Stone carers are no strangers to steel wool and contact it almost every day. But what is steel wool? How to use it? How to use it well? This is rarely studied. Let’s talk about steel wool in this article. As the saying goes, “experts see the way”, we will make a comprehensive analysis of the steel wool used in stone care this time.
1、 Basic concepts
1. Definition
Definition of steel wool – products made of low carbon steel and drawn into fiber shape, similar to cotton fiber and with polishing performance. There are many types of steel wool. However, the models used in the stone care industry are generally 0#, 1#, 2#.
2. Classification
① Steel wool
② Stainless steel wire wool
3. Purpose:
This mainly refers to the use in stone care engineering.
① Clean
② Polishing
4. Type A and type B
In steel wool, there are generally types A and B. What’s the difference?
Type A – excellent product. The fiber pulled out is uniform and fine. It has a good polishing effect.
Type B – qualified product. The fiber pulled out is even and fine, which is worse than type A. The price is also relatively low.
2、 Application principle of steel wool
The cleaning and polishing effects of steel wool occur at the same time. That is, polishing is accompanied by cleaning; Similarly, cleaning is accompanied by a weak polishing effect. Therefore, this principle can be explained by “microrheology”.
Application principle – steel wool generates heat by friction with the help of the combined action of mechanical weight and speed. Thus, the cleaning or polishing agent can react with the stone surface, and at the same time, with the help of the physical microrheological effect caused by friction, the chemical cleaning, and polishing and physical grinding, filling and repair can be realized at the same time. Form a smooth and tidy surface. That is:
① The chemical cleaning and polishing effect of the agent is generated by friction.
② Micro rheological physical reaction to realize grinding, filling, and repair.
3、 Method of selecting high-quality steel wool
According to the application experience, there are also some skills for selecting high-quality steel wool:
1. Look
① Look at the color: good steel wool is metallic, similar to brushed stainless steel, and the color is bright.
② Look at the thickness: the high-quality steel wire cotton fiber is uniform and fine, and the thickness cannot be uneven.
③ Look at the fiber length: the fiber should have a certain length, and there should be not many fractures and splices.
2. Touch
Touch by hand, high-quality steel wool feels soft, does not stick, and feels good.
3. Use
① When in use, if a large amount of debris is thrown out by the mill, it proves that the material of steel wool is poor and not high-quality.
② Poor quality steel wool often oxidizes too fast. The performance is that when used, it is easy to interact with chemicals, and the steel wool will rust quickly, which is easy to cause stone pollution.
③ Steel wool with poor quality may even blacken when polished on wet ground.
4、 Disc method of steel wool
1. Snail like
This is the most commonly used method.
2. Butterfly
3. Winding
4. Braided
5. Cake shape
This shape is different from the snail shape in front. The cake-shaped steel wool is coiled by machines in the factory.
5、 Use skills
1. It’s better not to use new cushions instead of old ones
The role of the cushion is to prevent the needle disc from penetrating the steel wool and scratching the ground; Second, it can tightly absorb the steel wool and enhance the friction. However, when rolling steel wool, it is best not to use a thick new cushion, but a thinner old cushion.
A needle disk, a cushion, and steel wool under the crystal face machine. If the cushion is too thick and elastic, the stability will be poor, wasting mechanical power and reducing construction efficiency.
2. To make it hollow
In the polishing process, the cushion does centrifugal movement, and the agent will move to the edge. Therefore, the position of the center of the disk basically does not work. Disk into hollow, one is to save steel wool, and the other is to save materials.
3. How to save steel wool?
Saving steel wool is also a skill. According to practical application experience, the following skills are available:
① When using steel wool, if one side is wet, turn over and use the other side.
② Both sides have been used. Remove them and put them aside. Shake them. Clean up the crystalline material and debris on it and dry it. Take it apart again and dish it up again. Can be used again.
③ There are also two ways to re disk: one is to shake it clean and turn the original inside over to the outside. The other is to combine the two into one, pick the clean part, and put it together.
④ According to the above method, steel wool can be used 2 ~ 3 times.
4. Use an area of single steel wool
According to experience, the operating area of single steel wool shall not be less than 8 square meters, and the maximum can reach 25 square meters.
6、 Precautions
1. Advantages and disadvantages of steel wool
① Advantage
Low cost and low resistance in use. When applying water agents and other products, steel wool is mainly needed.
② Disadvantages
The disadvantage is that it is easy to pollute the stone. No matter how good the quality of steel wool is, it will leave small debris when used. This debris, combined with chemicals or water and moisture in the environment, is easy to make the stone surface yellowing and discolored. Some light-colored stones, such as white stones, are forbidden to be polished with steel wool.
During crystal polishing, dust should be pushed in time, otherwise, a large amount of debris will remain on the stone surface. First, it is easy to scratch the finished crystal surface; Second, if it is not cleaned, the debris will remain on the stone surface for a long time, which is also prone to rust yellow, and other problems.
2. Critical point of light loss
The polishing effect of the crystallizer is carried out with the help of heat generated by friction. Many times, the temperature caused by steel wool friction is not easy to control. When a certain temperature is reached, crystallization will occur and show high brightness. This time, if the temperature remains high, after this point, the ground that has been exposed to light will lose its gloss again. This is commonly known as the critical point of light loss.
3. Preservation of steel wool
① Do not place it directly on the ground
Whether it is new or used steel wool, do not stack it at will. It must be handled in a centralized manner.
The material used for steel wool is a kind of low carbon steel, which is easy to rust in contact with water and moisture. Therefore, when the steel wool is stored, it should not be in direct contact with the surfaces of various materials. In particular, it cannot be directly placed on the prepared crystal surface.
② Waterproof and moisture-proof
The material of steel wool is low carbon steel, which is easy to rust.
③ Steel wool is flammable
This is very important. In fact, steel wool is a highly flammable material. When storing or treating the used steel wool, it must be handled properly, away from high temperatures and fire sources, so as to avoid damage caused by fire.
As a simple stone care product, steel wool can solve some simple stone problems. Through the study of the above contents, we have a clearer understanding of the application of steel wool, make rational use of steel wool, and present the best effect of stone.
