polished or polished (from the Latin politus and this from polire, polish, soften, decorate, embellish)[1]​ is the action and effect of smoothing and giving luster and smoothness to an object, until giving it a satin or shiny surface. The procedures to achieve this are different industrial processes, such as abrasion (manual or mechanical) or strain hardening (with the use of a burnisher).

Mechanics and metallurgy

Polishing is a component of the finishing of parts made of all types of materials (metal, plastics, wood...) with the purpose of obtaining a pleasant appearance or high quality surface condition, characterized by roughness, shine or luster.

Polishing can be manual or robotic.

Metallography

Polishing is the main stage of metallography (method of observation of metal structure).

Electrolytic polishing is generally done with an acid or a mixture of acids (called "sauce" -sauce-) depending on the metal to be polished, and an electrical voltage of the order of several volts is applied. It is necessary to take safety precautions in the laboratory").[2]​.

[3]​

In optics, lenses and mirrors for all types of uses (for example, in astronomy) are obtained by polishing blocks of special glass. Surface finish less than 1/10 of a micron "Micrometer (unit of length)") can be obtained even by amateurs by rubbing two blocks of glass against each other with increasingly finer abrasives.

Marble polishing

The polishing of marble is of vital importance for its use in sculptures and architectural elements since Antiquity. The polishing of marble statues is generally entrusted to marble workers. But the statuary must supervise this work carefully. The fineness of touch easily disappears under the action of the pumice stone.

Ancient sculptors also polished some of their works with wax. Marble statues whose polish is to be preserved are covered with a light layer of varnish.[4]​.

Polishing varnish is one that, after drying, is so hard that it can be polished.[5]​.