Cleaning up stainless steel?

[grr666]

Had the Akra system taken off the Spacker this week, spent a while today trying to clean it up with Solvol and wire
wool ready for sale and can't get the discolouration off the pipes, it looks a lot better but doesn't look as new as it could.

Any recommendations. I heard that Harpic 10x limescale remover was a good cleaner due to its acid content but I'm
open to suggestions.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[ThunderGuts]

Try Autosol. I've got even totally brown and crusty pipes polished. It can take a lot of elbow grease; a strip of old towel, liberally apply autosol, then loop it around the exhaust and pull the ends alternately so it slides around the whole pipe. Quite effective I find. It's still hard work mind you.

Edit: just realised Solvol is the same thing as Autosol. Although there is a stainless steel version, I think my success was with the normal stuff.
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TG.

[Polarbear]

If you are talking about the heat discolouration I have never had any total success whan I have tried. Solvol and wire wool, proprietry stainless cleaner etc. None have got rid of completely.

I suspect stronger abrasive method is the only way but then of couse the risk is visible scratches.

If you've have it pretty good I'd go with that. It's not as if you are selling it as new.People will expect some discolouration.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[grr666]

[Freddyfruitba...]

For what it's worth, I've frequently read about the Harpic Method too - can't say I've ever actually tried it though
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KC100->CB100N->CB250RS--------->DL650AL2->R1200RS->R1250RS

[grr666]

[grr666]

Myth busted. Made a marginal difference, but no dice. Mid section currently in oven drying out after a good rinse.
Tomorrow. Oven Pride.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Suntan Sid]

If you google how to remove heat stains or bluing from stainless steel, a lot of results mention white vinegar, yet all the products mentioned in this thread seem to be alkali based!
Vinegar is cheap so might be worth a shot.
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[struan80]

I've got a new tube of autosol that I got to clean up the metallic on a bike but never used it. pm your address and I'll send it to you foc.

[grr666]

Thanks Struan, I'm already using Autosol/solvol it's something I keep in stock for the exhaust tips of my car. Very kind
of you to offer though, it degrimed the exhaust but hasn't taken the discolouration away. It's worked to an extent on
the bit furthest from the headers but as the exhaust progresses toward the headers end the discolouration gets worse,
probably because that's the hottest end.

Thanks Sid, but according to the label the active ingredient in Harpic 10x Limescale remover is Hydrochloric acid, which
has also worked to a slight extent, again best at the part furthest from the headers. Amusingly, it seems to have worked
best where some has dripped into the exhaust itself, cleaning the black carbon away well enough to see the metal with
zero agitation

Gonna give a blob of Oven Pride on a scourer a whack tomorrow, I've got some under the sink. It's pretty powerful stuff,
certainly worth a try. It does a good job on properly baked on oven gunge.

Failing that I'll order a specific product for this task, Dr Downpipe (Calm down Hellkat...) seems to get decent write
ups and I got a £20 voucher for Halfords free with my car insurance this year.

https://cdn.media.halfords.com/i/washford/662758?w=740&h=555&qlt=default&fmt=auto&v=1

https://www.halfords.com/motorcycling/cleaning/dr-downpipe-motorcycle-exhaust-cleaner-500ml-662758.html

It may come in handy for the titanium downpipes on the new bike if I don't need much?

I will get this looking like new one way or another.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[stinkwheel]

[Pete.]

I used Harpic x10 on my BMW stainless pipes and it worked great.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[grr666]

I should say that Autosol worked great on the chromed steel downpipes on the stock exhaust, that came up like new.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah7jyEa56nE

not sure if this is any good but it's certainly relevant

iirc he advises against it
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Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Nobby the Bastard]

If it's blueing then thats a change to the crystaline structure of the metal caused by heat and you won't get that off because it's an intrinsic part of the material now.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[grr666]

No it's not blueing, I know what that looks like and that it cant be removed. I'll take a few pics, I have one
that I took before I started out. It looked more like a brassy finish, but I've managed to get some of that colouration
right off in parts back to shiny silver mainly as I mentioned more where the can attaches.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[grr666]

The story so far...
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Pete.]

[Easy-X]

Pre-aged, Relic'd, Patina... I'd say it looks okay unless you're trying to pass it off as-new
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[MCN]

Optiglanz is another acid based Stainless Cleaner formulated/marketed for cleaning zost pipe blue-ing off of motorcycle zosts.

I have used it.
It works well.

But.. It will not polish to a gleam if the surface is not shiny then the aluminium silicate in autosol will remove some of the surface to produce a shine.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[grr666]

[woo]

Dunno mate looks fine to me
Seems like a lot of effort for an extra maybe £50-£100 which will eventually be £0 after ebay financially abuses you with their fees if you list on ebay.

£750 cost price then getting £600 back sounds ace to me and anything more than £600 is a cherry on the top.

If getting it looking almost brand new would get you £1,00 then yep crack on put that work in put that elbow grease in otherwise meh!
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[grr666]