixed stainless steel is smaller, it works faster.

Use Plastic Pyramids on Soft Metals for a Smooth Finish

While most people want jewelry with a shiny finish, that aesthetic isn’t for everyone. If you want a smooth finish without shine, you can use plastic pyramid tumbling media. This effect is possible because of the medium-cut surface and size of the plastic pyramids.

The plastic pyramids work best on soft metals such as brass and zinc. You’ll see these best results because plastic is so light compared to other tumbling media, such as ceramic, which can damage soft metals.

Which tumbling media you should use for jewelry comes down to whether you’re using a dry or wet polishing process, as well as what type of finish you want. Our Mr. Deburr machines can accommodate various media types so you can use what you want to clean and polish your jewelry.