Which Oxiclean To Use?

[cosmicfolklore]

What is micromesh?

Micromesh is a series of pads that go from a medium (relatively speaking) grit up to a fine polish. The abrasives are bonded to a pad to reach and follow the contours of the stem. It just takes a few seconds of polishing with each pad in successive order under running water. It will bring your stem up to a shiny reflective surface without the help of oils or waxes. But, I also suggest people use a microcrystalline wax, such as Renaissance Wax as a final wipe to prevent any further oxidization.
You can find both the pads and the wax on Amazon or woodworking/metalworking craft sites.


I punch a hole in each pad and string them on a chain to make keeping them in successive order easier. I just work my way up the chain.

 

[Pipke]

It just takes a few seconds of polishing with each pad in successive order under running water. It will bring your stem up to a shiny reflective surface without the help of oils or waxes.

I find that most of the sanding work takes place at the coarser grits. I wet sand with 600/800/1000 grit sanding paper before moving on to the polishing pads. I spend the most time using 600 grit on a very oxidized stem. The work goes more quickly once you start using the polishing pads - more time with 1500-grit, and less time as you get finer and finer.

Here is a pic of a partially sanded stem still at the 600-grit stage. The whole stem was that brown color. You can see that when I am done at this stage, the oxidation will be mostly removed. This is painstaking work. Oxiclean won't help with that. And no, I am not sanding the stem while attached to the pipe. I stopped sanding because I am trying to work out how I can save the GBD emblem on the stem.