Rather than considering the 500, then skip to 'x' finish as a trick, think of it as a way to manipulate the surface topography to achieve the desired results. Imagine, if you will, a mountain range. The high peaks and values are a representation of the same peaks and valleys, if examined by an electron microscope, that you would find on the surface of the ball.
Hence, if you take 360, 500, 1000, 2000, and then 4000 to a bowling ball, you have effectively leveled the mountains and filled in the valleys creating a very smooth surface. This surface is closer to a true '4000' finish in the fact that the peaks are valleys are now extremely small, but in this process you have eliminated the surface topography that creates a 'good' ball reaction. In other words, you now have a ball that skids on oil but also resists the hook and roll phase of ball reaction. Therefore, if you do not have a high rev rate, a short oil pattern or a well defined track area at your center, the ball will most likely not perform as well as desired/expected.
However, if you take 360 grit to create the base topography and then lightly (but thoroughly) apply a 500 grit you have now created a strong surface topography. This will enhance the balls cover and generate a higher coefficient of friction (friction = hook). The only problem with this 360/500 base is the friction is also greater in the oil, the heads, and the mid-lane. This isn't always a bad thing, but on many patterns this means the ball will pick up too early, have less angle, and hit 'flat' on the back.
So the true question is, how can we generate more friction down-lane but still get the ball to skid through the heads? The answer is take the base foundation created by 360/500 and smooth the peaks and valleys without destroying them. By skipping the middle stages (1000, 2000 for example), you can avoid destroying the peaks and valleys while simultaneously rounding them slightly. This creates a surface topography that will skid on heavy oil (heads), still read the mid-lane (slightly), but generate a tremendous amount of friction in the back.
This method can revive a 'dead' ball while restoring the original out of box reaction. Even though it is not technically a 4000 finish, no ball is truly 4000. If we analyze the P standard used to give the quantitative measurement (500 grit for example), what we will find is that no ball, no matter how it has been finished will truly match the same 'P' rating given to resurfacing medium last used. In other words, a urethane ball finished at 500 grit abralon will have 50% smaller peaks and valleys than a reactive urethane sanded with same 500. Therefore, if we wanted to be precise when we call a ball finished at 'X' we would have to analyze the actual finish and give it a 'true' P rating standard. In the urethane example, a 500 grit abralon pad would give the urethane cover a true '240ish' P standard rating. This is why we finish our balls at '4000' so the end user knows what grit we last used for our finish.
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