Thread Number: 14203
Kirby polishing
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Post# 150223   9/3/2011 at 13:03 (4,590 days old) by logdog ()        

Hello all,

My Kirby is quite dull in luster and I wanted to shine it up. What works better, Flitz or Mothers aluminum polish? I can get both easily (5 min drive from my house) so what is better?

Thanks


Post# 150224 , Reply# 1   9/3/2011 at 13:09 (4,590 days old) by logdog ()        

Also if there is anything else I would be open to use it. I just used flits and mothers because I heard so much about them on these forums.

Post# 150225 , Reply# 2   9/3/2011 at 13:26 (4,590 days old) by bagintheback (Flagstaff, Arizona)        

bagintheback's profile picture
I've used Mothers on my Tradition and an electric-drill buffing wheel and had amazing results.

But then again I tried it on my scratched Heritage II and had different results. The unscratched parts were much more shinny, but with that the scratches were more noticeable. Either way the Kirby will look better.

Steel wool takes awhile and only gets you so far, even with Mothers. You need some sort of motor and buffing wheel to get the job done. In my case, I went to Ace Hardware and got a 3' wheel and an adapter for my Black & Decker drill. I think it cost about $12 for the wheel for $4 for the adapter.

Remember to polish outside; it can get messy!


Post# 150416 , Reply# 3   9/4/2011 at 23:39 (4,588 days old) by Vacuumfreeeke ()        

I also got the 3 inch polishing wheel for my Black and Decker power drill, but it was right and inflexible and couldn't get into the nooks and crannies and cracks and crevices and contours of the machine..... you do need electric power though, it's impossible to do as good a job hand polishing as you can with electric help. What I would recommend is that if you don't have room for a bench grinder, to get a multi-speed Dremel instead. You have to be careful with them because you can easily gouge the metal and put permanent deep scratchings in it if you hit the machine with any part of the Dremel besides the tip, but they are great for getting tight areas and really putting mirror shine on even the most tarnished of finishes. It does make a mess though, Nathaniel is right! Your hands and floor and clothes will just be BLACK when you are done! Good Luck!

Post# 150479 , Reply# 4   9/5/2011 at 14:19 (4,588 days old) by logdog ()        

WOW! I just picked up some mothers mag and aluminum polish. The oxidation just MELTED right off and it now looks like a hazy mirror. This was just by hand with NO power tools! I know if I keep going the haze will go away but I will do that later. Thanks for the help.

Post# 150888 , Reply# 5   9/8/2011 at 09:49 (4,585 days old) by redgeminipa (Altoona, PA)        

Logdog... can you upload a pic of the results from using the Mothers? I got some Maguires, but I'm not impressed with it.

Post# 150992 , Reply# 6   9/9/2011 at 00:20 (4,584 days old) by logdog ()        

I know that you already know how to polish but here is the video I made with it showing how to polish. That amount of shine is after going through ONE use of it. There is still a lot more to get off but I dont have a lot of time. If I kept going I am sure I could get a mirror finish.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO logdog's LINK


Post# 151038 , Reply# 7   9/9/2011 at 10:47 (4,584 days old) by redgeminipa (Altoona, PA)        

Thanks! I'll have to pick up some when I get to the store.

Post# 154105 , Reply# 8   10/3/2011 at 20:35 (4,559 days old) by whirlcool ()        

Thanks for that video. Sometimes a video shows more than what one can put into words.
That was great.


Post# 154344 , Reply# 9   10/6/2011 at 06:51 (4,557 days old) by KirbyLover (Louisville Kentucky )        

I used Flitz on my Kirby 510 and it came out nicely, but the vacuum was cared for and did not have much oxidation or any black spots on it.

logdog: Was that G3 in the video all polished up, if not then it's in pretty good shape compared to most of the old Kirbys I come across. Using Mothers/Flitz can work good if the machine is in pretty good shape to begin with, otherwise you gotta hit it with the wheels and compounds.


Post# 154386 , Reply# 10   10/6/2011 at 21:13 (4,556 days old) by logdog ()        

The g3 in the video was was polished up by hand. When I started it was horribly spotted and parts slightly green. Black oxidation keeps coming off but I don't have enough time to finish the job right now. Some time I will finish it and make another video.

Post# 154395 , Reply# 11   10/6/2011 at 22:39 (4,556 days old) by KirbyLover (Louisville Kentucky )        

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the polish will always turn black on the rag, even when the metal is polished up as much as you can get it. That's just what polish does.

Post# 154471 , Reply# 12   10/7/2011 at 20:18 (4,555 days old) by thissucks ()        

that is true, polish grinds of small amounts of metal and oxidizes immediatly. even brand new metal will make a rag black.

Post# 154476 , Reply# 13   10/7/2011 at 20:59 (4,555 days old) by logdog ()        

Well this Kirby has a ways to go still and I will keep working on it. Eventually I hope for a mirror finish but know that probably won't happen!

Post# 155606 , Reply# 14   10/15/2011 at 22:52 (4,547 days old) by classicfan1 (Ohio, USA)        
My friend's method

Two of my friend's have a method, I forget what, I'm tired and its late. But I think they use a rubbing compound on a buffing wheel for a drill. Then they polish it out with wax. By the time they're done, the most dirty, dusty, darkest of all Kirby vacuums will have car how quality chrome!


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