Thread: Question on using metal polish on scales

Hi,
I am not sure if it is OK to use metal polish on finished woods/horn/plastic, or if it is OK what I could use.

I have been using Brasso as it was the only one my hardware store carried, but that seemed to taint the finish on the scales, and I was only using it on the pins. I read that brasso was a really weak polisher compared to other brands, so I am forgoing brasso for the time being until I try out some others.

I now have TurtleWax Rubbing and Polishing (premium) as well as some Maas and I was wondering if those are suitable/safe for scales made of wood/acrylic/horn?

Thanks

It’s not the Brasso that’s staining the finish on your scales, it’s the oxides from the metal pins, same stuff that turns the polishing cloth black is also staining the finish on your scales… you cannot avoid the polishing cloth touching the scales.
This will also happen if you have a vintage razor with celluloid scales and metal inlay, as you polish some of the metal oxides get embedded in the plastic scales.

Things to avoid:
1) Never use too much polish to clean the pins… next time you should smear some polish on the polishing cloth then wipe it off with another cloth (or just use the other corner of the cloth), then polish the pins (I am assuming the scales were polished recently, you are only giving it a touch up… and it’s not decades old stains on the pins and washers).
2) Never rub too hard. What little heat that is generated will soften the surface of the plastic enough to embed the black stuff in the plastic scales.
2b) Avoid power tools (for the same reason as above).

Try these to fix it:
1) OK so now the pins are shiny but the scales are stained. Wipe/wash away any excess polish, with a wet soapy cloth, then use a clean, dry cloth (no polish) and rub the scales around the pins to remove the stains (in this case you may have to rub a little harder to re-soften the plastic and “rub out” the black stains).
2) Not sure about Brasso but I use Simichrome metal polish and it is oily. But you could try a wet, soapy rag afterwards to clean the stains on the pins around the scales, the oil tends to hold on to the black stuff only on the surface of the scales (but I guess you would already have done this in fix # 1).