Steel wool for metal polishing...when to use and when not to use?

[Ron Atchison]

None taken, not sure why there would be but anyway. It's hard to say without actually seeing the scratches.

0000 steelwool is not even close to being uniform in size or texture and there are many varibles that come into play it's hard to say start here. Depending if the user was aggressive when they were using it, how clean the metal was before they scrubbed it, were they grinding in dirt along with the coarsness of the steelwool, so the scratches could be of varying depth and that is going to determine your starting point. Sometimes it's just trial and error just like correcting paint.

Your best to start with the finest paper you can and see if it removes them, if not move down to the next grit. If I were to give you a starting point to get out the typical scratches I would say start with 2000. You can always go corser if you need to. You'll know pretty quick if it going to cut it or not.

Hope I answered your question.

[Rix6]

No disrespect rzatch, but what grit sandpaper would you reccomend for 0000 scratch removal?

None taken, not sure why there would be but anyway. It's hard to say without actually seeing the scratches.

I don't know why there would be any disrespect either, there's nothing disrespectful about asking an honest question.

Rzatch, thanks for your quick guide to polishing up stainless. It seems like after the exhaust tips are polished up, the bronze wool from Ace Hardware mentioned by soto would be ok to use for soot removal without scratching since bronze is softer than stainless. Actually I'm surprised that steel wool scratches stainless. Stainless is quite hard. I never would have guessed that a hard grade of steel would be used for steel wool. Learn something new every day.

-Rick

[Vegas Transplant]

None taken, not sure why there would be but anyway. It's hard to say without actually seeing the scratches.

0000 steelwool is not even close to being uniform in size or texture and there are many varibles that come into play it's hard to say start here. Depending if the user was aggressive when they were using it, how clean the metal was before they scrubbed it, were they grinding in dirt along with the coarsness of the steelwool, so the scratches could be of varying depth and that is going to determine your starting point. Sometimes it's just trial and error just like correcting paint.

Your best to start with the finest paper you can and see if it removes them, if not move down to the next grit. If I were to give you a starting point to get out the typical scratches I would say start with 2000. You can always go corser if you need to. You'll know pretty quick if it going to cut it or not.

Hope I answered your question.[/QUOTE]

I have a tendency to post excessively at times. My thought would be to polish(correct) first, with a polish made for stainless; least aggressive method first. The lesser of two evils (as opposed to sanding).

I don't know why there would be any disrespect either, there's nothing disrespectful about asking an honest question.

Rzatch, thanks for your quick guide to polishing up stainless. It seems like after the exhaust tips are polished up, the bronze wool from Ace Hardware mentioned by soto would be ok to use for soot removal without scratching since bronze is softer than stainless. Actually I'm surprised that steel wool scratches stainless. Stainless is quite hard. I never would have guessed that a hard grade of steel would be used for steel wool. Learn something new every day.

-Rick

What makes you think that bronze wool would not scratch SS. We are not talking rocket science.

[shoeless89]

I gotta try some bronze wool!

[ScottB]

have you tried to repolish the tips now with a metal finishing polish ??? I find using something like English Custom Polishes Showmans Version or Custom Blend to work extremely well after brass/steel wool.

[Vegas Transplant]

I gotta try some bronze wool!

I agree. I too need to try this product - especially on my next wood finishing project.

Stainless is hard. It eats up sandpaper, and it takes longer to sand than you may imagine. If you don't sand each grit thoroughly, and get all of the scratches from the previous grit , what you end up with is highly polished scratches. IMO and others at a Metal Polishing and Finishing forum that I belong to, you have to use a machine to finish out flawlessly.

[Dan Metzler]

I agree. I too need to try this product - especially on my next wood finishing project.

Stainless is hard. It eats up sandpaper, and it takes longer to sand than you may imagine. If you don't sand each grit thoroughly, and get all of the scratches from the previous grit , what you end up with is highly polished scratches. IMO and others at a Metal Polishing and Finishing forum that I belong to, you have to use a machine to finish out flawlessly.

Had no idea such a forum existed. What is it called?

[Vegas Transplant]

sending pm

[Dan Metzler]

sending pm

Got it and replied...Thanks!

[Ron Atchison]

VT I don't know which one you visit but I like this one.
Anodizing, Plating, Powder Coating, & Surface Finishing