I have some questions on the Abarlon synthetic sanding pads. On another board, there was a guy that claims that using Abarlon pads, especially the ones  from 2000-4000 grit are the same thing if not better then using polish. After I asked him how to he come up with that his answer was that polish plugs up the friction on the coverstock and isn't as consistant plus polish wears off with wear. He mentioned wear but I could debate that any ball will get wear on it, especially on the track.

But using a fine Abarlon pad...isn't that more of a "buff" after putting some games on it especially giving it the illusion it's polished? That isn't any different then using a white scotch brite pad and then telling everyone it's polished. I used to try that back in the 90's.So should I just toss all my bottles of polish in the trash? So what would happen if I used a 4000 grit polish and used Storm Diamond polish on it after that? I guess then it wouldn't move at all! I don't see the logic in it.

The other discussion is how long to Abarlon pads last? Now I don't have a spinner or resurfacing machine so I do everything by hand in a sink with water. I've probably used the only pad I got with a 1000 grit one about 20 times. He said they only last about 10 uses then the grit will get finer and said I'm actually using a 2000 grit pad.

He also said that sandpaper is cheaper in the long run. True, put I have found a new love and ease of use with Abarlon pads. Especially when doing it by hand and I get a nice, even surface with the pads. I do plan on getting a whole pack of the pads.

Abralon pads last longer than sandpaper, but cost a lot more.  Surfacing your ball will a 4000 abralon will not give the same look as polishing your ball.  It has less to do with the clogging of pores, and more to do with what the surface of the ball looks like on a microscopic level.  

In general, polishes smooth the surface by leveling out the "mountains and valleys" on the surface of the ball.  Some polishes contain an abrasive the will help knock the tops off the mountains, but depending on the size of the grit may also mar the surface to a degree.

Abralon may also smooth the surface, but could possibly make it rougher...it depends on the conditions of the original surface.  However, abralon will always mar the surface leaving microscopic grooves in the surface of the ball.  If you ever use abralon on a spinner you can get a good idea on the difference of the surface by looking at the relection off the ball under a light.  The light will reflect off the ball in an unusual pattern that reminds me of the surface of those plastic pictures that change the picture when you tilt it.

The difference in reaction that I get when I use polish and 4000 abralon on the same ball is the polished surface will be a bit more skid/snap than the 4000 abralon surface.  I use polish when I want a touch more pop off the dry and 4000 abralon when I want the move off the dry to be a little smoother.
--------------------
A flute with no holes is not a flute, and a donut with no hole is a danish.

http://averagebolwersballreviews.com/

John - I've noticed the same thing over the past couple years myself.  If I'm using abralon on a spinner I will skip grit levels in a similar fashion to the way Storm/Roto suggested months ago.  This leaves more texture underneath so the 4000 abralon isn't obliterating it at the 300+ RPM of most spinners.

Abralon does not last as long as sandpaper.  When using abralon on balls with grips at or slightly above the surface the soft grips literally tear the abrasives off the woven backing.  The finer the grit, the faster this happens.  

Abralon might last longer in the factory setting where the balls are undrilled, but I don't think that it lasts longer when used in the pro shop setting.  This will vary with how heavy handed the user is as well.