Buffing Compound Bars Identification Help

[autonut]

I purchased some buffing bars for doing auto restoration work a long time ago. Got sidetracked with a family, etc and had to drop it. Now wanting to start again. Anyway it would be nice if I could identify what the bars I have, should be used for & how used. I wish I could remember which company I purchased them from but I cant. Can you? Perhaps some of you have some bars with the same numbers on them. I have one bar identified as S-2. Another as S-5 & S-328H
They are almost full bars so I sure wish I could find out which company identified them with the numbers above. If you can be of any help I would sure appreciate it.
Autonut Lee

[andyrayk]

Buffing compounds are usually identified by the color for their use. The numbers may not mean anything but batch number. Could be a part number but why worry, match the color for the use listed and you should be fine. Start here:
http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/buffing.htm

Caswell has similar numbers to the ones you list that refer to the grade of the compound but the color for the best uses.
Could be that they came from them.

[crob241]

If there are no makers markings to use usually you can go by the color of the bars, black or brown are coarse and white and red are finer, Also you can just try them on a test piece of steel to see which ones are coarser then others. I have buffing compounds that are 25 years old and only use them on non critical items and have learned to only use supplies from Caswells or Brownells and not the local discount house.

[andyrayk]

"25 years old and only use them on non critical items "
Good advice. Especially if you don't know the supplier.
If the bars are not the 1 pounders they'll go fast anyway. Then get the good stuff.