$8.08
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Historically, tripoli is one of the oldest polishing agents in existence, and was for many years the finest polish available (tripoli is also known as "rottenstone" by woodworkers who use it in a polish for removing fine scratches in wood). "Finest" here refers to the polish with the smallest particle sizes. It is equivalent to 800 to 1000 mesh.
Today it is known as a "pre-polish" able to remove fine scratches left from the previous polishing step with any number of fine to medium cutting agents including emery (an old name for aluminum oxide) and silicon carbide. In a jewelry shop tripoli would be the pre-polish compound used on one of two rotary wheel buffs. One muslin style cotton wheel with stitching (for more rigidity) would be the final tripoli "cutting" (pre-polish) stage and the 2nd loose softer wheel would be the final red rouge (or white rouge) "polishing" or "coloring" stage.
It should be noted that there is not universal agreement for what constitutes "polishing" and what constitutes "buffing". I've seen sources say "buffing" is the final stage and other sources say "polishing" is the final stage.
I've always thought of "buffing" as pre-polish and "polishing" as the polish (final) stage. One source I found is probably correct in saying the terms buffing and polishing can be and are used interchangeably.
There is agreement on what tripoli does; namely remove fine scratches just before the final polish. But (here we go again) there is not a precise definition of what tripoli is made of. It's different depending on where it's mined. About everyone agrees on its qualities: friable, weathered, porous, and soft. Most sources say it has diatomaceous earth plus microcrystalline siliceous material.
CAMEO, the art materials database { http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Tripoli } says:
"A fine, lightweight silica. Tripoli is a sedimentary stone composed of diatoms and finely weathered chert. It was originally obtained from northern Africa, but is now quarried in Missouri, Tennessee an Georgia. Tripoli is used as an abrasive for polishing glass, gold and jewelry. It is also used as a filtering media and as a filler in paints, putty and rubbers. [Synonyms:] tripoli powder; tripolite; diatomaceous earth; soft silica."
Wikipedia doesn't have a separate article on it from the viewpoint of a metal pre-polish, but they do have a short article on "rottenstone", which is what it's known as by some woodworkers:
{ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotten_stone } :
"Rotten stone, sometimes spelled as rottenstone, also known as tripoli, is fine powdered porous rock used as a polishing abrasive for metalsmithing and in woodworking. It is usually weathered limestone mixed with diatomaceous, amorphous, or crystalline silica. It has similar applications to pumice, but it is generally sold as a finer powder and used for a more glossy polish after an initial treatment with coarser pumice powder. Tripoli particles are rounded rather than sharp, making it a milder abrasive.
It is usually mixed with oil, sometimes water, and rubbed on the surface of varnished or lacquered wood with a felt pad or cloth. Rotten stone is sometimes used to buff stains out of wood. Some polishing waxes contain powdered rotten stone in a paste substrate. For larger polishing jobs, rotten stone mixed with a binder is applied to polishing wheels....It is also used to polish jewelry and in toothpastes."
As to its connection with the city Tripoli, Libya in Northern Africa:
{ https://www.britannica.com/science/tripoli-rock } :
"Tripoli, porous, friable, microcrystalline siliceous rock of sedimentary origin that is composed chiefly of chalcedony and microcrystalline quartz. Although the name tripoli was chosen because of the rock’s superficial resemblance to tripolite, a diatomite or from Tripolitania region, Libya, the term does not include diatomite, or hardened diatomaceous earth. Some tripoli is a coherent residuum from leached limestone, dolomite, or chert; other examples probably are colloidal silica that has been leached from other rocks and earth, gathered together in lumps, and partly recrystallized. The friable variety is more typical."-
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Apr 14, 2024
Shipping so fast and good seller response
rumfeathers
Mar 8, 2024
Just gorgeous darling!
Bryce Arty
Mar 7, 2024
Packaging Is Very Well Done! Super fine Powder!
Rodney
Dec 28, 2023
Shipped super quickly, with care. Thanks
Anthony Cody
Dec 2, 2023
GARY