I was curious if you should polish an aluminum Gillette Tech like any other DE? I know gold plated Gillettes should not be polished (with most polish anyway) or you could loose the finish. I'm assuming its fine go shine this guy up, but I wanted to put the question out there first.
Polishing an aluminum DE?
- Thread starter Loric
- Start date
Sure you can polish it. It won't stay shiny for very long though since aluminum oxidizes and dulls quickly on contact with air.
I've got a Brit. HD Rocket with the aluminum handle and it is a pain to polish.
It has a few nasty spots that just won't come out.
If you search the 'net or look around here you'll find a lot of articles on how to clean the oxidization off the razor.
None of those suggestions have removed the spots for me.
Good luck and pass along what you find.
It has a few nasty spots that just won't come out.
If you search the 'net or look around here you'll find a lot of articles on how to clean the oxidization off the razor.
None of those suggestions have removed the spots for me.
Good luck and pass along what you find.
I've just restored a Tech, and polished it.
I juse a mild rubbing compount thats called Seajet, it's made for polishing chrome parts on boats, I also use this to polish the frets on my guitars and it works quite well.
I juse a mild rubbing compount thats called Seajet, it's made for polishing chrome parts on boats, I also use this to polish the frets on my guitars and it works quite well.
Polish it once, and then don't polish it again. The whole idea behind aluminum is that it turns a light grey.
Aluminum will start to oxidize pretty much immediately after polishing when exposed to air. That extremely thin layer of oxidization is what protects the metal from corrosion. That's one of things that makes the metal rather remarkable and one of the reasons it's so widely used in aerospace for example. If that layer of "patina" was not there, the metal would simply turn into dust.
Aluminum will start to oxidize pretty much immediately after polishing when exposed to air. That extremely thin layer of oxidization is what protects the metal from corrosion. That's one of things that makes the metal rather remarkable and one of the reasons it's so widely used in aerospace for example. If that layer of "patina" was not there, the metal would simply turn into dust.
First step is a soak in warm vinegar. Second step is boiling it in the cleanest water you can. Third step is Jeweler's Rouge on a flannel wheel. If you don't have a dremmel tool, use something like eagle chrome nanopolish. Never use an abrasive polish on aluminum, or any plated razors.
Jeweler's rouge is preferable, though. It is a solid material which is comprised of just two ingredients: Iron oxide nanoparticles (rust, not magnetite), and wax. It leaves a protective wax coating on the surface which prevents further corrosion and tarnish, and the rust makes it incredibly bright and shiny.
I should have added that you won't be able to keep aluminum shining. It will pretty much start to turn grey right after you polish it. That's the charm of aluminum.
That's not the case. As I noted, polishing with jeweler's rouge will leave a protective wax finish that will keep it from oxidizing for an extended period of time.
