Stainless Steel Question

[Alex65]

Hi All: We just purchased a new boat (Eastern 24') Kind looks like a New England Lobster boat (downeast style) Anyway, we just got her out on the mooring & my wife & I decided to clean the SS Bow Rail w/ some SS cleaner, just to keep the salt in check. I always use "Star-Brite's SS Cleaner" Excellent stuff & cheap. <br /><br />So, I forgot something & took the Zodiac back to shore & my wife said "I'll start on the SS Railing" Ok..I said. I come back about 20 minutes later & she used a 3M Scotch Brite Pad with the cleaner. I looked @ it & it appears like it's light scratched the SS surface. I was doing everything to keep my cool with my wife, because we always used rags & toothbushes to clean our SS. <br /><br />3M's Scotch-Brite pads are not metal but a synthetic material scouring pad. What can I do to work out some of these scratches? It's not terrible looking, just kind of dulled the finish a bit. The good thing she only did half of the SS Bow Rail! <br /><br />I was thinking maybe some light compound might do the trick? Any sugguestions? I would appreciate any & all insight!!<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Alex

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Stainless Steel Question

At this point you dont have anything to lose by trying in a small area. Bummer deal.<br /><br />Are you sure its SS or chrome plated?

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Stainless Steel Question

Stainless Steel is not as hard as people think. It is easy to polish with soome elbow grease. Use very fine rubbing compound to start, then mover to a stainless steel polish like the starbrite products.

 

[JB]

Re: Stainless Steel Question

Moving to Boats

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Stainless Steel Question

Alex65 – your rail is now much more prone to rusting if you don’t keep on top of it all the time. Rainwater can collect in the scratches and stagnate causing rust if it doesn’t evaporate fast enough. Ironically, a flow of water, like constant rain, will prevent the collection of stagnant water.<br /><br />Scotch-Brite pads are used to change shiny ss railing into brushed ss railing. The whole rail has uniform scratches that run parallel. For the reason stated above, they must be towel dried after getting wet. Good news: brushed ss rails are coming back in vogue again. <br /><br />Since you have a new boat, I would suggest buffing the rails, even if it meant removing and taking to a rail-maker or metal shop where they have the appropriate compounds and cloth buffing wheels. There may be methods of buffing while in place with hand tools. Either way, you want to restore the rail to the mirror-like finish it had. This provides to best prevention from corrosion…and she is a new boat. <br /><br />Good luck!

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Stainless Steel Question

Check into a product (for Motorcycles) called Luster Lace (www.lusterlace.com). I have used it recently and been more than impressed. It comes in long polishing cloth strips that can be wrapped arroung the rail.

 

[BillP]

Re: Stainless Steel Question

You can buff the scratches out but if the ss has been passivated it won't show stains anyway. High quality marine stainless is passivated...cheaper isn't. Grade isn't what keeps it from showing rust stains.<br /><br />I think you will want to use an electric buffing wheel. Doing scratches out by hand will be a task.

 

[Alex65]

Re: Stainless Steel Question

18 Rabbit: Many thanks for taking the time with your post. Do you think some light compound might "help" do the trick? If not, I'll just polish the rails every week with Starbrite SS cleaner to keep on top of them. Also, my bow is super high, so when it's moored I don't expect much salt water getting @ them. I should also mention, they don't really look bad @ all! You really have too look pretty hard to see a difference.<br /><br />I called the company who made my boat & told them about the problem. I paid $795.00 for the bow rail unit itself. They would sell me a whole new unit for their cost ($535.00 plus labor @ $55.00/hour) but I would need to have them re-installed. I think this isn't really necessary.<br /><br />So will a light compound help? Then buff like a son-of-a-gun? I won't pull the boat out of the water this year to address this, so I'm looking for a "on-the-boat" type of fix.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Alex

 

[quantumleap]

Re: Stainless Steel Question

Use a good quality compound like Mothers and a high speed buffer and it will be good as new. I've used Mothers on stainless fasteners for show cars on a buffing wheel and they look like chrome in no time.