How to restore your tarnished shiny parts to a gleaming glow
Restore tarnished metal to bring your bike’s bling back
Think, access and clean 1
Every polishing job is unique due to condition, location, shape etc, so first you need to plan how to tackle it – can the part be left in place or will you have to remove it and other parts near to it? With the component/ area now accessible, give it an initial wipe over then thoroughly clean using a degreaser or contact cleaner to completely remove any road dirt or grease.
Take your coat off 2
Prior to polishing alloy you need to be sure that the part is free from lacquer. To remove any clear coatings apply a removal agent such as Nitromors with a brush and use a green Scotchbrite pad for any stubborn bits. When you’re satisfied that the lacquer or paint has been removed rinse the part thoroughly in water to remove all traces of the stripping agent.
Bag yourself a kit 3
This polishing kit comprises four mops and four compounds, and an arbour that attaches to the drill. The individual mops are then used progressively from the coarsest to the finest, with the relevant coloured compound for each mop. Make sure you use eye protection and a face mask as polishing produces a lot of dust from both the polishing mop and compounds.
Use the Sisal mop first… 4
Use a vice or workbench and firmly secure the part you are polishing. It needs to be gripped tightly enough to hold it in case the mop catches an edge. The Sisal mop is the coarsest and should be used first. Apply the compound for two seconds while the mop is spinning in the drill. The heat generated by the friction will melt the compound into the mop.
Polishing out scratches 5
Start by applying medium pressure and vary direction constantly. When polishing out marks or scratches it’s important to go ‘across’ them as opposed to ‘with’ them. Apply more compound if necessary but if black streaks appear you’ve used to much. At the end, there should be a uniform dull finish with all scratches removed.
Time to go green 6
Remove the Sisal mop and fit the stitched one, then apply the green compound in the same way as before for two seconds. Using medium pressure again, polish the piece in varying directions, applying more compound if necessary. Work on any imperfections and scratches using a little more pressure.
Time for a quality finish 7
Now fit the quality mop and use the pink compound. This stage requires only minimal pressure and you should vary the direction of mop travel. During this stage you’ll create a bright, impressive finish. Ensure any marks have been removed, if not repeat the previous step. This can be the final stage if desired.
Tackle those knocks 8
Not all marks and scratches will polish out. This handlebar clamp has taken a knock and has deformed on the contact area. Polishing something like this out with a mop would most likely take all week, so the quickest way to do it is by using hand tools like a file then restore the original satin finish using a satin lap mop.
File away the faults 9
Use a file to reduce damage by drawing it very lightly over any raised, distorted area first. Start with a coarse file and then work your way down to a finer one. You could also try removing the damage with a flap wheel in a drill or if you have a Dremmel there will be a tool that can dress the area down with speed and precision.
Restore that satin finish 10
Satin lap mops are similar to Scotchbrite pads but are reinforced so don’t fly apart when used in a drill. It’s important to secure any part in a vice when using these as any sharp edges can cause the mop to grip. They don’t need much pressure so feel how aggressive it is and work to get an consistent finish with minimal pressure.