Estie polishing tip for the frugal

[OcalaFlGuy]

I suspect there are those like me that just haven't gotten around to procuring

those high zoot micromesh polishing aids and end up making do what what we

already have around the house.

 

Up til now, I've been trying to make do with Simichrome. (I've tried the Mothers

mag polish too but I think I like the Simi a bit better) However, when it comes

to scratches that are a bit more than just microscratches, the Simichrome just

isn't quite aggressive enough.

 

I have this Green J disaster area I've been working on. It's going to be my

first resac victim^h^h^h^attempt and since the greenies really don't blow my

skirt up, I figured it'd be good for that 'cause I just wouldn't be that concerned

if I wrecked it. (Not to self: In the future, avoid pens that appear to have exploded

with sacs full of RED ink like a crack wh*re with a face full of cold sores.)

 

Anyway, I was thinking of something with just a bit more OUMPH than the Simichrome

to start with and I remembered I had a container of Turtle Wax rubbing compound.

 

Now, yes, I know that rubbing compound can be some wicked stuff so yes, I kind

of took it a bit easy til I could feel out how it'd do.

 

It is the total absolute paisleied cats pajamas!

 

It's makes some pretty serious scratches just disappear and is the perfect preface

for the Simichrome. Go over the pen once good with the compound to get most of

the scratches out then hit it with the Simichrome. If need be, you can always repeat

the 1-2 punch.

 

It makes all the difference in the world vs just using the Simichrome.

 

I hit this Green monster with the compound then a go round with Simi and there

were still a couple scratches that weren't quite gone. Hit them again with the

compound and then 2 more doses of Simichrome. I haven't even gotten to the

Carnauba yet and this pen already looks like it's been waxed.

 

PS This is all with hand polishing. Flannel for the compound, microfibre for the Simi.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

Edited November 24, 2008 by OcalaFlGuy

[DeaconKC]

Congrats Bruce, now we need some pics!

[OcalaFlGuy]

Congrats Bruce, now we need some pics!

 

 

Well. I plan to butttt.

 

I kinda let the cart get in fron of the horse here. This was my first effort at this and this

pen was a MESS. I had no idea if I'd be able to get it clean enough to bother resaccing.

 

So, the outside's done and the nib and section are all off and cleaned up but I just

ordered the supplies to resac today. After what I've done so far, actually putting the sac

on and the section back in should be the easy part. Still, I'll wait on the pics til I'm done,

I could easily split the barrel still before this is over.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[jinzo1988]

Maybe this idea is somewhere in between - but I have found myself wondering if the bottle of polish (not sure at the moment what the name of it is) out in the garage would work on an Estie. The polish I speak of is a liquid (not a paste) and is meant for polishing plastics - particularly the outer lens cover of the headlights on newer vehicles. It also does a nice job on the plexi windshield of my motorcycle.

 

Thoughts? Anyone tried this type of polish?

[DeaconKC]

I have had good results using the cleaner made for glass top stoves, too.

[Ted H]

(Not to self: In the future, avoid pens that appear to have exploded

with sacs full of RED ink like a crack wh*re with a face full of cold sores.)

 

Brilliant! And I like the polishing ideas, too! :roflmho:

[OcalaFlGuy]

(Not to self: In the future, avoid pens that appear to have exploded

with sacs full of RED ink like a crack wh*re with a face full of cold sores.)

 

Brilliant! And I like the polishing ideas, too! :roflmho:

 

It actually ended up being a really good move for me.

 

Again, I bought this pen mainly for it's 9788 nib. I got both the pen and nib for about $15 less

than I have seen the nib anywhere for this year.

 

When I opened it up I almost gagged. First, I knew RED ink could be the hardest to get out of

a lighter colored pen. The sellers pics cleverly omitted the red blurpage inside the cap. And, when

I got the section off and saw the sac had burst with the red ink in it, if the pen had been ANY

OTHER color than this green, I probably would have chickened out, boxed it right up and sent

it to the restorer (Hi Farmboy!) Only the fact that I don't care enough about the greens to

pay to have them worked on left me no other choice than to try doing it myself.

 

I don't know that I'm any more fond of the greens but this one came out pretty nicely.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

 

[PaFitch]

I'm not fond of the greens either--but its an ESTERBROOK--it always deserves TLC

[DeaconKC]

Well I'm gonna stand up for the greens! I like 'em! Nyah nyah nyah!