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.

repechage

Pretty sure those are Pista rims, the sides are not machined. One of the advantages of Mariano rims.
the brand graphic is later, a 1974 Masi would have the “winged’ or “ziggaurat” style graphic.

You need access to a bench or post mounted buffer and aluminum rouge.

J_Climacus 

Well boy do I feel dumb. You know the funny thing is, the whole time I was cleaning these, I was thinking about how amazing it was that brakes would work on this sidewall. But I have never had tubular wheels before, so I was thinking that was just how tubulars are, and you must need to get your brake pads *really* perfectly aligned. It all makes so much more sense now

I think I will edit my post to remove some of those inaccurate bits but leave the stuff up about polishing. Maybe someone will find value in the photos of what sandpaper and simichrome will do for you.

I'll also try to track down a photo of the correct label... I could have sworn this one was right.

obrentharris 

Pick a small section of the rim and try repeated polishing with the Simichrome and a soft cloth to see if you can't bring out more of a shine.
Brent

SwimmerMike 

I've never used Simichrome, but I use other polishes extensively. You should expect a mirror like finish even if polishing by hand. I would follow Brent's advice above and polish an area repeatedly with a little elbow grease and make sure you do a good buff at the end with a clean cloth.

FBOATSB

The Simichrome website says you are doing it right! You're at the point to use terry towel to "rough in" the Simichrome, then change to a softer cloth for final polish. Tolerance of stray scratches is entirely up to.

repechage

Visual reference-
one rim with old graphic
Wheel with grooved machined brake track
alternate not shown, flat.

J_Climacus 

This is very helpful, thank you! Don't imagine you're selling that rim and its identical sibling?

repechage

not in the foreseeable future. Took a long time to amass

J_Climacus 

I imagine that to be the case. Never hurts to ask!

Mr. 66

Looks like it's working good, I probably would wear gloves and may have started with 600 grit, then 1000, switch over to oooo steelwool, and finishing with your polish.

Note, the MA2 rim, you won't be able to match the finish. That rim is silver anodized.