Polishing up the pipes

[GoldOxide_imp]

After my wife had bought a product for silverware, which said “all shiny metals”, I wondered. She had paid 1.45 for a can twice the size of my very special header cleaner bought a while ago. And that thing was “only” 9.99. So I squeezed a bit out of both products, side by side, and what I found ? Same color, same smell, same touch. So I did one header pipe with the first, the nxt with the other product. Sure, you guessed it .... that’s how the m/c suppliers make money. No need to develop a product, and test it. Just sell it in different tubes, under a different brand, and add a really, really nice margin. Hmm .... ?

Can confirm. I did a little research, and plenty of car care products are made by bulk suppliers, and different scents and additives are put in to make them into boutique brands. Our company had a sponsor called "Stuff", which was a line of polishes that were supposedly made in a laboratory in Pasadena, CA. We met the "chemist" in their facility. They were so proud of their products that they hand-signed every bottle. But, when they went out of business, owing us a lot of money, we did a little digging and found that Stuff wasn't really made in their own laboratory.. nor did they have one. It was a bulk polish that they just branded, and that was also available under other names, "Sold in finer grocery stores everywhere."

By the way... anyone ever try Brasso to polish stainless pipes? I probably have a can of it in the garage somewhere, but if I hear the name or see the logo, I start getting flashbacks of a drill instructor yelling at me about my belt buckle and buttons, so I haven't touched the stuff since the 80s. But it did work wonders, and I see it's still on the market.

Can confirm. I did a little research, and plenty of car care products are made by bulk suppliers, and different scents and additives are put in to make them into boutique brands. Our company had a sponsor called "Stuff", which was a line of polishes that were supposedly made in a laboratory in Pasadena, CA. We met the "chemist" in their facility. They were so proud of their products that they hand-signed every bottle. But, when they went out of business, owing us a lot of money, we did a little digging and found that Stuff wasn't really made in their own laboratory.. nor did they have one. It was a bulk polish that they just branded, and that was also available under other names, "Sold in finer grocery stores everywhere."

By the way... anyone ever try Brasso to polish stainless pipes? I probably have a can of it in the garage somewhere, but if I hear the name or see the logo, I start getting flashbacks of a drill instructor yelling at me about my belt buckle and buttons, so I haven't touched the stuff since the 80s. But it did work wonders...
If using Brasso, you'll be earning polished SS pipes in a hard way.

[j3gq_imp]

I am not a chemist, so take my words with a grain of salt. But that much should be clear to all “pipe cleaners”. The better, more effortless a product does the job, the more aggressive it has to be. Whether it’s achieved with abrasive particles, or acid or a “special” formula. Short term speed may come at a price. Just my 2 bits.
(PS: my really stained pipes + my wide’s household wipe, ... it took me 2min per header, not exactly excessive).

[Gone in 60]

Ugh... all of this reminds me that I will be polishing the silverware at my Mom-in-Law's very soon for Thanksgiving dinner.

[Cormanus]

j3gq, please, please end the suspense: what was the domestic product your wife bought?

[j3gq_imp]

Didn’t mention it because you won’t find it outside Austria, for sure not overseas, and under the same name (Miror, by Henkel). My point was the general idea, not the product itself.
How come you’re still up, or are you up again ?

[max]

Excellent max - and thx!

Maybe to be a wee bit pedantic : Remember to shake the tube after it has been on the shelf for awhile. It could be a year before its next use.

Quite right my dear Goldoxide; " shaken, not stirred " like the Martini cocktail a la James Bond



Stainmagic leaves a stain on the application tissue similar to a coffe stain and a good shine, the autosol leaves a distinct black stain on the tissue and a mirror gloss.
It possibly cleans the remaining Stainmagic off the surface too.

Best way to describe stainmagic's action is that it dissolves the brown coloration, not easy to describe but easy to work with, this was the result of a small teaspoon of product,my advice; don't knock it until you've tried it.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Looks like the perfect pair combination max.

I used "Peek" polisher and it behaved similarly as your Autosol: A black tarnish reaction on a rag/tissue. However, it polishes up quite nicely. You will get a that very slight yellowing that stainless steel does after being heated, but it lasts otherwise.

[Whoops]

Excellent max - and thx!

Maybe to be a wee bit pedantic : Remember to shake the tube after it has been on the shelf for awhile. It could be a year before its next use.

Quite right my dear Goldoxide; " shaken, not stirred " like the Martini cocktail a la James Bond



Stainmagic leaves a stain on the application tissue similar to a coffe stain and a good shine, the autosol leaves a distinct black stain on the tissue and a mirror gloss.
It possibly cleans the remaining Stainmagic off the surface too.

Best way to describe stainmagic's action is that it dissolves the brown coloration, not easy to describe but easy to work with, this was the result of a small teaspoon of product,my advice; don't knock it until you've tried it.

I presumed everyone was referring to the Autosol stainless steel polish. Your picture indicates you’re using the regular metal polish. Is there a difference or does either work the same?

[max]

Never used this stainless version of it;



but a store nearby sells it and also sells this product;


There is another autosol product i want to try



Will let you know how things went, i have just always used the standard version but now i'm curious what these other magic products do.

[Rogerdj_imp]

Thanks gentlemen, on that happy note i have ordered a tube from Japan and look forward to the experience when it decides to arrive, i like stuff from japan, always have

Progress report to be submitted after product evaluation has been confirmed as requested by the Canadian branch-full stop.

Max did you get this product in? Im in NZ also so interested in what you have found the best for this job.