Abstract: A method of polishing or smoothing a metal surface includes the steps of (a) applying a solution of a compound capable of forming a friable, relatively impervious conversion coating on the surface, and (b) rubbing the conversion coating with a conforming surface while retaining the solution between the surfaces both to remove the conversion coating by abrasion and to expose the metal surface to the solution for further reaction, thereby repeatedly forming a conversion coating and breaking the coating away until the surface is smooth and polished.