burnishing

This term describes a specific mechanical process of smoothing a surface through friction and pressure rather than by removing material through abrasion. It is most commonly associated with metallurgy, jewelry making, and leatherwork, where a hard tool is used to compress the surface grains to create a high-gloss finish.

As a noun, the word functions as a gerund describing the action or the result of the process. When used as an adjective, it specifies the purpose of a tool or the nature of a technique, such as in "burnishing wheel" or "burnishing cloth."