Burnishing plates pre-varnish - who does it?

[AlexGard]

Most the plates I've shot I've burnished prior to varnishing. Just a piece of cotton wool polished over the dried and heated silver. Many plates I've had come up brilliant actual silver like stainless steel. A shame it gets lost to the varnish. It looks spectacular, similar to a daguerreotype.

Does anyone else burnish plates? Or have any other methods to bring out more brightness? Anyone used CRC?

Here's an 11x11 CGA from today pre-varnish. Not very fond of clear glass but it's all I had on hand.



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[Monty McCutchen]

I burnish portions of plates. Usually if I do it it’s things that are metal that I want to emphasize. I use a pencil eraser.

Monty