Thread: Restoring clear scales

What is the best way to clean up and polish clear/semi clear scales without scratching them. Is there a good way to work out scratches and "fogging".

thanks,
Glen

On my regular scales I use metal polish (like MAAS) and a felt buffing wheel. ALWAYS use the lowest setting possible on the Dremel and keep the wheel moving at all times.

Yea, I have used MAAS on my straight with the solid black scales and it cleaned up nicely. I was just a bit reserved about using it on the semi clear scales.

I guess you could always try it on a little corner as a test, I don't see why it would be any different than a regular scale.

I just got my first tube of MAAS so I don't know if it works too, but for sure Flitz and Blue Magic polishes work great on clear scales...

I only use FLITZ on scales and ALWAYS apply and remove it by hand. If there are scratches I LIGHTLY go over the scales with 0000 steel wool. Then I apply the FLITZ.

I use micromesh and then the white polishing compound that is meant for plastics. I think it is the same as is in the strop dressing. It is in the English Custom Polish silver polish so I use that with soft cloth wheels. It is all about grit size and I find that it takes higher than the 12000 micromesh to not have any noticable markings.

+1 for all of the above. I will follow up with a very light coating carnauba wax.

I agree also with all of the above, and would use Maas as a first go, and then use renaissance wax....

One thing that concerns me though (and I'm starting to think I'm the town crier on this point) is the 'fogging' you mentioned. Are the clear scales turing yellow or orange as they 'fog'? If they are celluloid, this would be an indication that they are starting to break down.... Of the celluloids, the clear, with no color addative, is most apt to degrade.

If your scales are in fact, clear celluloid and are breaking down, get them away from your blades....they will only cause the metal to rust!

You can always make a replacement set with a plexiglass or a high grade plexiglass (the name escapes me now, but it begins with a "L"). I recently did this with a d.duck satinwedge (I'll post pictures later tonight if I remember). You can get the stuff at Home Depot for cheap.....

Anyway, that's my $0.02

C utz

You mean Lexan. Nice stuff but hard to work with. Has to be hand worked or it melts easily.