Scuffed clearcoat on steel Lemond
07-06-20, 09:51 AM
#1
Newbie
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Scuffed clearcoat on steel Lemond
I did a dumb thing. I used a kitchen scrub sponge to try to get gunk off my shiny steel framed Lemond Croix de Fer. Any tips for restoring the shine? It's not deep, but detracts from the beauty.
07-06-20, 10:09 AM
#2
mechanically sound
Buffing compound(like is used for automobiles) and a rag.
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07-06-20, 10:25 AM
#3
I'm good to go!
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If it's in the clear coat, you can just have it clear coated again. Be sure to try and use something UV resistant. Don't expect common varnishes and stuff made for floors and furniture to work well over time.
Don't go wild with the buffing or rubbing compound. If you take the clear coat completely off in places, then you may have bigger issues with the color looking different in that area. But buffing it is a very good first step to try.
Don't go wild with the buffing or rubbing compound. If you take the clear coat completely off in places, then you may have bigger issues with the color looking different in that area. But buffing it is a very good first step to try.
Last edited by Iride01; 07-06-20 at 10:28 AM.
07-06-20, 10:26 AM
#4
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I tried a car scratch remover/polisher with no luck. Started to worry that the micro abrasives were worsening it. Possibly quit too soon?
07-06-20, 10:36 AM
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If the clear coat looks hazy, use a polishing compound to diminish the appearance, then apply a few coats of wax. Wax, when applied well, fills those micro scratches and levels it out. Use a more aggressive compound with visible discrete scratches, followed by polisher, then wax.
In the future, use goo gone or other non-abrasive solvent to remove residues. Your steel appreciates its anaerobic environment intact.
Last edited by Unca_Sam; 07-06-20 at 10:37 AM. Reason: The scratches are not secretive, they are easily separated from each other.
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07-06-20, 03:13 PM
#6
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Thank you. I'll try that. It doesn't have individual scratches, so much as it's cloudy/not shiny. I'll try the polish/wax option. Not quite to the re-doing the clearcoat level.
07-06-20, 03:21 PM
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For a bike use cornstarch and water, very light pressure, lots of circular motion, wax-on wax-off stuff.
Once you have polished things smooth with the cornstarch rinse and finish it off with wax.
Car wax makes getting sticking residue off quite simple. Dish soap like Dawn dissolves wax. If you keep a good coat of wax on the bike the soap will dissolve from underneath any residue removing it with no scrubbing. Of course this means you should wash your bike with an automotive grade cleaner that doesn't dissolve wax.
Automotive buffing compound comes in multiple grades, most of which are way too coarse for a bike finish. Cornstarch is a finish grade polishing compound
Once you have polished things smooth with the cornstarch rinse and finish it off with wax.
Car wax makes getting sticking residue off quite simple. Dish soap like Dawn dissolves wax. If you keep a good coat of wax on the bike the soap will dissolve from underneath any residue removing it with no scrubbing. Of course this means you should wash your bike with an automotive grade cleaner that doesn't dissolve wax.
Automotive buffing compound comes in multiple grades, most of which are way too coarse for a bike finish. Cornstarch is a finish grade polishing compound
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