Proper Way To Polish Plastics On Fountain Pens?

[Zillaxila]

Hello everyone...

 

I have seen and read lots of posts about wax cleaning and polishing pens. I have gather that the majority prefer simichrome and renaissance wax seals. However where I live (Panama), there is no place that have this products.

 

So I went to the hardware store and found the Johnson´s Paste wax. It says that it is for polishing wood, metals, leather and PLASTICS....However I just wanted to be sure that it is safe on any kind of plastics or if it is too abrasive? or has some chemicals that may cause damage?...for example: resins, alumilites, lucites, polycarbonates, bakelite, hard rubber or ebonite... but most importantly Celluloid and Casein since they are natural materials.

 

I also have a polish wet liquid that comes in an atomizer, it is for plastics and leather that create a thin film and creates a "wet look" on the pen, it is not abrasive. This procedure should be last after the wax paste application.

I will use a cleaning jewelers cloth to apply the wax and see how it works, then apply the liquid sealant.

 

To be sure I will use a cheap pen first and experiment with it.

 

My question is if someone has used this Johnson's Wax Paste before and if it is safe?

 

Thank you everyone for the help!

 

 

[pajaro]

I have used this product on many items, including some pens. No trouble with it.

 

Ergo it is axiomatic that experts will crawl out of the woodwork to condemn its use.

 

Montblanc precious resin did not seem to suffer. But wait. Someone will explain why the pen will turn to dust quite soon. The polishing was about thirty years ago. Magical number.

[robert1962]

I agree with Pajaro, in that I have not noticed any problems with any (mostly celluloid) pens that I have waxed over the years. I use a mico-crystalline wax now, for no more reason than I bought a jar to see if it was any better than my 20 year old can of Johnsons. A mild solvent and wax, with no abrasives makes either pretty safe, in my mind.

 

What is the other product you mention? Some of the "one step" concoctions have some ingredients which may be harmful.

 

Bob

[kirchh]

I don't recommending coating pens with wax, or with anything else that is supposed to remain on the pen. Should it be desired or necessary, these coatings may prove quite difficult to remove. They negatively affect the feel of the pen, in my opinion. Celluloid, which tends to emit some damaging chemicals, may self-destruct more rapidly if these substances are entrapped by a coating.

 

What exactly are you trying to achieve by waxing and "sealing" old pens?

 

--Daniel

[Ron Z]

I have used this product on many items, including some pens. No trouble with it.

 

Ergo it is axiomatic that experts will crawl out of the woodwork to condemn its use.

 

Montblanc precious resin did not seem to suffer. But wait. Someone will explain why the pen will turn to dust quite soon. The polishing was about thirty years ago. Magical number.

 

If your comments are intended to discourage those of us who work with pens and see the results of exposure to chemicals from saying you are wrong, think again. I used to use carnauba wax until I discovered the potential for damage, and also found that there are products that give a better shine without risking exposure to chemicals or solvents. I do not use wax at all when polishing pens. Nor do I use Simicrome to polish plastic (of any type) pens.

 

Montblanc resin is fairly chemical resistant. Lucite used in Parker 51s is fairly chemical resistant, though to a lesser degree (methylene chloride will dissolve a 51). Celluloid used in vintage pens is not, and the pre-WWII German celluloids are especially vulnerable. David Nishimura says that you may as well have a "use by" date on some of them because they seem to have a limited life before they turn in to "granulated sugar." Once celluloid starts to decay, there is no stopping it. There is nothing quite like pulling out a pen and discovering that the celluloid has started to break down. It is the kiss of death. You may find this article to be interesting. There was also an article that discussed the difficulty in removing so called "museum" wax like Renaissance Wax from items, and the subsequent damage to them. I just can't find the link at the moment.

 

Wax, even Carnauba wax often contains acids, and the acids may trigger decay in celluloid. Not that it will, but the potential is there. Wax, as Daniel pointed out, also seals in the gasses given off by nitrocellulose, which can trigger decay. Conservators say to store celluloid products in an environment where it can breathe, and wax can can prevent or limit that. Wax like Johnson's also contains solvents. The MSDS says that it is 75%-85% isoparaffinic hydrocarbon solvent 10%-30% paraffin, 5%-10% carnauba wax. I know that the numbers add up to more than 100%, but that's what's on the sheet.

 

The point is that the product is for cleaning, and contains more hydrocarbon solvents than wax. Neither the solvents, nor the wax are beneficial or appropriate to use on a pen. There are products out there that have neither solvents nor waxes that do an excellent job in polishing plastics. If you want to use a floor wax on your celluloid pen, and have the residue in contact with your skin, that's your right. But I won't, and don't recommend it.

 

edit: Apparently there have been some changes in the formula, or at least on the MSDS. Go to different parts of their website, and you get different information. This was the most recent MSDS. I don't know if this means a change in formula, or a different way or more precise way of describing what's in it. Stuff like ethyl benzine.

 

http://www.mainstreetpens.com/pix/johnsonswax.jpg

[Zillaxila]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

 

So I am curious to know what Kirchh and Ron Z use for cleaning and polish vintage pens?

 

I know there are some collectors that prefer the pens to be untouched and look the actual distress trough the ages. But me personally I prefer them to be in "like new" condition, so there needs to be a process of polishing to make them shine again and create the luster once they had.

 

Also we are talking about small amounts of wax being applied, not like I am bathing the plastics and expose them for long periods of time.

[FOUR X FOUR]

Steph of Grandmias pens has done some YouTube videos, showing him sand a pen to a hi gloss finish. He used several different grades until the desired polish was achieved.

[JonSzanto]

If your comments are intended to discourage those of us who work with pens and see the results of exposure to chemicals from saying you are wrong, think again.

 

There was also an article that discussed the difficulty in removing so called "museum" wax like Renaissance Wax from items, and the subsequent damage to them. I just can't find the link at the moment.

 

For the first comment, and all of the rest of your commentary, thanks, Ron. I always appreciate information from people whose data set (i.e. pens worked on) is in the tens of thousands.

 

As to the article on R Wax and museums, I believe it might be this one.

 

Lastly, I believe Daniel has mentioned a product as the only thing he would use, a dry polish of some micro-something (gloss? glass?), and I'll be damned if I can remember what it is, and my search isn't turning up anything. When a customer would like the appearance of a pen improved, do you do anything?

[tryphon]

 

If your comments are intended to discourage those of us who work with pens and see the results of exposure to chemicals from saying you are wrong, think again. I used to use carnauba wax until I discovered the potential for damage, and also found that there are products that give a better shine without risking exposure to chemicals or solvents. I do not use wax at all when polishing pens. Nor do I use Simicrome to polish plastic (of any type) pens.

 

Montblanc resin is fairly chemical resistant. Lucite used in Parker 51s is fairly chemical resistant, though to a lesser degree (methylene chloride will dissolve a 51). Celluloid used in vintage pens is not, and the pre-WWII German celluloids are especially vulnerable. David Nishimura says that you may as well have a "use by" date on some of them because they seem to have a limited life before they turn in to "granulated sugar." Once celluloid starts to decay, there is no stopping it. There is nothing quite like pulling out a pen and discovering that the celluloid has started to break down. It is the kiss of death. You may find this article to be interesting. There was also an article that discussed the difficulty in removing so called "museum" wax like Renaissance Wax from items, and the subsequent damage to them. I just can't find the link at the moment.

 

Wax, even Carnauba wax often contains acids, and the acids may trigger decay in celluloid. Not that it will, but the potential is there. Wax, as Daniel pointed out, also seals in the gasses given off by nitrocellulose, which can trigger decay. Conservators say to store celluloid products in an environment where it can breathe, and wax can can prevent or limit that. Wax like Johnson's also contains solvents. The MSDS says that it is 75%-85% isoparaffinic hydrocarbon solvent 10%-30% paraffin, 5%-10% carnauba wax. I know that the numbers add up to more than 100%, but that's what's on the sheet.

 

The point is that the product is for cleaning, and contains more hydrocarbon solvents than wax. Neither the solvents, nor the wax are beneficial or appropriate to use on a pen. There are products out there that have neither solvents nor waxes that do an excellent job in polishing plastics. If you want to use a floor wax on your celluloid pen, and have the residue in contact with your skin, that's your right. But I won't, and don't recommend it.

 

edit: Apparently there have been some changes in the formula, or at least on the MSDS. Go to different parts of their website, and you get different information. This was the most recent MSDS. I don't know if this means a change in formula, or a different way or more precise way of describing what's in it. Stuff like ethyl benzine.

 

http://www.mainstreetpens.com/pix/johnsonswax.jpg

 

 

Excellent post, Ron. I have been through all the phases and I agree with Ron's comments 100%.

[pajaro]

While there are materials to polish pens that have been tested and are generally accepted as the best for polishing pens, Once in 1983, after I had bought a Montblanc 144R bordeaux pen, I used some Johnson's paste wax on it one time. I never polished the pen again, and it still looks good after quite a few years of use. If any of you people are discouraged from using all the products you have raved about here for a long time by my comments, your confidence in your methods must be weak indeed.

 

I use Johnson's wax on a pen one time, way long ago before reading all the stuff here. Having read a lot of pen polishing methods here, I fully expected numerous slapdowns of my chance polishing of the Montblanc with Johnson's once. My expectations have been fully and richly rewarded. Do you never see the humor in anything?

[TSherbs]

.... There are products out there that have neither solvents nor waxes that do an excellent job in polishing plastics. ....

 

Such as? I think that the OP (and I) would certainly be grateful for a specific reference to an alternative product that you have experienced and consider safer.

[TSherbs]

While there are materials to polish pens that have been tested and are generally accepted as the best for polishing pens, ...

Such as?

[kirchh]

If any of you people are discouraged from using all the products you have raved about here for a long time by my comments, your confidence in your methods must be weak indeed.

 

Could you rewrite this sentence so that it makes sense?

 

Thanks!

 

--Daniel

[Zookie]

I've been looking for a good plastic polish for quite a while,and have tried many.It doesn't have to be a wax,just something to get the scratches smoothed out a bit.About the only thing I haven't tried is toothpaste,which I'm not so sure would work.

Any ideas?

[tryphon]

For lucite or acrylic pens, you can try the Novus polishes. Use only the two milder variants.

[kirchh]

I don't like the two finest Novus polishes because they deposit silicone/wax coatings.

 

--Daniel

[Ron Z]

The polish that I use is Micro-gloss. A micro crystal abrasive polish in a water suspension. Nothing else. No chemicals, no solvents. It does a fantastic job of celluloid, acrylic, even metal, and is the last thing that touches any plastic pen that I restore or that I sell. Not the best for hard rubber because it tends to lodge in pores of the rubber, but then again hard rubber isn't effected by things the way that celluloid is.

[JonSzanto]

The polish that I use is Micro-gloss. A micro crystal abrasive polish in a water suspension.

 

Thank you - that was the product that Daniel had mentioned elsewhere and I kept typing micro-glass to search for it!

[TSherbs]

The polish that I use is Micro-gloss. A micro crystal abrasive polish in a water suspension. Nothing else. No chemicals, no solvents. It does a fantastic job of celluloid, acrylic, even metal, and is the last thing that touches any plastic pen that I restore or that I sell. Not the best for hard rubber because it tends to lodge in pores of the rubber, but then again hard rubber isn't effected by things the way that celluloid is.

roger roger

[lcoldfield]

I also use Micro-gloss. It is a water based product that is used by the military for polishing plastic canopies. It comes in at least two grades to enable scratch removal and also fine polishing.

Laurence