Originally Posted by J_Climacus

[edited to remove some inaccurate bits]

I thought I'd share the experiment I did tonight and ask your opinion on the results. I was trying to restore an old pair of Martano rims.

The rims are far from NOS, but I don't see anything immediately that indicates they are past the point of using. (I want to note here that I am very much a novice when it comes to mechanic work, so if you see something alarming please let me know.)

I wanted to shine them up but I don't have a buffing tool. So instead I got wet sandpaper in grits 800/1000/1500/2000/3000 and some simichrome. I wet sanded with each grit, and then dried and spread a thin layer of simichrome on.

The rims certainly look better, but they don't look new and a still have a few scratches. They are kind of a matte finish, and not a mirror polish, but I think I might be ok with that. But do any of you think my finished product looks cloudy or subpar? Did I need to start with a lower grit?

Also, should I keep sanding until they are fully smooth, or call it quits here? I was worried about going overboard with the sandpaper.

I took pictures of one of the rims after restoration next to one of the rims.before restoration. I also took one with a Mavic rim that I only cleaned up with soapy water. That one has a noticeably shinier finish which is one of the things that makes me wonder if I did something wrong.