Reconstituting dry compound

It's time to get back to my polishing projects, so I've dug out my compounds and found them to be dry. I then placed them in ziploc bags with a couple of squirts of water and waited patiently for a week or so. Still they remain dry. Instead of loading up my dremel felts as the did in the past, they crumble and shoot across the room.

I've used water, does anyone use something else?

My first thought is to just wait longer, because I can't imagine anything working better than water. Maybe move them to a warmer spot as well. If that doesn't work, I don't know what would. Have you noticed if the water level in the bag has dropped (aka - has it absorbed any water thus far)?

Polishing compounds are usually held together with either grease or wax, neither one of which will 'reconstitute' with an application of water.

Those waxes and/grease compounds will dissolve with such things as naptha, acetone or laquer thinner, but (unfortunately) these will not necessarily restore the qualities that make for a good binding of the polishing compound to the wheel(s).

Worst case scenario: You might have to purchase fresh polishing compounds

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Originally Posted by ignatz

Worst case scenario: You might have to purchase fresh polishing compounds

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What the man says and/or just your dry rouges as is.

Oh... duh! Hence the other stuff being called greaseless...

a little off topic, but kinda relevant

Some of the greasless compounds use hide glue for the binder. Hide glue is soluable in water. When I use the greasless compounds that look like a tube of cookie dough I will set them cut end down in a shallow dish of water. It keeps the glue soft and easy to apply. It is a trick I learned from Randydance.

Charlie

So that's it?? They're toast??

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Originally Posted by MarkinLondon

So that's it?? They're toast??

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Use as is or order some new fresh ones cause there's no miracle MacGyver stuff to revive them. Adding the water and stuffed them in a zip lock bag for a week might have made it worse.

Are you suggesting that MacGuyver would order new compound? Wouldn't he just fix it with his Swiss army knife and a Rueben sandwich?

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Originally Posted by spazola

When I use the greasless compounds that look like a tube of cookie dough I will set them cut end down in a shallow dish of water. It keeps the glue soft and easy to apply.

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Question: Does it work because it adds water, or because it prevents air to get to it, thereby preventing the drying out of the product? I never worked with greaseless compounds, but in theory one might think storing them permanently in water could keep them fresh, as long as they are not dissolved. At least for the wax bound ones? Just a thought.

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Originally Posted by str8fencer

Question: Does it work because it adds water, or because it prevents air to get to it, thereby preventing the drying out of the product? I never worked with greaseless compounds, but in theory one might think storing them permanently in water could keep them fresh, as long as they are not dissolved. At least for the wax bound ones? Just a thought.

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It works because of both reasons, soaking in water and keeping air out. But if you keep them in water for long periods of time they will dissolve. I only do this when I am actively using them and I only keep them in about a 1/4 inch of water. When I am through with the session I put them in zip lock bags and put them in the refrigerator.

Charlie

The guy who taught me, Doc Molenaar, now puts wet paper towels around the ends of the greaseless compound with a rubber band and stands them up in a pie tin to which he occasionally adds water to keep the paper towels moist.

Regarding your dried out wax/grease compounds I have no useful suggestions. :(