Hi Ann,
I have stripped and polished some NR parts using the technique Ken suggested, although for stripping I used a solution of Lye drain cleaner and soaked the parts for 10 minutes or so.
You can definately get Mother's polish at your local Harley shop as that is where it got it's start. I have found that quite a few auto parts stores (Trak Auto, etc.) carry it now too. I have been polishing various aluminum parts for over thirty years now (mostly in my pre-enlightened motorcycle days) and Mother's is my favorite polish, with Simichrome a close second.
Once you remove the anodizing you will be a slave to Simichrome (or Mother's). The price of beauty!
Paul Raley Leonartown (aka Siberia) MD
ADP <aphillips9@mindspring.com> wrote:
>I've been following the thread on cleaning anodized parts with great
>interest. So far, I've Simichromed my Record hubset to a beautiful shine,
>and I'd like the rest of the group to match.
>
>I'm going to repost Ken and Pete's posts to ask some specific questions...
>
>>Ken,
>>
>>
>>Thanks again. Your advice was great. Did my Campy Record cranks today.
>>Turned out great--they shine like a mirror--just like you said. I did find
>>out that the new, improved, no odor Easy-Off doesn't work--it's not lye.
>>Got the "original" Easy-Off and that did the trick. Also found it useful to
>>use a small utility brush to move the Easy-Off around the surface while it
>>worked--it helped it attack the surface more uniformly. I proceeded
>>cautiously--leaving it on only about 3 minutes at a time at first; repeated
>>the application a few times.
>
>Pete - were your cranks pretty beat up? I ask, because it sounds as if you
>treated them for about 12 minutes. Mine have minor discolorations, but no
>real scratches.
>
>> The aluminum turned blackish, like you said.
>>I even did a little sanding with 400, 600, 1000, and 1500 grit paper to
>>remove (or at least improve) some of the nicks; again, Mother's brought it
>>back to a mirror shine. What a difference from the dull, whitish cast it
>>had before!
>
>Where did you get the Mother's aluminum polish? Does NOT sound like the
>stuff I use on my Calphalon pots and pans. I wonder of the Mother's would
>work well on it's own.
>
>
>
>>Pete
>>Woodbridge, VA
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: <Huemax@aol.com>
>>To: <prutledge1@comcast.net>; <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>>Sent: Saturday, February 15, 2003 1:52 PM
>>Subject: Re: [CR]How can I strip the clearcoat from Campy cranks?
>>
>>
>>
>> > Hi, Pete,
>> >
>> > Use Easy Off Oven cleaner, ware your glove and eye protector.
>> >
>> > After you spray, it will turn "black", do not worry it is O.K.
>> > It only takes 3 to 5 min. to take off anodized finish, use prenty
>> > of warm water to wash off, and use Mother's Aluminum Polish
>> > to finish up, it will shine like a mirror finish. I have done 3 times
>> > in this way.
>
>Hey Ken, - I just want to be sure about something... Does the oven cleaner
>actually remove the anodized finish? Isn't that bad? Assuming that Easy
>Off does remove the anodization from the cranks, doesn't that mean they
>will oxidize again in time - that this treatment will need to be repeated
>on a regular basis?
>
>> >
>> > KEN TODA, High Point, NC, 20 minutes away from our Webmaster!
>
>
>Finally, could I also do this with the brakes and other aluminum parts?
>
>Ann Phillips - Atlanta GA
>(who would like to have one bike clean enough to eat off of)
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>
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