CVO Technical > Cleaning/Detailing

0000 steel wool - I've been missing out

(1/3) > >>

joejoebobo:
I feel a little hesitant to post this as I feel as though everyone may have known about this already. Bottom line up front: I dry rubbed all my chrome with 0000 steel wool and now my bike shines more than I ever remembered it.

Detailing my bike the other day, I noticed that my chrome just wasn’t sparkling like it used to. I tried Capt Richards, Bug Slide, HD Chrome polish, Rubbing Alcohol, Acetone and no matter the method, I wasn’t seeing a difference… no scratches, just dullness. I would rub my finger along the heat shields and just feel (and hear) the grittiness from road gunk. I took to Google (something I don’t know why I never researched before) and looked for basic chrome cleaning and came across this video from V&H (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3kR3Uekw2U). Here, they showed before/after using 0000 steel wool. WTF?? I never imaged taking steel wool to anything chrome as I assumed it’d scratch the sh!t out of it… but there was proof.

I decided to go remove one of my saddlebags and found a nice part of my muffler that wasn’t exposed in the event this experiment was a mistake. Around 2 hours later, every bit of chrome on my bike was sparking like a mirror in the sun. All the pitting, grit and dullness was gone and NO MICRO SCRATCHES AT ALL. I brought it out in the sun and shined a light on every angle possible looking for scratches – nothing. Running my finger along the chrome and it felt like glass. I ran over and grabbed my neighbor to tell him about it (20+ year motorcycle cop) to which he replied, don’t ever f#cking take steel wool to your chrome. I left a little spot under my other saddlebag for him to see with his own eyes… that’s all it took.

You all might already know this little trick, but I feel as though I want to share with the entire world. If this is news to you… give it a shot and thank me later.

GregKhougaz:

:worthless:
Congratulations. I'm reminded that a wadded ball of aluminum foil works very well, too.  :2vrolijk_21:

OBB:
Glad you discovered another use for that stuff. I bought a used bike 3 years ago and the  PO had melted a vinyl engine cover in places on the exhaust. WD-40 and 0000 steel wool took care of it.

Sent from my SM-N981U using Tapatalk

Para Bellum:
0000 works great on GLASS windshields.  I wouldn't use it on our plastic bike windshields.

Aussie:
That sounds great if the 0000 steel wool works for you but it would be interesting to see the chrome after this application under fluorescent light.
Not picking just my observation.  :2vrolijk_21:

I would have though anything other than a non abrasive cleaner and microfiber towel (with all tags removed) would be the best to clean chrome.
I use either a quick detailer or Glass cleaner for general detailing or chrome cream to remove tar and baked on bugs followed by the before mentioned cleaners but only after a wash with Meguires Gold Class detergent.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page