Pen Polishing

[pennut]

Why not just use car polish? I use Duragloss car polish on my car and on my pens.

[kirchh]

Why not just use car polish? I use Duragloss car polish on my car and on my pens.

Well, pens aren't cars. Which Duragloss product are you recommending?

 

--Daniel

[pennut]

The Durgloss product I recommend is Duragloss 111 Clear Coat Polish. It is a non-abrasive formula and is very gentle in my opinion. I use it on my pens and have had no problem. You can buy it on Amazon. I just put a dab of it on a microfiber cloth and rub gently. I tried it on my pens because I had the product because I use it on my cars.

 

Dennis

[kirchh]

The Durgloss product I recommend is Duragloss 111 Clear Coat Polish. It is a non-abrasive formula and is very gentle in my opinion. I use it on my pens and have had no problem. You can buy it on Amazon. I just put a dab of it on a microfiber cloth and rub gently. I tried it on my pens because I had the product because I use it on my cars.

 

Dennis

That product actually applies a coating (with a fragrance). I think that's a terrible idea.

 

--Daniel

[claudewick]

I dislike Simchrome and have never found any reasin to use it over another product or method. Probably a third of the pens that cross my bench for work other than dent reversal have Simichrome traces lodged in the crevices from stem to stern. I see no reason to use it on a pen -- especially a plastic pen.

 

--Daniel

 

 

I don't like the Novus products because the finer grades contain substances that are formulated to stay behind, such as silicone and wax.

 

--Daniel

 

 

That product actually applies a coating (with a fragrance). I think that's a terrible idea.

 

--Daniel

 

So what product do you recommend, Daniel?

[Manalto]

 

So what product do you recommend, Daniel?

 

 

Keeping in mind that pens aren't cars. (Except, of course, for the Targa, Pininfarina, etc.)

[Flounder]

Micro gloss as used by the air force to polish canopies is a safer option for plastic pens. Microgloss is water based so will have no long term effect on plastics. I understand that Simichrome is a metal polish with solvent content. If you insist on using Simichrome, be sure that no residues are left.

Laurence

 

I understand Greygate plastic polish is also used for military canopies (NATO stock number 7930-99-224-2028) but it is marked as flammable, so I guess it's not entirely water based. Since switching from Autosol (kind of like Simichrome, but ammonia free) to Greygate, I've been far happier.

[kirchh]

 

I understand Greygate plastic polish is also used for military canopies (NATO stock number 7930-99-224-2028) but it is marked as flammable, so I guess it's not entirely water based. Since switching from Autosol (kind of like Simichrome, but ammonia free) to Greygate, I've been far happier.

 

"Mineral Filled Wax/Hydrocarbon solvent" -- I'll pass.

 

--Daniel

[pennut]

That product actually applies a coating (with a fragrance). I think that's a terrible idea.

 

--Daniel

 

You are correct in that Duragloss applies a coating but the coating is protective. Fragrance is an added benefit.

[kirchh]

 

You are correct in that Duragloss applies a coating but the coating is protective. Fragrance is an added benefit.

 

The coating is formulated to be protective to car finishes. That has little bearing on whether it is safe or protective when used on old pens.

 

I'm surprised there is any appeal at all to applying a fragrance to a vintage fountain pen.

 

--Daniel

[Manalto]

 

I'm surprised there is any appeal at all to applying a fragrance to a vintage fountain pen.

 

--Daniel

 

The idea of artificial fragrance is repugnant to me, and to apply it (or solvents) to a vintage pen seems like asking for trouble. After what I've seen in this life I'm not surprised, however. Chacun a son gout.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Manalto

[Flounder]

Where do you buy your microgloss, UK members?

[kirchh]

So what product do you recommend, Daniel?

 

I rarely polish my own acquisitions. I use a Selvyt cloth (the most expensive one, which is white) for gentle brightening of trim and overall wiping down; the Selvyt is untreated. Sunshine cloths have their place, though I have some concerns about some components; their abrasive action can be modulated by the application of very tiny amounts of moisture. Micro-gloss is the only liquid polish I use, but I very rarely employ it. I don't knowingly apply any product that leaves anything behind.

 

--Daniel

Edited April 4, 2015 by kirchh

[claudewick]

 

I rarely polish my own acquisitions. I use a Selvyt cloth (the most expensive one, which is white) for gentle brightening of trim and overall wiping down; the Selvyt is untreated. Sunshine cloths have their place, and don't seem to contain anything harmful; their abrasive action can be modulated by the application of very tiny amounts of moisture. Micro-gloss is the only liquid polish I use, but I very rarely employ it. I don't knowingly apply any product that leaves anything behind.

 

--Daniel

Thanks.

 

When you say micro-gloss, which product do you mean? This:

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTQzWDIzNA==/z/kesAAOSwGvhT99QA/$_12.JPG

 

Or this:

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/Nzk5WDMwMA==/z/MB4AAOSwEeFVEsIV/$_12.JPG

Edited April 4, 2015 by claudewick

[grainweevil]

Where do you buy your microgloss, UK members?

 

vintagepensacsandparts.com

[Ron Z]

 

To make it glossy.

 

His point is, and I agree, that there are other materials to use that work better and are safer than Simicrome. The chemicals in Simicrome can corrode metal if not removed completely, and it often isn't. There are products out there, like Micro Gloss, that have an abrasive in a water suspension and NO solvents that can damage the material. It can be used on anything except hard rubber. I rarely use Simicrome for anything except removing heavy tarnish.

 

I do use Sunshine cloths. It contains a 1 micron abrasive and "luster enhancers" which are described as "fats." Nothing that will harm anything on a pen. I use them on most pens as well, and it's especially good on hard rubber.

[OcalaFlGuy]

I have said it before and I'll say it again.

 

Richard Binder along with other pen retailers and restorers sell Simichrome.

 

I will agree that Simi can be a PIA to a subsequent repair person If not applied correctly and removed thoroughly but I don't feel that Generally, when it's used with some care, it's likely to damage a pen.

 

I don't think Richard or Pendemonium for example, want to see a pen damaged any more than the rest of us do. If I think, there was A High Likelihood that the Average user would damage a pen with it, IF they would even sell the product at all, they'd provide Substantial disclaimers to it's use that they currently Don't.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Ron Z]

Richard is not omniscient. Nobody is for that matter.

 

The fact that someone sells a product does not mean that they recommend it for all applications. I disagree with the idea of using Simicrome on plastic of pens if not needed - and especially on celluloid. Given the inherent and demonstrated instability of celluloid, the fewer chemicals that it is exposed to, the better. That's why I quit using carnauba wax even though we never saw anything be damaged by it. Simicrome is OK for metals and hard rubber. I don't use it on celluloid or other plastics.

[tryphon]

I agree with Ron: Simichrome has its uses, but for man-made materials there are better options, like micro gloss. Novus also makes some plastic polishes that, especially in their least aggressive grades, work very well on acrylic pens.

[kirchh]

Thanks.

 

When you say micro-gloss, which product do you mean? This:

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTQzWDIzNA==/z/kesAAOSwGvhT99QA/$_12.JPG

 

Or this:

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/Nzk5WDMwMA==/z/MB4AAOSwEeFVEsIV/$_12.JPG

 

Micro-gloss, as I wrote it.

 

--Daniel