Polishing question

[JD Spydo]

Hello Spyderites: I have a question about polishing Titanium. I just got a vintage Bob Lum C46 CE, ATS-55 with the Titanium handle. It is a gorgeous, enviable knife but it has some slight handling marks. I thought about just sending it back but I'll bet someone out here probably has some tips on polishing titanium. I am guessing a Non-abrasive polish such as Flitz might be the place to start. I am being careful because I don't want to discolor it. Dr Lecter are you listening to this. I know you know about things like this. But seriously anybody who knows about restoration and enhancement techniques please help me. This knife is just too pretty to make into an EDC. Maybe some type of cleaner? Titanium just also seems a little more porous than most metals. :) :spyder: :spyder:

[Hannibal Lecter]

J.D.:

While Flitz might be a start, you might want to try something even milder to begin with. As strange as it sounds, I use toothpaste on my gold items and a soft-bristled toothbrush. Choice of flavors is entirely up to you. :) It will require a bit more elbow grease, but it is highly unlikely to mar or scratch the finish. If that does not do the job, *then* I would try Flitz and a soft cloth.

Let me know how it turns out, my friend.

I do hope we can meet one day, Joe. Possibly for dinner? ;)

(Sorry, I just could not resist being a bit creepy...)


Ta,

H

[CutEngineer]

(Sorry, I just could not resist being a bit creepy...)

Not that you were talking to me, but I wouldn't start worrying unless you mentioned something about "some fava beans and a nice chianti." :eek:

JB

[Hannibal Lecter]

Not that you were talking to me, but I wouldn't start worrying unless you mentioned something about "some fava beans and a nice chianti." :eek:

JB

I don't care much for fava beans, and it was actually a big Amarone in the book. Chianti is a nice choice, but I prefer a Blackberry wine or port from a local vineyard.

Remember, if it is not wine it has been through someone already. ;)

I actually try to avoid getting creepy with the posting as I don't people to think I am seriously disturbed, but my perverse sense of humor just rears its ugly head once in a while...


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Ta,

H

[JD Spydo]

Well fellows I don't know how we got off on the gourmet sector but I do like to chow down as good as anybody. We have a restuarant here called the Savoy Grill which is one of the 10 best in this fine country.

Now back to the Spydie remediation problem. I have heard before that cheap toothpaste is even better for a job such as this because it has a little higher abrasive content. I knew an old man who was a wizard at woodworking and he used toothpaste for all kinds of prep and fine detailing with toothpaste. The ol' guy who had the woodworking TV show named Homer Formby used toothpaste a lot on his show. There is a cleanser which is pretty much non-abrasive called "Bar Keeper's Friend" that does some miraculous feats. Speaking of toothpaste I have used toothbrushes on all kinds of projects with great results. OK waiter bring me the check :D

[CutEngineer]

There is just so much information out there. From http://www.epinions.com/content_3128664196

Abrasivity of common toothpastes:

RDA - Dentifrice brand and variety
04 ADA reference toothbrush and plain water
07 plain baking soda
08 Arm & Hammer Tooth Powder
30 Elmex Sensitive Plus
35 Arm & Hammer Dental Care
42 Arm & Hammer Advance White Baking Soda Peroxide
44 Squigle Enamel Saver
48 Arm & Hammer Dental Care Sensitive
49 Arm & Hammer Peroxicare Tartar Control
49 Tom's of Maine Sensitive (given as 40's)
52 Arm & Hammer Peroxicare Regular
53 Rembrandt Original ("RDA")
54 Arm & Hammer Dental Care PM Bold Mint
57 Tom's of Maine Children's, Wintermint (given as mid-50's)
62 Supersmile
63 Rembrandt Mint ("Hefferren RDA")
68 Colgate Regular
70 Colgate Total
70 Arm & Hammer Advance White Sensitive
70 Colgate 2-in-1 Fresh Mint (given as 50-70)
79 Sensodyne
80 AIM
80 Close-Up
83 Colgate Sensitive Maximum Strength
91 Aquafresh Sensitive
93 Tom's of Maine Regular (given as high 80's low 90's)
94 Rembrandt Plus
94 Plus White
95 Crest Regular (possibly 99)
101 Natural White
103 Mentadent
103 Arm & Hammer Sensation
104 Sensodyne Extra Whitening
106 Colgate Platinum
106 Arm & Hammer Advance White Paste
107 Crest Sensitivity Protection
110 Colgate Herbal
110 Amway Glister (given as upper bound)
113 Aquafresh Whitening
117 Arm & Hammer Advance White Gel
117 Arm & Hammer Sensation Tartar Control
120 Close-Up with Baking Soda (canadian)
124 Colgate Whitening
130 Crest Extra Whitening
133 Ultra brite
144 Crest MultiCare Whitening
145 Ultra brite Advanced Whitening Formula
150 Pepsodent (given as upper bound)
165 Colgate Tartar Control (given as 155-165)
168 Arm & Hammer Dental Care PM Fresh Mint
200 Colgate 2-in-1 Tartar Control/Whitening or Icy Blast/Whitening (given as 190-200)
200 FDA recommended limit
250 ADA recommended limit

Larger numbers are more abrasive.

[JD Spydo]

Wow!! Cut Engineer that is probably the most detailed lists of toothpaste I have ever seen anywhere. Which sort of confirmed my guess that the lesser known generic or odd-ball type brands would be the ones with the higher abrasive content. I'll bet that NORTON doesn't even have that detailed of a list of their sandpapers. I use a toothpaste called "Vita-Myr". You can only get that one from health food stores. So you did miss one :D

[fret]

JD you should be able to choose a good toothpaste from the list to get the Tartar removed from the Lum forever. :eek: :D :)

[JD Spydo]

Yes FRET I know that. But I don't want to use anything containing flouride on my beautiful Titanium Bob LUM. Being the blade is stainless I don't think it is going to have a problem with cavities or the like. :p This is a problem because I have not really done any restoration, polishing, finishing or anything of the like with titanium. AS pretty as the Lum is I just don't want to take any chances doing something which would damage the knife handle. Also can anyone tell me if they ever used one of these brass polishes ( like Brasso) on Titanium?????????? :)

[Hannibal Lecter]

Also can anyone tell me if they ever used one of these brass polishes ( like Brasso) on Titanium?????????? :)

I might recommend against that, or at least advise caution. Brasso and most brass polishes contain ammonia to accellerate the polishing process; I don't know what effect that might have on the finish. They advise against using things like thi on cartridge brass as it weakens it and makes it brittle.

Proceed with extreme caution, my friend.


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Ta,

H

[JD Spydo]

Dr. Lecter as always yours points are taken extremely well and given the utmost of consideration from every aspect. That's why I started this thread. Not only for my own benefit but to also keep any other Spyder brother/sister from destroying/defacing any of these beautiful works of Titanium ART. People are probably thinking as they read this that I am taking these pocket knives way too seriously. OK with that being said I can say that is how quality comes into being is because someone cares that little extra enough to do it right. That's the kind of nation we used to be. Now as I am ashamed to say virtually no ones cares about all of this "MADE IN CHINA"
garbage that will be deposited in our landfills while they are getting all of our money. Well my titanium knives won't be in a landfill if I have anything to say about it. I am surprised that someone out here in Spyderville hasn't addressed this problem yet. GOD Bless the GREAT Spyder Factory and GOD Bless the USA. :) :spyder: :)

[Stevie Ray]

I never thought about toothpaste as containing abrasives, but it makes sense.

I think I'd start with the Flitz as I don't believe it contains any sort of physical abrasive (i.e. vs chemical). I recently used Flitz to clean up a Kershaw Titanium Starkey. It did a really nice job. No scratches.

I did one side at a time and didn't leave the Flitz on very long.

:spyder:

[JD Spydo]

Stevie Ray what did you use to apply it with and then; what did you use to wipe it off with? I was thinking about trying the Flitz. I was also thinking about using a soft-bristle toothbrush to get into all the intricate detailed areas. I have another product of FLITZ's called the Flitz Polishing Cloth. It really works great shining up stainless blades. With this Titanium craze that has taken place here in the last 5 years you would think someone out there by now would have formulated a polish/cleaner that would be specifically for Ti. :spyder:

[J Smith]

I have used flitz on Sebenzas and it cleans like nothing else without scratching.It will not remove the rub marks.You can use a scotch brite pad and it will give it a nice mat finnish.One thing that I have not tried that may do the trick is to do the scotch brite and then polish with flitz.
Another way is to have the scales beadblasted.
I would not use Brasso on anything.