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Dull, scratched scales
- Thread starter Privateer
- Start date
RotoKid (son of FelineVet) sells a neat-o plastic polish that works very well on cellidor scales. Email him at rotokid@gmail.com
400/600 grit wet-sanding first if you have really bad scratches, then:
I've heard good things about most car polishes but haven't used but one and can't remember which it was
I use a product by Meguiar's called Scratch-X.
It's a car care product favored by many of us who play with plastic cars.
It works wonders at removing surface scratches on almost any smooth plastic (or fiber glass) surface.
dan
I've heard good things about most car polishes but haven't used but one and can't remember which it was
just be real careful with petrolium based polishing paste.
if it's too "wet", chances are that it might react or corrode petrolium based materials.
let it dry up a little first before application; better yet, try the polish on a transparent front of a cd box case and see if it leaves any noticable scratches rather than removing the blemishes.
btw, stay clear of "METAL" polishes that tend to be highly abrasive in nature and because it contains rougher textured abrasive materials for application on harder surfaces and naturally therefore leaves even far deeper scratches/inprints as proof of it's polishing effectiveness in metal application.
as suggested, look through the auto section for a suitable product dealing with scratched auto paint repair like a "Rubbing Compound". Which is sort of a finer abrasive paste for auto paint repair through buffing. A little goes a long way! A tiny dap and work it with a fine cloth and not a dirty rag.
if it's too "wet", chances are that it might react or corrode petrolium based materials.
let it dry up a little first before application; better yet, try the polish on a transparent front of a cd box case and see if it leaves any noticable scratches rather than removing the blemishes.
btw, stay clear of "METAL" polishes that tend to be highly abrasive in nature and because it contains rougher textured abrasive materials for application on harder surfaces and naturally therefore leaves even far deeper scratches/inprints as proof of it's polishing effectiveness in metal application.
as suggested, look through the auto section for a suitable product dealing with scratched auto paint repair like a "Rubbing Compound". Which is sort of a finer abrasive paste for auto paint repair through buffing. A little goes a long way! A tiny dap and work it with a fine cloth and not a dirty rag.
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2006
- Messages
- 1,350
it's a lot of work, and I would also suggest just getting new scales from the above places
but some people do like the work and the payoff!
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,10832.0.html
(in swiss forum, under thread "Battered Swisschamp gets a wee make over")
MultiMat did a great job! (before)
(after)
but some people do like the work and the payoff!
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,10832.0.html
(in swiss forum, under thread "Battered Swisschamp gets a wee make over")
MultiMat did a great job! (before)
(after)
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2006
- Messages
- 8,210
Although I've seldom seen stores advertise Victorinox replacement/repair some of the local mom and pop shops have replacement parts under the counter. If you have a local mom and pop shop that sells Swiss army knives, you might ask the salesperson if they have replacement scales. I used to buy from centralvalley on Ebay until I realized that my local store carried the parts. Of course, sometimes its just more cost effective to buy a new knife (or several new knives) when there's a clearance at Target or $10 off $50 at Amazon. If you're fond of a particular knife, you could just swap its scales with one of that was on clearance. Also check the Exchange section of bladeforums.
One of the clean up's on those scratched scales after the 600 grit and the white auto compound have gotten the worst out is jewlers ruge(SP??) there are cloth silver polish rags available that are impregnated with that stuff - a very fine dark red paste -I think that Dremel tool accessories also cary it in tube form - also be really careful with insect repellants - like "deepwoods off" and others containing "DEET" - that will turn the scales to jelly! Trust me on that one - I've had it happen!
Peace
Revvie
Peace
Revvie
Cellidor scales are best polished by hand, regardless of what you use.
Power buffing, even with a Dremel, can get them hot quickly and create an orange peel look or worse. Just my .02 from bad experience.
--Mike L.
A little tip for hand polishing:
My fingers give out after a while if I just hold the knife in one hand and rub with the other, so ...
Open the main blade, stick it between 2 small blocks of scrap wood and clamp it down in a vise. Then polish using a "shoe shining" motion. If you have trouble working sideways, you can turn it by screwing or clamping the blocks of wood together and then rotating them in the vise.
I had some 1x2 maple left over from a project and it worked much better than pine - it's harder and you can clamp it better. $.94/ft at HD and you only need a foot.
No vise? Lay your polish-impregnated rag on a piece of thin soft foam, leave the knife closed, and rub it over the rag. A mousepad is great for this.
oh and btw, amature polishers/shine boys; please note that there will be heat build up as you go along setting friction with those polishing hand motions.
you may go fast but remember to lessen downward hand pressure as you ground to a halt for every minute or so. this allows the scale material to cool... otherwise the built up abraded scale material on the polishing cloth will ball up in clumps and harded, thus ruining the scales once more if you don't routinely use a clean area or patch of cloth when working with the new dabs of polish from time to time.
also, you will leave impressions of your handiwork in the form of minute surface impressions as polishing is an abrasive action.
you can see this better in direct bright sunlight or artificial light source.
just turn the face of the scales around a bit for that particular ideal angle to bring out those fine "scratchings".
new scales exhibit very little, if not a near pristine flawless surface.
so be careful how you polish, rush it and it shows!
as for polishing action, some prefer straight up 'n down polishing motions but i prefer to end with quick tiny circular motions on the entire scale from end to end to give the entire scale surface my idea of a uniform look.
you may go fast but remember to lessen downward hand pressure as you ground to a halt for every minute or so. this allows the scale material to cool... otherwise the built up abraded scale material on the polishing cloth will ball up in clumps and harded, thus ruining the scales once more if you don't routinely use a clean area or patch of cloth when working with the new dabs of polish from time to time.
also, you will leave impressions of your handiwork in the form of minute surface impressions as polishing is an abrasive action.
you can see this better in direct bright sunlight or artificial light source.
just turn the face of the scales around a bit for that particular ideal angle to bring out those fine "scratchings".
new scales exhibit very little, if not a near pristine flawless surface.
so be careful how you polish, rush it and it shows!
as for polishing action, some prefer straight up 'n down polishing motions but i prefer to end with quick tiny circular motions on the entire scale from end to end to give the entire scale surface my idea of a uniform look.
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