How do you polish aluminum? How do you use a one step cut & color metal finishing compound to polish aluminum or stainless steel? One step cut and color is here. This silica free metal polishing compound is now available on our website. You can see how brilliant the finish is under the most extreme of situations in this clip. Now imagine what it will do with proper prep work. Our Q36 metal polishing compound is a true one-step solution for both cutting and coloring aluminum and stainless steel.