Restoring stainless steel?

[oldtimer]

A little offtopic but I was hoping that the geniuses from the CPF community could help me since I've seen really beat up torches restored to likenew by various methods.

I dropped something on my brand new stainless steel refrigerator and it's about half an inch against the grain. I was wondering what recommendations you have to restore the finish as best as possible. I've read through pages and pages of online material and have heard many different ways (such as using olive oil as a polish) but am not sure if any of them work. Please help!

Additional questions:

1. Does "Scratch be Gone" work or is it just sandpaper and polish?
2. What's the difference between Brasso and Silvo polish?
3. Scotchbrite vs sandpaper?

Thank you!

 

[StrikerDown]

You need to find the same grit sandpaper as was already used and sand with the "grain". You will probably have to sand the entire panel so it looks the same. If your sandpaper is way off then you may need to sand the entire thing so it all matches. You may be able to test the sand paper in a hidden area to see how it will work.

You may be able to buy a replacement panel from the Mfg. that is a match.

Or just live with the scratch!

 

[BVH]

I had a raw, unfinished, brushed Titanium framed bicycle a while back. It came with a piece of Scotchbrite for touchups. I scoffed at the idea! Until I tried it. It matched the brushed grain very closely.

 

[oldtimer]

Thanks for your suggestions! Oh and does anyone know where I can get the different kinds of Scotchbrite? I could only find the green ones!

 

[StrikerDown]

Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Etc.

 

[Drywolf]

Thanks for your suggestions! Oh and does anyone know where I can get the different kinds of Scotchbrite? I could only find the green ones!

http://www.shop3m.com/

 

[Duncan_642]

3m automotive scotchbrite is available in differnt grades id agree find the closet and redo the whole panel

 

[choffman]

You need to find the same grit sandpaper as was already used and sand with the "grain".

+1 and it's the only way you'll hide/repair the scratch if the finish has "grain"

You may be able to test the sand paper in a hidden area to see how it will work.

or the bottom of soup cans to try to eyeball the depth of cut with a particular grit.

brasso has aggregate.. silvo does not

for stainless I find the absolute best polish to be Noxon (green bottle)unless you have the budget for flitz, but that's really only good if you're trying to achieve a high polish. Any attempts to "blend" something with "grain" is probably going to make it stand out about 1000 times worse than the tiny scratch you have right now.

difference in scotchbrite and sandpaper.... scotchbrite conforms to irregular shapes better, can be "rinsed out" if it gets gummed up and it seems to just generally disintegrate as it's used up unlike sandpaper which may look like it's still "cutting"

maroon scotchbrite is approx 320P grit
grey scotchbrite is approx 600P grit
white scotchbrite is approx 1000P grit

I'd suggest you go to Lowe's and get a multi-grit pack of paper. start with the highest # grit first on a soup can until you think you are close to the correct depth of scratch to match the grain. then try a test spot somewhere unseen. when you think you are good on the grit, USE A BLOCK behind the sandpaper. Block = anything stiff and flat. paint stick, popcycle stick, small chunk of 2x4 drop from a previous project. whatever you use, make sure it's soft enough not to scratch the stainless if you slip but rigid enough to keep the paper flat. Wood works great. If you just use your fingers it wont match the grain. fingers are round not flat, just trust me about the block. Go slow, light pressure, let the paper do the work "cutting" while you expend your concentration staying perfectly parallel to the grain.

good luck

 

[will]

USE A BLOCK behind the sandpaper.
good luck

I also wrap a paper towel, doubled or tripled over, around the block before I wrap the sand paper around the block. This makes it like the sanding pad found on electric sanders.