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Author

How to polish aluminium carabiners

MattF

6-Feb-2009
4:41:32 PM

Has anyone researched how one go's about polishing carabiners that have discoloured from aluminium oxide? There is no pitting or corrosion of the metal, just discolouration.
Thanks, Matt.

MrsM10iswhereitsat.

6-Feb-2009
4:47:23 PM

Just get out and use them more Mr MattF. You will find the oxide discolouration rubs off.

MattF

6-Feb-2009
5:37:14 PM

The oxide discoloration is significant and is a result of washing the biners after a month of using them in tonsai. Simple ordinary use won't shift this discolouration I'm afraid.

ajfclark

6-Feb-2009
5:46:57 PM

My first though is silvo or brasso but they're both solvents.

Next thought would be some very fine grade sand paper or one of those polishing cloths the sales assistants in the jewellery stores are always telling me I need for the silver pendant I wear around my neck...

JamesMc

6-Feb-2009
7:14:13 PM

On 6/02/2009 marky wrote:
>I just had a thought:
>Remember when you used to put 1 & 2cent coins in a glass of coke and
>overnight they would be brand spankin new.
>Could this work to remove the aluminium oxide? and not damage the aluminium
>biner ?
>Once its cleaned it you just rinse the biners under water and dry them
> :)
>
>Safer than using solvents
>Just a thought
>Mark.

What do you mean "safer than using solvents"? Coke IS a solvent

JAM

marky

6-Feb-2009
7:50:21 PM

You are rite, Stupid me

mark.

skink

6-Feb-2009
8:12:53 PM

Green 3M scouring pad works a treat

zumojugo

7-Feb-2009
8:14:08 AM

Why do you need to polish them? Enjoy them as they are.

climbau

7-Feb-2009
10:10:39 AM

I had ultrasonically cleaned my cams a while ago, and they also went quite discoloured. But it did eventually wear off and they now look safe and servicable once again. Use is the best cleanser.

Olbert

7-Feb-2009
11:32:20 AM

I put a scratch in my new quick draws so I had to buy some more. The same thing happened to my cams and nuts. I think what I should do is, buy a brand new unscratched rack, and then never use it, so it dont get scratched!

stonetroll

7-Feb-2009
2:23:16 PM

On 6/02/2009 MattF wrote:
>The oxide discoloration is significant and is a result of washing the biners
>after a month of using them in tonsai. Simple ordinary use won't shift
>this discolouration I'm afraid.
>
>
You could try the good-old boy scouts way. Just take all 'binas and any dirty knifes, forks and frying pans down to a sandy river bed.
Swish the affore mentioned items through the sloshy sand and water. Give 'em a bit of rub with the sand/water grit mix between your fingers.
Rinse and polish useing some improvised cloth ( such as a sock, kneck scarfe or grass leaves ).
If the previously tarnished alloy now shines and sparkles you deserve a " carribener polishing badge ".

ambyeok

7-Feb-2009
3:38:07 PM

On 7/02/2009 Olbert wrote:
>I put a scratch in my new quick draws so I had to buy some more. The same
>thing happened to my cams and nuts. I think what I should do is, buy a
>brand new unscratched rack, and then never use it, so it dont get scratched!

I never bother cleaning my routes, its just too much of a pain to lug all the scratched gear back home again when I am only going to throw it out anyway.

mattjr

8-Feb-2009
9:15:36 PM

As far as I understand Aluminium Oxide is ok(apart from it's dulled appearance)unlike other forms of metal corrosion('rust' in steel for example) it stops at a very thin layer between the air and the aluminium beneath. It can't become a structural problem like rust in steel.

There are 13 messages in this topic.