Sounds reasonable to me. It ain't rocket science.

I've played around with finding the right combination to bring back the 1500+polish surface, especially on my favorites like the Virtual Energy and Anarchy.  I've tried everything under the sun and have finally come to what I feel gets me as close to factory as I can get, reaction wise.  Depending on wear, but I generally start with 1000 on 6 sides, 3000 on 6 sides, then Storm Step 2 on top. 

BJI uses the Innovative grit measuring device on every ball they test for a long time now. Almost every ball whose stock surface is "1500 grit polished" measures in the 5000 - 5500 grit range. I'd say that sanding with a 1500/2000 grit pad and then polishing with any good bowling ball polish will get you that result.

That my very well work, I don't have a scanner to try it. So I'm not saying that sanding with a P-1500/2000 grit pad and  polishing won't give you a 5000 - 5500 grit range.

I never heard that the "1500" grit is a CAMI measurement. May I ask where you got that information from and how long ago?

I find it hard to believe that any bowling ball  manufacturer is currently using the CAMI scale, and not the FEPA scale in this day and age.

Where did I originally get the info? I didn't remember it's been years, it could have been on this forum for all I know.

I just know that when the companies started going to abralon, a lot of the ball  surface grits were still being listed using the CAMI scale, even though they were being sanded with Abralon, Because Abralon wasn't widely used yet.

Like the liquid grits that showed a grit number, used CAMI scale until fairly recently.

Now over time they have replaced the CAMI references and are now listing the surfaces as Abralon grits, But the "1500 Polished" is still a holdover from back then.

As for as I know it's just never been changed. The 1500 in "1500 Polished" is a CAMI Number. Even though they use abralon to do it (P4000 = 1500cami)

Over the years I've tried to double check this stuff, If you have something that says that's wrong post it. I want to try and keep my info updated.


UPDATE

I just wrote storm and surprisingly they replied immediately.

I asked:
Question: Is the 1500 in "1500-grit Polished Factory Finish" a old reference to the US ANSI/CAMI grit scale? I assume it is because the final grit before the polish is a 4000 Abralon, which is the equivalent of 1500 grit ANSI/CAMI.

Storms reply:

You are correct.

Thanks for your question.

Chad McLean

Bowl Up A Storm!
Chad McLean | Storm Technical Staff | Storm Products, Inc. | +1.435.723.0403

TBH, conversations like this are why I take new balls and put the surface at what I anticipate using it at and adjust from there.  I always want to be able to replicate what I find that works, and box finishes can be tough to replicate.  It would suck to love a ball at box finish and not be able to replicate it for some reason. 

It's just something that works for me.

As to the OP, my version of it is a fresh 1500 siaair + Storm Xtra Shine polish.  I'm a big fan of Xtra Shine.

UPDATE

I just wrote storm and surprisingly they replied immediately.

I asked:
Question: Is the 1500 in "1500-grit Polished Factory Finish" a old reference to the US ANSI/CAMI grit scale? I assume it is because the final grit before the polish is a 4000 Abralon, which is the equivalent of 1500 grit ANSI/CAMI.

Storms reply:

You are correct.

Thanks for your question.

Chad McLean

Bowl Up A Storm!
Chad McLean | Storm Technical Staff | Storm Products, Inc. | +1.435.723.0403

tech@stormbowling.com

Interesting and Thank you.

I remain surprised that any manufacturer is using the CAMI scale; it can only confuse many issues.

People can certainly use a 3000/4000 grit FEPA, if that makes them feel like they will get closer to the stock finish. Once applying the abrasives in most polishes, the results should not vary greatly.

Over the years, many people often found the stock polishes (I'm thinking of Storm/RG and the old Columbia balls [Columbia, AMF, Track etc.]) to be far too uncontrollable; many of those, when they had the means, often re-sanded the ball and re-polished it to their liking.

It seems like the more the subject of Storm's 1500 polished surface comes up, the more it seems like Storm's Step 2 is the real key to duplicating it.  I really wish they made it in a smaller bottle.  Just can't justify buying the big one.

Mental note. Never use Step 2. I hate that finish.