Aluminum fork tube oxidation ?

[GoldOxide_imp]

Mr. Clean "Magic Erasers" (formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite copolymer) are truly magical. Apparently they are safe to use, but don't eat them.

[Nortoon_imp]

I wear nitrile gloves when working with any solvents, cleaners, polishes, or petroleum based products. Anything strong enough to take rust or other oxides off of metal can't be good for the skin.

My most respected polish is Autosol. I only use it if everything else fails. Nothing else will turn a rag so black when cleaning alloys. Makes me wonder what it is doing to the metal at the molecular level.

[GoldOxide_imp]

I wear nitrile gloves when working with any solvents, cleaners, polishes, or petroleum based products. Anything strong enough to take rust or other oxides off of metal can't be good for the skin.

My most respected polish is Autosol. I only use it if everything else fails. Nothing else will turn a rag so black when cleaning alloys. Makes me wonder what it is doing to the metal at the molecular level.

Correct. Protect and moisturize the skin. It will crack with most said liquids and even the Magic Eraser.

I believe the black rag is the resultant reaction the compound has with the alloy and/or alloy surface oxides. Some of these type of compounds also "seal" the surface with a type of polymer that protects it from subsequent oxidation. Some can even survive (i.e. not burn) the surface heat of the exhaust port pipes. I know this because for the first time (all of 2018) my headers did not turn blue/purple/brown.