A little haze on my aluminum

[Nobeard]

I have a beautiful Gillette 58 in aluminum. I cleaned it in an ultrasonic cleaner with a few drops of dishwashing detergent and a small splash of a pen cleaning concoction which includes some ammonia.

I noticed a bit of a haze in a few places on the razor. It is only on the underside and a bit between the "stripes" on the handle. The big areas like the doors and sides are unaffected and are quite shiny.

I don't know if the haze was there before the bath or not. An unrelated fact: I remember an aluminum kitchen pot that had sort of a haze after putting it in the dishwasher.

Any nuggets of wisdom would be much appreciated.

 

[Clay S]

I have a beautiful Gillette 58 in aluminum. I cleaned it in an ultrasonic cleaner with a few drops of dishwashing detergent and a small splash of a pen cleaning concoction which includes some ammonia.

I noticed a bit of a haze in a few places on the razor. It is only on the underside and a bit between the "stripes" on the handle. The big areas like the doors and sides are unaffected and are quite shiny.

I don't know if the haze was there before the bath or not. An unrelated fact: I remember an aluminum kitchen pot that had sort of a haze after putting it in the dishwasher.

Any nuggets of wisdom would be much appreciated.

Aluminum oxidizes. I would guess that the ammonia stayed wet in the areas that are hazed longer than other places.

Two choices to prevent it, anodizing and coating. Lots of coating choices: Waxes, oils, paints(clear).

 

[RayClem]

Pure aluminum is a very reactive metal. It does not like to be in the presence of alkaline products: lie, ammonia, baking soda, washing soda, etc. Chlorine bleaches like Chlorox are also alkaline and will discolor aluminum. Thus, aluminum pans and flatware should not go into the dishwasher. Cleaners designed for aluminum are acidic. Diluted lemon juice or citric acid might work. Brasso is a metal polish designed for brass, copper, bronze, aluminum and staniness steel. It might be you best option.

 

[Nobeard]

So, will polishing with Brasso remove the haze?

 

[troy]

So, will polishing with Brasso remove the haze?

I think Brasso would work, but I would use Mothers mag and aluminum polish if it were me. Mostly because that's what I have on hand. Works wonders on nickel plating too.

 

[Clay S]

So, will polishing with Brasso remove the haze?

I think Brasso would work, but I would use Mothers mag and aluminum polish if it were me. Mostly because that's what I have on hand. Works wonders on nickel plating too.

Any metal polish will abrade it off. I wouldn't use Brasso because it will be trying to put it back on. It has ammonia in it. I would look for something that's just abrasives and waxes, or specifically for aluminium.

 

[BigJ]

Any metal polish will abrade it off. I wouldn't use Brasso because it will be trying to put it back on. It has ammonia in it. I would look for something that's just abrasives and waxes, or specifically for aluminium.

+1! Good advice!!

 

[sharpstar90]

Flitz polish. It won't abraid the metal and will coat it with a protective, water resistant layer. It will also remove corrosion that has settled in places. Definitely get the liquid and not the paste. I use it on all of my razors and have never had an issue with it. You can get it at some automotive stores and amazon.

 

[Splinter]

Be gentle and start with something like Flitz or Simichrome or if you can't wait, tooth past can work too. Just remember that by definition polishes remove some material - the black colored stuff on your cloth.

 

[romsitsa]

Hello,

the “big areas” are nickel plated brass, while the rest is aluminum. I’d use an aluminum polish instead of experimenting.

Adam

 

[Nobeard]

Thank you to everyone for the good advice. I tried using some Semichrome, as Splinter suggested since I already had some. It worked perfectly.

This is another example of learning by your mistakes.

 

[Splinter]

I was already pretty much done with the following - it still applies. Spoiler: thank goodness you did not reach for the Pepsodent!

Adam makes a really good point here.

I’d use an aluminum polish instead of experimenting

My apology for jumping so far ahead without providing adequate explanation or detail.

According to Gesswein:
"Simichrome works well on brass, bronze, chromium, aluminum and countless other similar metals. Simichrome is also used to charge dry polishing medias (such as Dri-Shine III, Walnut Shells, or crushed cob) for tumbling."
Simichrome is 8 to 10 microns or ~1,800-2,000 grit

According to Flitz:
Use on: Brass, Copper, Silverplate, Sterling Silver, Chrome, Stainless Steel, Nickel, Bronze, Solid Gold, Aluminum, Annodized Aluminum, Beryllium, Magnesium, Platinum, Pewter, Factory Hot Gun Bluing, Painted Surfaces, Formica®, Cultured Marble, Corian®, Glass, Plexiglas®, Plastics, Fiberglass, Eisenglass, and Armatel®"
AND, oddly
"Not for: Electroplated finishes" - Just a guess but I think they are talking about gold, brass and copper plating, etc. since solid metals are included above, though I doubt they are separating electroless nickel from chrome.
Flitz is 3-3.5 micron or around 7,000-8,000 grit
Mag Polish is around 4 micron or ~5,000 grit (frequently cited on this forum as another useful polish)

Understanding the specifications for the toothpaste gets a little sticky - like the paste. However, it is also fairly omnipresent. Toothpaste abrasiveness is rated by RDA (relative dentin abrasivity). A study was done here:
The importance of measuring toothpaste abrasivity in both a quantitative and qualitative way
where you can do a deep dive and geek out on several commercially available brands of toothpaste and the tooth polish your dentist/hygienist uses. The summary is:
Low end - Colgate Total with an RDA of 44 (40 = 2 micron) so 2-3 microns ~8,000-12,000 grit
High end - Pepsodent White Naturals with an RDA of 142 or about 34 microns ~500 grit

There are several other variables such as the actual abrasive used for the "grit", particle toughness/hardness, particle density/consistency, medium used to apply the paste (the implication was to use a soft cloth - I should have been more specific) and the action/pressure (the advice was "be gentle" and watch for the black stuff = material removal - should that be quantified more, perhaps).

Would I recommend polishing with 500 grit polish? That depends on the condition of the object and the goal of the polisher and the type of polish being used. Here we have what sounds like mild oxidation - so 500 is too aggressive in almost any form. Though the Pepsodent is at the extreme end in the chart (13 microns above 2nd place and more like 20+ microns above third place), it could be present in @Nobeard's medicine cabinet. Don't use Pepsodent.

Handling this antique with care and respect, @Nobeard might do (have done) better starting with vinegar first, then decide whether or not to use paste polishes: Simichrome, Flitz or Colgate Total (which most of us already use in close proximity to our face). Finally and equally important is preventing recurrence by following with some sort of renewable protective coating (e.g. wax). Simichrome does claim to leave behind a protective coating but we all know what is said about mileage.

 

[Nobeard]

Thank you Splinter for that information. Very useful.

I just thought of something. The razor parts that are aluminum are solid aluminum? ?? not sure.
If it is solid there should not be a problem with over polishing, right? Over polishing should be a problem when there is a thin layer of coating. Gold, platinum, whatever. If this is solid there should not be a problem.

 

[Splinter]

That depends on your intention. Polishing is meant to change the appearance of the surface. "Over polishing" would cause noticeable dimensional change: sooner with more, later with less but it will change. The result of which would be modification, not preservation.

 

[Nobeard]

No, I don't mean over polishing. Modification is not what I want to do at all. I just mean that there is not a thin coating of aluminum.
To me the aluminum looks slightly different than platinum or nickel. It has a warmer look, more like silver

 

[Esetter]

Bar Keepers friend has oxalic acid...hmmmm