Jump to content

Time For Updated Thread Regarding Polishes?


Greenie

Recommended Posts

I know, I know. This has been beaten to death. But still, I put in some effort and looked for old threads regarding opinions regarding types of polish. I just find Simchrome vs those who say no polish, sunshine cloth, etc. Brief mention of Novus.

 

Forget the argument discussion about polish vs no polish.

 

Assuming you will be using polish.....

 

I have used Simichrome for years, because, well, that's what I always used. Never had a problem, and results are good in my hands. A conversation at the LA pen show got me wondering about the other options. Instead of just buying everything and using them all, I thought I would ask the larger pen community.

 

I am curious to hear from those who use other polishes, especially if you have used a variety of polishes. I would hope to hear about Novus (and which ones),Flitz, Mark Hoover/LBEpen polishes, etc.

 

Why do do you like each one?

Or dislike any one in particular?

Any polish you find better for celluloid, vs hard rubber, etc?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 8
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Ron Z

    2

  • FountainNewbie

    2

  • CS388

    1

  • Greenie

    1

Top Posters In This Topic

For celluloid in particular, and plastics in general, nothing with solvents or waxes. Nothing.

 

For hard rubber, Simicrome, Wenol, or Flitz.. The solvent free/wax free polishe tends to get into the pores of the rubber and leave a dull finish compared to Wenol.

 

Sunshine cloths for most metal. It also works quite well on hard rubber.

spacer.png
Visit Main Street Pens
A full service pen shop providing professional, thoughtful vintage pen repair...

Please use email, not a PM for repair and pen purchase inquiries.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought a jeweller's cloth a few years ago. It has two parts, an impregnated cloth (with rouge, I'd imagine?) and a shining cloth (like silk, or satin). It seems to do the job and has replaced most of the other polishes I used to use.

It's obviouly ideal for the metalwork, but I was surprised that it worked so well on bodywork, too.

I'm unsure of the chemistry, but no issues, so far.

(I'm only talking about light polishing, here - not bringing dead, or damaged pens back to life)

 

Enjoy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hi,

 

Good, my first post!

 

I have some polishing experience with Pelikans (vintage ones from the 50's). I've been able to remove scratches and engravings with pretty good results.

I actually use a mix. As follows (I advice to use micro mesh with water - wet sanding):

1.- micro mesh 4000 for deep scratches and/or engravings.

2.- Micro mesh 6000 to even the 4000.

3.- Novus 2 (sometimes alternating with grit 6000)

Usually i finish this with 2 rounds of Novus 2

 

4.- Grit 8000 and micro-gloss

5.- grit 12000 and micro-gloss

2 rounds of micro-gloss

 

Microgloss is 1 micron (the blue one), whilst Novus 2 is around 5 microns. Grit 12000 is around 2 microns.

For dullness, use lightly 6000 and then up.... or a more consistent 8000 and then up.

https://www.gessweincanada.com/category-s/11328.html

http://micro-surface.com/index.php/products-by-type/micro-gloss/micro-gloss-liquid-abrasive-type-1-cleaner-polish.html

 

For the brass parts I use micro-gloss (for any old hard crust), then a very tiny amount of Brasso (applied with finger) not rubbed.

 

Then I cover all with renaissance, specially the brass part to avoid darkening.

It's been less that 6 months, so I'm not sure if the brass parts will darken again.

The idea to use renaissance on the brass is to avoid cleaning them again and wearing it out.

 

 

advices:

1.- try not to use brasso. it gives a very nice shine but it is also very aggressive. Keep in mind the thickness of the plating, I use it only if plating is thick.

I applied once a bit of brasso on a vintage rhodium plated (very tiny amount), and it took it away in less than a second. No way of repairing it.

2.- DO wear a dust mask - Specially when using renaissance. Also wear gloves. Renaissance is highly irritant... Novus is less strong.

 

 

I'll try in short future to polish an OMAS (cotton celluloid). Any advice from you guys about polishing cotton celluloid?

Edited by FountainNewbie
Link to comment
Share on other sites

To add a philosophical question, do we really want our vintage pens to look just as they did when they came from the factory, or do we want them to look, well, vintage? I've just attended at the Chicago Pen Show, and looking at row after row of bright glossy Vacumatics, personally, I thought they looked "wrong". I polish the pens I sell, but not to a mirror finish.

Edited by pen lady
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I think Pen Lady is right.... something I forgot to mention is that I have 2 'sets' of pens.... the ones I polish like a mirror are the 'display' ones, I barely use them (but I just like to have them as out of the factory).

 

Then I have my 'normal' pens that I use for daily writing and have normal wearing marks. If trying to keep a mirror gloss on all the pens it will be too much work and somehow pointless.

Writing with a 'super-shiny' pen is a bit distracting and stressing because you don't want to scratch them.... the problem then is the (good) looks of the pen shouldn't hamper its use

 

Maybe a balance would be to have a pen that you feel comfortable to 'toss around', but at the same time looks attractive. The balance to be decided by each person and the approach to pens

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The amount of polish is a matter of choice. My clients like the pens buffed, and I do too. There is always the option to not have the polished, but I've only had that request only a few times over the years.

spacer.png
Visit Main Street Pens
A full service pen shop providing professional, thoughtful vintage pen repair...

Please use email, not a PM for repair and pen purchase inquiries.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33494
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26624
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...