Tumbling flatware has been around for decades. The process can be done in either a barrel tumbler or vibratory tumbler. There are a wide variety of processes depending on how scratched the flatware is prior to any polishing and what type of metal it is.
These stainless steel spoons were tumbled in a two-step process to first remove the scratched and then polish to a mirror finish. The first wet tumbling step used a light cutting Plastic Media for about 2 hours. The second dry step used a Treated Tumbling Media to create the mirror-like surface finish. This took about 16 hours.
Often, this application is a single step using either Stainless Steel Balls or Ceramic Polishing Balls. In this case, a more aggressive first step was needed to remove the heavier scratches on the part and the equipment the customer has would not allow for the weight of the steel tumbling media.