Cleaning the Titanium Family

For years I've used a product you may be familiar with, Wenol, to clean our good stainless cookware. It always amazed me how well it removed crud and oxidization. Then I ran out. Bummer. Then I got into collecting Ti lights - mostly McGizmos - and it reminded me of the product. I assumed it would work for cleaning titanium, so I ordered another tube and today sat down to do a bit of cleaning.

This is the product:


This photo shows the size of a dab of Wenol relative to a McGizmo Ti clip - it's probably too large a dab...


Just a sample of what the terry cloth towel looks like after cleaning 5 ti lights - there's about the same amount of crud on the other side...


Removed the Ti clips with the Thorpe 1/16 hex driver - great tool - makes cleaning the lights easier...


Need a bit of light on the subject - a McGizmo held in a regular boom microphone stand...


The results - first, on the left, a McGizmo Ti PD-S - 8 flute. I don't know how many owners it has had, but it was pretty dull when I got it. On the right is a Lunasol 20 - I think I may be the third owner - it was shiny enough when I got it, but it came to life after the good cleaning.



A more close up view...


And finally, the "family" - L-R - McClicky 2 pak hosting a Creemator, Haiku, Lunasol 20, PD-S and a Sundrop XP.



It leaves the lights with a nice, 'silky' feel - almost like the feel of your car after it has received a good wax job. Can't endorse the product, but it works well for me. I own a Dremel with polishing wheels and all sorts of fine grit sandpapers - didn't use any of them - nothing but this polish.

Just wanted to share - hope it is useful to someone!!

lovecpf

I am too poor to own any of the above, but awesome collection, great pics, and thanks for sharing your results!

Try Flitz metal polish. Great for cleaning contac areas on LED's.

Very impressive; I would say that the cleaner worked. Nice lights.

Nice work!

I love your little family

ugh! I want a Haiku:shakehead

nice piece run4jc

fisk-king said:

ugh! I want a Haiku:shakehead

nice piece run4jc

Click to expand...

Don just launched the wave of the new Haiku XP-G... like 45 minutes ago....

Now the wait!

:shakehead

Living down here has it's negatives...

I don't own nor have I seen a Ti light, but just from the pics, I think I prefer the non-cleaned light.

Argh! My eyes! :duck:

Try using a real polishing wheel and wax, then you will see shiny :duck:

kts said:

Try using a real polishing wheel and wax, then you will see shiny :duck:

Click to expand...

My PD-S is kinda dull - I'd really like to make it 'pop.' What would you suggest? I've read many a post on shining - everyone has ideas. I have a Dremel with different polishing wheels - rouge, a gozillion different fine and uber fine sanding papers and pads, etc. I'm always afraid of going too far...so any tips? The other lights are in such good shape I don't think I need any drastic measures on them, but I'd love to make that PD-S look "better than new..."

Thanks!!

:thinking:

I work with metal, at my work we got these big polishing machines, the polish wheel is like 10 inches across, it will make a mirror finish, my SS LD01 is total shiny after I polished it for 2min or so.

I got a dremel too, maybe it can be used, I never tried it.

Cool -a John Thorp driver lives on! Those are still, hands down, the best tools ever made for R/C.

Thorp made some awesome aftermarket R/C parts. Their ball differential is still very highly sought after by us Clod Buster builders/customizers.

Wonderful job on some wonderful lights. Off topic but do you think this polish would
work on a stainless pizza oven? I have tried almost everything other then this polish.

Thanks

Absolutely - I've seen it take stuff off All Clad stainless cookware that I never thought would come off. It's good stuff!

:thumbsup:

run4jc said:

Absolutely - I've seen it take stuff off All Clad stainless cookware that I never thought would come off. It's good stuff!

:thumbsup:

Click to expand...

Thanks RUN4jc,
Got to get some, thanks again!!

I just use good old soap and water

Soap and water works, too. 'Bar Keeper's Friend' is great for burned on crud (nothing to do with flashlights, I know, but I think Litbobber is looking to remove tougher stuff than what accumulates on our lights).

The nice thing about Wenol is that it leaves a protection similar to when you wax or polish your car. Nice smooth feel, and it seems to resist the accumulation of dirt and smudges better.

Just MHO

lovecpf

There is a new guy at work that used to work at a small metal fabrication shop and he worked with many different kinds of metals, titanium included. I showed him my Haiku (which he thought was pretty cool) and I asked him about how to polish it. He offered to do it for me.

When I get around to having it done I'll post a picture or two.