Polishing synthetic scales

I'm restoring a straight (Fidelity- Solingen, blonde cellulite scales) as a gift. It had noticable scratches, staining and uneven wear from handling. Here's what I did to fix that worked in a flash.

I lightly sanded the scales (no pressure, just gentle rubbing) using 1500 grit wet/dry paper, then 2000 grit. Afterwards I applied Mother's brand mag and aluminum polish with a microfiber cloth. I can't describe how quickly this made these scales shine and look new.

Afterwards I tried various grit papers and abrasives including:
Comet powder,
Whirlpool stainless steel polish,
Turtle Wax rubbing compound,
200/320/600/800/1500/2000 paper

to some other 'test' scales (i.e. broken, chipped, etc.). What I found was:


My first method (1500/2000 paper followed by Mother's) was the best approach for deep scratches

2000 paper followed by Mother's was best for very light scratches

Mother's alone was best for little or no scratches.


The Mother's also worked exceptionally on inlaid metals on the scales as well.


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That said this is my personal experience which is posted to help others quickly restore scales. As with any new technique or product, always test on an inconspicuous area or 'test' scales first.

Sincerely,

Chrisgiraffe