Hi All -

I've been using Simichrome to clean up my Esties. I thought I'd been doing a good job until I bought a Red J from another FPNer. The shine that he managed to get on the thing is unreal. I can't seem to get the same finish. What am I doing wrong? Is it that I'm not applying enough pressure? Am I using the wrong cloth? (I use a soft terry cloth.) Exactly how am I supposed to hold the pen as I polish it?

Thanks in advance.

- Yumbo

simichrome is great for an initial polishing away of years of dirt grime and tarnish. Your seller probably finished that off with museum wax. Go to Tryphon.com for that product. No Aff. etc and all that (Potty Mouth)

I haven't tried any yet but thee was a post somewhere where one member stated that a very small amount of that stuff will go a looooong way.

And that member was...ME! I can vouch for the amazing power of Tryphon museum wax. A tiny bit puts a very glassy, deep shine on a pen. It might be interesting to try Tryphon's other waxes and polishes as well. I bought the museum wax because it's supposed to be the safest and least reactive.

As a sidebar, it seems that in the non FP world museum wax is used to prevent things displayed in a museum from falling over in an earthquake of if rowdy teenagers jostle the display case. I think it's an entirely different substance, since Tryphon's wax is not sticky.

Yes, I believe the Tryphon is closer to "Renaissance Wax" which is used to protect antique metals, among other things. Basically a very hard, pH-neutral wax to seal out the atmosphere.

I can vouch for Tryphon's other polishes as well. Black Esties respond very well to XP Polish, and the liquid wax is a bit neater than the Museum, though the finish isn't as long-lasting.

Best,
Jon

Hi All -

A quick update ... thanks to advice from Farmboy, I ordered the "Micromesh Pads Kit" from Tryphon along with a small tub of Museum Wax.

My. God.

I started with the 4000-grit paper and worked my way up, then I rubbed the wax in. The shine that I have on my Esties is unreal. If you haven't tried this stuff, do it now.

- Yumbo

ps ... no affiliation, yada yada yada.