Dilute aqueous solutions of certain inorganic salts are very effective in decreasing the rate of grinding-wheel wear and providing decreased surface roughness in the finishing of titanium-alloy surfaces. A systematic study of a large number of salt solutions has revealed that such solutions act by the formation of adsorbed cationic and anionic layers on the aluminum-oxide and titanium surfaces, respectively. These layers prevent the abrasive and chip surfaces from coming close enough together to form strong bonds, which when broken, remove pieces of abrasive from the system. In the choice of a suitable material, ion size and effective charge are found to be two items of major importance. Barium was found to be the most effective element in the periodic table for adsorption on aluminum oxide, while the phosphate radical was the most effective anion investigated for adsorption on a titanium-alloy surface. Long chains attached to each of these ions should increase the effectiveness of the simpler ions considered here. The relation between corrosion inhibition and the screening of titanium surfaces in grinding is discussed.