Hand Polishing
Hand Polishing

Where can I get a good sword polishing/cleaning kit for my straight hand-and a-half sword?
I have a great sword and sheath, but I need to polish it a little. where can I get a good set?
sword cleaning and sword polishing are 2 different things.
cleaning a sword is easy and the kits range from $15 to $20
http://www.awma.com/index.cfm/action/displayProducts/level/7|41/StartRow/21/PageNumber/2.htm
polishing is an art in it self, i unless you know how to do this i would not recommended it. i know a little about it, an polish inexpensive swords, i do not do this on expansive swords.
if you need it polished take it to a professional polisher. other wise you will ruin the value of the sword.
i believe Malcolm D on here a top contribute can recommend some places in the united states to get your sword professional polished.
edit i dont recognizes the type of sword you are describing, is it european?
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.99 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE MARBLE 7 Pad +1 BUFF $47.49 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $70.40 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE MARBLE 7 Pad +1 BUFF $47.49 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.99 |
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Buddy Rhodes 120 Grit Diamond Hand Polishing Pad $14.90 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.99 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE MARBLE 7 Pad +1 BUFF $47.49 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE MARBLE 7 Pad +1 BUFF $48.49 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.99 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE MARBLE 7 Pad +1 BUFF $47.49 |
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Kirkland Ring Clamp Vise Jewelers Polishing Hand Tools $27.99 |
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Charming polishing natural agate hand massage therapy $0.01 |
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Charming polishing natural agate hand massage therapy $0.01 |
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Charming polishing natural agate hand massage therapy $0.01 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.49 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.77 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE MARBLE 7 Pad +1 BUFF $47.49 |
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Hand Lathe French Polishing Wood Finishing Staining CD $5.95 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.99 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.99 |
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Diamond Hand Polishing Pads, 7 pcs for Granite, Marble $75.00 |
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DIAMOND STRIP HAND POLISHING PADS-GRIT 220 ( G 220 ) $15.01 |
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10 Pcs Of Hand Wax Sponge Pad/Buffer pad/Polishing pad $16.45 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $55.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD STRIP GRIT 120 ( G 120 ) $18.13 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD STRIP GRIT 70 ( G 70 ) $21.14 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRIT120( I # ) $17.30 |
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grit 800# Diamond Polishing Hand Pad Marble & Granite $9.90 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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grit 60# Diamond Polishing Hand Pad Marble & Granite $9.90 |
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grit 3500# Diamond Polishing Hand Pad Marble & Granite $9.90 |
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grit 1800# Diamond Polishing Hand Pad Marble & Granite $9.90 |
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grit 200# Diamond Polishing Hand Pad Marble & Granite $9.90 |
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grit 120# Diamond Polishing Hand Pad Marble & Granite $9.90 |
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grit 400# Diamond Polishing Hand Pad Marble & Granite $9.90 |
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1 Sanwa Kenma TWINCUR Polishing disc hand polisher 1000 $2.99 |
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Ring Vise Gripper Jewelry Polishing Buffing Hand Tool $52.99 |
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Polishing Hand Blown Glass 1900 Card $6.99 |
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Diamond Hand Polishing Pads, 7 pcs for Granite, Marble $75.00 |
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Wood Ring Mandrel Jewelry Polishing Buffing Hand Tool $4.51 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE MARBLE 7 Pad +1 BUFF $29.99 |
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Diamond Hand Polishing Pads, 7 pcs for Granite, Marble $75.00 |
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400# Diamond Hand Polishing Pad Granite Marble $9.85 |
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800# Diamond Hand Polishing Pad Granite Marble $9.85 |
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1800# Diamond Hand Polishing Pad Granite Marble $9.85 |
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3500# Diamond Hand Polishing Pad Granite Marble $9.85 |
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200# Diamond Hand Polishing Pad Granite Marble $9.85 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.99 |
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Diamond Hand Polishing Pads – Set of 8 pcs $75.00 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.99 |
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Get Fresh Hand Therapy PROTECT Step 1 Polishing Sugar $11.24 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $10.00 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.99 |
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JEWELER’S SECRET POLISHING CLEANING WAND FITS HAND WELL $11.24 |
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6X9 White polishing hand pad $1.25 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PAD GRANITE MARBLE 7 Pad +1 BUFF $48.49 |
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Fiber Optic Hand Polishing Puck 8.3° SC/APC Connectors $150.00 |
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Bench Vise Ring Clamp Stone Setting Polishing Hand Tool $9.51 |
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Diamond Hand Polishing Pads, 7 pcs for Granite, Marble $69.85 |
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Avon mark NAIL AND HAND SCRUB w Polishing beads NEW $5.99 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.99 |
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Fiber Optics 2.5mm Ferrule Hand Polishing Disk (Puck) $45.00 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE MARBLE Concrete Set $43.99 |
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7 pieces Diamond Polishing HAND PADS set marble granite $69.99 |
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Farecla Machine Glaze Hand Glaze & Polishing Pad Kit $29.99 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $11.99 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $11.99 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $11.99 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $11.99 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $11.99 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $11.99 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $11.99 |
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DIAMOND HAND POLISHING PADS GRANITE 1 Pad : Pick Grits $11.99 |
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Edge Work Kit 2 Hand Profiler/Polishing Pads/BackHolder $195.00 |
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2 PACK Pro Shot Industrial Re-Newing Floor Restorer And Finish (64 oz. – 32 oz. each) Petrochemical-Free Formula $32.99 One application of this industrial-strength, petrochemical-free formula fills in scratches and rejuvenates dull spots on sealed wood, vinyl, linoleum, terrazzo, concrete, marble and slate floors. Floor Renew goes on just like a wax and dries to a brilliant finish that lasts for months. Protects floors from stains, heel marks and yellowing without buildup. 32 oz. – Bottle renews 625 square feet. Ma… |
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Silver Necklace and Pendant Drop – 100% Pure 925 Sterling Silver w/Swarovski Crystal Heart Pendant & Sterling Silver Crown , Pendant Size : 4cm x 1.7cm Weight 3.78g and With 17 Sterling Silver Chain Necklace ,Free Gorgeous Swarovski Jewelry Box & Hand Bag ,Free Silver Polishing Cloth,Super Saving Was $69.99 Now $45.99 Only, 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed or Money Back. $44.99 Silver Necklace and Pendant Drop – 100% Pure 925 Sterling Silver w/Swarovski Crystal Heart Pendant & Sterling Silver Crown , Pendant Size : 4cm x 1.7cm Weight 3.78g and With 17″ Sterling Silver Chain Necklace ,Free Gorgeous Swarovski Jewelry Box & Hand Bag ,Free Silver Polishing Cloth,Super Saving Was $69.99 Now $45.99 Only, 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed or Money Back…. |
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Klingspor Sandflex Fine Cleaning /Polishing Hand Block In Stock and Ready to Ship!This Klingspor hand block has had experts talking for years. It’s great for cleaning up your model railroad track. It measures 3 inches x 2 inches x 3/4 inch.The Trainz SKU for this item is P11444536.Condition: NewTCA Grade: C-10Original Box: YesManufacturer: Klingspor… |
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Scotch-Brite 00048011169767 7445 6×9 White 3m Scotch-Brite Hand Pads $1.31 Deburring Polishing Pads Rolls – Surface Finishing/Non-Woven Abrasives Type: Pad Width: 6 Length: 9 Material: Flint Grit Grade: Super Fine Applications: Cleaning; Scuffing; Deburring & Finishing… |
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Scotch-Brite 00048011040288 7448 6×9 Light Grey 3m Scotch-Brite Hand Pads $1.50 Deburring Polishing Pads Rolls – Surface Finishing/Non-Woven Abrasives Type: Pad Width: 6 Length: 9 Material: Aluminum Oxide Grit Grade: Ultra Fine Applications: Cleaning; Scuffing; Deburring & Finishing… |
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Diamond Hand Polishing Pads for Stone – Set of 8 Pcs $75.00 The entire set comes with 8 pads of different grits, 50 grit, 100, 200, 400, 500, 800, 1500 and 3000 grit. 50 grit through 400 grit are electro-plated diamond and 500 grit through 3000 grit are resin bonded diamond pads. After 400 grit electro-plated pad is used, a 500 grit resin bonded pad makes the polishing transition smoothly…. |
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White Exfoliating Gloves Polish Spa exfoliate skin exfoliator Bath Body polishing Pair New $2.25 Revive your skin! These exfoliating gloves clean and exfoliate, ridding the body of daily harmful pollutants and dead skin cells. Use regularly for polished, RADIANT skin. One pair each…. |
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Nexcare Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer, 16.9-oz. Pump Bottle (MMMH9222DTOP); $14.43 Nexcare Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer, 16.9-oz. Pump Bottle Kills 98% of most common germs in 15 seconds. Supplements hand washing when soap and water are not available. Retains skin’s natural oils. Hand Sanitizers Type: Liquid; Color(s): Clear; For Use With: N/A; Hand Sanitizer Special Features: N/A. Keep hands germ free without soap and water. This moisturizing hand sanitizer kills 99% of common… |
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Diamond Hand Pad Set 6 piece Diamond Hand Pads for polishing natural stone…. |
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Polishing Machine 230V $24.95 Professional Polishing Machine, 230 volts. Effortless waxing and polishing Polishing that to date has been time-consuming and hard work or refreshing lacquer after the winter months becomes a pleasure using this machine. 3,000oscillations per minute simulate a hand polishing pattern, but without leaving traces of polishing. Hence, old and faded lacquer is return to its formersheen. Comfortable guidance with 2-hand movements, hence also ideally suited for vertical surfaces. The scope of delivery includes two cotton polishing hoods. Technical specifications: mains voltage 230 volts, consumption 110 watts, diameter of polishing disc 24cm, machine weight 2.4kg, T?V/GS-approved quality. |
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Polishing Machine 230 V $21.99 Effortless waxing and polishing. Polishing that to date has been time-consuming and hard work or refreshing paintwork after the winter months, now becomes a pleasure using this machine. 3,000 oscillations per minute simulate a hand polishing pattern, but without leaving traces of polishing. Hence, old and faded paintwork is return to its former sheen. Comfortable guidance with 2-hand movements, ideally suited for vertical surfaces. Includes two cotton polishing hoods.Technical specifications: Mains voltage 230 voltsConsumption 110 wattsDiameter of polishing disc 24 cmMachine weight 2.4 kgT?V/GS-approved quality. |
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White Polishing CCS Euro Foam Hand Polish Applicator $4.99 White Polishing CCS Euro Foam Hand Polish Applicator |
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The World Market for Hand Sharpening or Polishing Stones $325 This report was created for strategic planners, international executives and import/export managers who are concerned with the market for hand sharpening or polishing stones. With the globalization of this market, managers can no longer be contented with a local view. Nor can managers be contented with out-of-date statistics that appear several years after the fact. I have developed a methodology, based on macroeconomic and trade models, to estimate the market for hand sharpening or polishing stones for those countries serving the world market via exports or supplying from various countries via imports. I do so for the current year based on a variety of key historical indicators and econometric models. |
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Mothers PowerBall Polishing Tool $29.99 A versatile polishing tool for almost any surface.Polishing by hand can be tedious and messy – not to mention how hard it is on your skin! Mechanical polishers made polishing your paint more efficient, and Mothers is going to do the same for polishing small surfaces like your plastic lenses and metal components. Mothers PowerBall is a foam ball that attaches to your electric drill. Instead of polishing small surfaces by hand, you can get them done faster and with better results with the PowerBall. This patent-pending detailing tool is made of professional grade closed-cell foam that is soft and highly absorbent. When you press the PowerBall to a surface, the sturdy foam maintains its shape so that there is a thick cushion between your vehicle and the drill. The individual foam tabs that compose the ball provide excellent polishing capabilities in combination with any polishing product. The PowerBall not only cuts your detailing time in half, it does a superior job.The spherical shape of the PowerBall allows you to use all sides when polishing in case one area becomes soiled. Unlike flat pads, you get more surface area and can therefore complete the job faster. The thick foam can be pressed into tight spaces and the round shape hugs the curves and concavities of your vehicle. Use the PowerBall for polishing wheels, touching up small areas of paint, clarifying headlight lenses and plastic windows, and polishing stainless steel. It can be washed and reused countless times before showing any signs of wear. When it does begin to wear, simply remove the bit and retaining washer and reverse the PowerBall. Instructions are written on the inside label in the reusable storage container.PowerBall can be attached to any variable speed drill for expert polishing right where your vehicle needs it. Versatile, reusable, and durable, the PowerBall will make polishing by hand a thing of the past.Other uses for Mothers PowerBall:Use the PowerBall with Mothers PowerPolish on your machine polisher to polish your paint. Attach the PowerBall to your drill and use Mothers PowerMetal Aluminum on those tough-to-reach wheels. For best results, use a Cobra Microfiber Detailing Cloth to buff the polished surface to a shine. To clean the Powerball use the DP Polishing Pad Rejuvenator.In addition to metal surfaces, the PowerBall can be used to clean and restore clear plastic and glass. Use it with a premium plastic polish on headlight lens covers, boat windshields, uncoated motorcycle windscreens, clear vinyl convertible top windows, and clear plastic instrument panels. Use the PowerBall with DP High Performance Glass Restorer to remove water spots, scratches, haze, and stubborn contamination from automotive or household glass. There?s no end to the uses of the PowerBall!6 inches in diameter. |
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Wolfgang Polishing Pad Rejuvenator $12.99 Get up to 32 gallons of pad-cleaning solution out of one 8 oz. packet!Cleaning your buffer accessories isn?t always easy. What works to remove polish might not be the best for the pad. Soapy or foamy cleaners will linger in the foam even if you rinse well. This soapy residue can cause streaks on your vehicle when you use that pad again. The same can be true for degreasing cleaners. Use Wolfgang Polishing Pad Rejuvenator every time you clean your pads to rinse away all residues and restore the foam to like-new condition.Wolfgang Polishing Pad Rejuvenator is a strong citrus cleaner that penetrates foam or wool to release thick polishes, waxes, and compounds. Just one ounce of this concentrated powder mixed with 3-4 gallons of water is enough solution to clean all your pads, no matter how soiled. Instead of throwing out caked pads, use Wolfgang Polishing Pad Rejuvenator to restore and reuse your current pads.When detailing your vehicle by machine, it?s best to keep a 5 gallon bucket of pad-cleaning solution on hand to soak the pads as soon as you use them. This will allow easier cleaning. Just toss your used pads into the bucket and allow them to soak for 5-15 minutes. Agitate with a foam conditioning brush and rinse thoroughly. To encourage faster drying, Put each pad onto your polisher and give it a quick spin to remove all the excess water. Lay the pads in the sun to dry. Your pads will regain their shape and texture instantly! Wolfgang Polishing Pad Rejuvenator is packaged in an 8 ounce or 16 ounce packet. A convenient zipper-lock closure allows you to neatly store the unused portion. There is enough concentrated powder in one package to make up to 32 gallons of cleaner. If you use your polisher once a week, you?ll have enough cleaner for two months! Plus, if you only clean one or two pads on Saturday, you can store the barely used cleaning solution until you detail again next Saturday. Just keep the bucket sealed. Every package of Wolfgang Polishing Pad Rejuvenator comes with a FREE 1 ounce measuring scoop. Always measure out the correct amount of concentrate with this convenient scoop!Wolfgang Polishing Pad Rejuvenator will prolong the life of your foam and wool pads! Also use it to clean microfiber bonnets and towels. The clean-rinsing concentrate will leave your detailing tools clean and residue-free.8oz. |
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P21S Polishing Soap $9.95 P21S announces the end of tedious polishing. The wheel you see here was purchased from a scrap dealer. We polished of of the wheel in less than a minute… by hand! The secret is this unique scrap-like cake that’s water-based. Just take the enclosed sponge, wet it and drag it across the soap. Squeeze to create lather and gently scrub. In seconds a brilliant shine appears. Now rinse with water and you’re done. Before After No struggling with a greasy paste with 2 fingers, no black grime under the fingernails and no oily rags to deal with afterward. And you’re polishing at ten times the speed with a fraction of the effort! Great on exhaust pipes, bumpers, gas tanks, running boards, diamond plate, or anywhere else you would use metal polish. Dozens of uses around the home such as stainless, aluminum and copper pans, glass cook tops, etc. Biodegradable and non-toxic too! 300 gram (10.6 oz) tub with sponge – Part No. 15300P |
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WESTFALIA SAVER Grinding and Polishing set $19.99 Ideal for removing rust and polishing surfaces. Comes with 600 W high-powered angle grinder. Includes very high-quality face spanner. A complete surface preparation set, consisting of: 600 W / 125mm single-hand angle grinder, 115mm disk grinder (grade 60), 75mm cup brush (twist knot), 115mm roughing disk, 115mm conical twist knot brush, 115mm disk brush (twist knot), 115mm fine, crimped wire brush, as well as a variably adjustable face spanner for all current angle grinders a very robust design. Complete 8-piece set. |
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POLISHING ARBORS & PILLOW BLOCK SETS #330 POLISHING ARBOR $30.94 An ideal, low-cost alternative to ready-made commerical polishing/grinding units. Saves you money by putting spare electric motors to use for the extra grinders, buffers, wire wheels, etc., every shop needs. #888 best where wheels must be mounted above bench. #330 where wheels can overhang sides. SPECS: #888: Shaft 7-½” (19.0cm) long. 4-½” (11.4cm) above base; 1-¾” (4.4cm) enclosed pulley. #330: Shaft 12″ (30.4cm) long, 7/8″ (22.2mm) above base; 2″ (5cm) exposed pulley. Both: ½” (12.7mm) right- and left-hand threaded ends on 5/8″ (15.9mm) |
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Meguiars Clear Coat Safe Polishing Compound $7.99 A hands-on approach to light scratch removal!Meguiars Clear Coat Safe Polishing Compound is a hand-applied polish for light scratches and hazing. Restore the shine to all types of paint with the most responsive, user-friendly detailing tool you have – your hands.Meguiars Clear Coat Safe Polishing Compound uses diminishing abrasive technology, meaning the tiny abrasives break down gradually as you rub. Diminishing abrasives prevent scouring or scratching – a side effect of old polishes. In one step Meguiars Clear Coat Safe Polishing Compound is formulated to level light imperfections and leave a smooth finish by hand.Meguiars Clear Coat Safe Polishing Compound is a polish for light imperfections. Use it for light scratch and swirl removal and for overall shine enhancement. The paint color will look bolder and brighter with a smooth, sleek shine.Meguiars Clear Coat Safe Polishing Compound is formulated to be applied by hand only. If you polish by hand, use Meguiars Clear Coat Safe Polishing Compound. It’s the finest polishing compound in its class!8.8 oz. |
Polish Influence in Peru
As a photographer, there was always something I enjoyed about taking photographs on the street, and I speak not of only monuments or buildings which compose the landscape of a city but of what I would hail as the “life of the city”. By this it is the people and their activities of going about that I have in mind, for it is there that I see the spirit of the city I happen to be in at the time. This which I speak of is in people going to work, both men and women dressed in their business suits, some attractive while others interesting or the stores or even in the street vendors; always on the make in big cities where capital is everywhere.
It was all this and perhaps more that my camera and I had captured in some of South America’s metropolises, such as Buenos Aires, Santiago and even Lima, when going about searching for what my imagination considered worthy of capturing on film. In the search for material to photograph I had also met the acquaintance of many a person, some of whom I went on to base characters for my stories on. In all these people however there was one, particular young lady by the name Marinha, who caught my attention as she saw me on a bus in Lima, Peru and told me I should not carry my camera around because it might get stolen. Her suggestion or word of advice even reminded me of what a policeman, had told me once in Amsterdam, that with the kind of camera I had on me I should take another street to get to the main train station then the one he had suggested. I do not really know what it was about this young woman, who granted was attractive or that moment but I got in to one of my many talkative moods that saw me explain that I had to carry a camera all the time because I was a photographer. It was not that I had not said this to others who had asked before but I remember carrying on with my explanation by telling her that I took photographs for a magazine in Poland.
Some had been surprised by what I had told them but none as much as I was the moment I heard Marinha ask me “do you speak Polish?” in Polish. This was almost incredible; for the chances of meeting a Polish speaking person in Peru were almost astronomical. After all, Peru was and probably still is; one of the countries in the world less visited or immigrated for that matter by Polish people and yet there I stood with a Peruvian woman who could speak Polish. True her Polish was not perfect and did have a foreigner’s accent to it but she could speak.
Finding such a person in New York or even Buenos Aires would not have surprised me as Argentina has the biggest Polish population on the South American continent. I, naturally upon hearing her question, replied in Polish which started us on a conversation that included her telling me that her mother was Polish, while her mother Peruvian. I; for my part in this conversation informed her that I had no Polish roots in me what so ever but simply that I had gone to Poland and had studied the language, after which I managed to get connected to several Polish magazines, whom I still send some of my material, though mostly what I considered would be of interest to people in Poland.
Marinha told me, her family ran a day care center for children out of her house, where she worked as an instructor. I, Naturally always looking for what could be a chance to get a few interesting shots asked Marinha, if I could get some photos not only of her but of her school and the children in it. Marinha, I could tell at first had doubts but went along with my idea though she did ask me to call her up to make an appointment; so we could meet at her school on another occasion, given that on this one we were both pressed for time. Marinha’s words however regarding my camera unfortunately for me would turn out to be prophetic, as it came to pass that I was robbed of my camera, literally at gun point; just a few months later and not as many as two kilometers from where she had given me this warning or advice.
After meeting Marinha, I started thinking how small the world really was and though I had met several Poles or Polish speaking people in Lima. This due to the fact that I had been to the Polish embassy, there was something so spontaneous about our first meeting, her coming out and asking me in Polish if I spoke this language. It was simply something which I would have never expected to hear on a bus on a bus in Lima.
As for the Polish embassy; it was there where I had met a few Polish people, though the reality that had been presented to me was that the Polonia (a Polish word for Poles living outside of Poland) in the whole of Peru, numbered somewhere between 20 to 30 people. I by then had even gotten to know many of these Polish people in Peru, though most were either woman; who were at least 20 years older then myself and married or men who worked at the embassy. Actually, most of these people I got to see once a month, as that is how often the Polish embassy held a reunion, mostly attended by Polish people living in Peru and their usually Peruvian relatives. It was in one of these monthly visits that I met a young secretary, whose boyfriend; just happened to be the Polish ambassador’s son and one who discretion prevented me from telling that he would be wise to “go on the wagon”, as sober was never a state I saw him in.
These monthly meetings were for the most part used for speaking the Polish language and having coffee, cake and tea which sometimes came accompanied by a Polish film. I, even remember on one occasion taking an aunt of mine, living in Lima (Italian descent) to these meetings; who as expected charmed with her grace and elegance all those she came in to contact with. Polish culture or the presentation of which in Peru for the most part however was what these encounters were about and I do recall on one occasion hearing the Polish national anthem for the first time not including a televised football game.
In all this that concerns Polish influence in Peru, apart from Tyminski (presidential candidate of Poland in 1990) having a Peruvian wife, regarding which I heard an interesting though unconfirmed story of how he got her as a present from a shaman in the jungle, there was also the factor of two Polish priests who had made headlines on the day of my arrival in Lima. These for being killed by terrorists while working as missionaries in the mountain city of Ayacucho, which put some freight in to me, who had just arrived in Lima as to how the situation really was in the country. It was later that I even met a Peruvian girl, who did not speak any Polish, what so ever; who told me she not only had heard of these two priests who were killed in late August of 91 but had actually had contact with them. This girl whose name I have forgotten told me the two Polish priests were very nice and really cared to help people but it was this that led to their demise.
Actually the story, I later heard on the matter of these two Polish priests was that they along with an Italian priest were warned by the terrorists who killed them beforehand to leave behind not only their work but the city as well or face execution. This a warning they obviously did not heed, perhaps not believing it would come to pass or that there work in the town was of such consequence that it was worth risking their lives for but regardless of which these two Polish priest, who left a good account of themselves with those who knew them were tragically murdered.
As for Marinha and I, two weeks would go by between our first improvised encounter on the bus and the day of my visit to her children’s day care center. It was something, I will never forget seeing Marinha, play with those children, some of whom I got photographs of while they ran around in a patio, or played at their desks or made use of scissors to cut paper dolls, in what Marinha told me was an exercise for their hands. Most of the children did not mind being photographed, though some despite being only four years old or younger did, perhaps it had been their parents who for security reasons concerning terrorism at the time preferred not to have their children’s photos published anywhere.
As for the photos, I would take that day which were about a role’s worth; these I would send to Marinha, given that I really had not much use for and though I will always remember our encounter on the bus and her words of warning concerning my camera not getting stolen, Marinha and I would never see each other again. This being that I became more involved in other projects concerning photography even after my camera was stolen and she went out of town.
In conclusion, I would say though Peru has very little in the way of Polish influence even for a South American country, it has some that I felt should be mentioned. Naturally Poland’s influence in Peru is very small specially when compared with Brazil or Argentina, the later one of these two countries even having its famous tango (at least in part) created by Polish immigrants. As for the other way around, in all my time in Poland I have only met one Peruvian, who was not a musician of the variety of music that comes from the Andes but at least there are some who have made it this far from their country of origin. An example of which being a football player who came to Poland to represent the colors of the team known as “Lech Poznan”.
About the Author
My name is Gianni Truvianni, I am an author who writes with the simple aim of sharing his ideas, thoughts and so much more of what I am with those who are interested in perhaps reading something new. I also am the author of the book entitled “New York’s Opera Society” which is now available on Amazon.