How to polish pens

[Paul-H]

Hi guys

Sorry for the obvious noob question but,

What's the best polish to use when restoring a pen and what's the best way to polish them, by hand or a motor driven mop

So many restored pens have an almost glass like finish that I would like to try polishing a few of my old pens, how is it done.

Thanks

Paul

[jar]

Hand is better than machine until you are very, very experienced.

What to use depends on the pen, design and materials.

[Deb]

Hi Paul,
For hand polishing I use Novus plastic polish which comes in three grades. Works really well. Electric bench polishers have their place but they need to be used with restraint. I've seen pens ruined by being polished to a hard glitter that they never had when new.

[Jon Szanto]

I'll chime in for hand polishing as well. I think unless and until you really understand all the various materials used over the years in pen manufacture, using a buffing wheel is a sure recipe for disaster. As said above, not ever pen was mirror shiny!

I use one of two methods: either the Novus products or Simichrome. The Novus can be had as a small kit, with three bottles, one of each of three grades, from a more abrasive paste to a mild paste to a cleaner/polisher. It really can put a lustre on a dull pen, and take out most all of the light scratches that come with age. For pens that are truly abused, with deep scratches or overall wear, I would consider a restore person. For the metal hardware and plated parts, I use Simichrome, a paste polish that restoration people have used for years and has proven to be safe when used with care. It can really make the most tarnished furniture gleam, just bear in mind that lesser and lower-tier pens had much thinner plating on clips, etc, and you don't want to over-polish and take off the plating! I also cover barrel imprints with a small piece of tape when polishing the pens - even though I'm only doing it by hand, I don't want to wear down the barrel and make the imprint more 'faint'.

I find it relaxing to spend a few minutes with a pen, bringing back a little gloss and lustre to an old pen that had spent too many hours banging around in a desk drawer or something...

[chiaroscuro]

I use this set of 3M polishing sheets. They've worked just fine on the few materials I've tried them on (makrolon, what looks to be a standard resin/plastic, bakelite), for everything from light polishing to removing moderately deep scratches. The last step gives a low shine, which I prefer, but you can get a glossier finish if you use the last step on one of those six or eight-sided nail buffers.

The trick with these is to go slowly and, at least in the final steps, in only one direction (maybe it's not necessary for all shapes, but I've had good results this way on panelled/faceted bodies). Use masking tape on metal trims, imprints or anything you don't want to alter because your hand will inevitably slip from time to time. Skip the first three or four steps if you're not removing deep scratches, as they can remove a lot of material very quickly. It takes much longer than you'd think, so set aside plenty of time.

[6of1]

Never underestimate the power of Flitz. It breaks down as it is used, which is handy.

[Chi Town]

I have used one product thru all my years - Simichrome, it does a fantastic job but as stated earlier you have to be careful with the lower tiered pens as you can rub off the gold plating on the nibs and the furniture!. But as far as the plastic / celluloid goes you won't find a better product for shine......

[CS388]

In the UK, I have bought and used T-Cut (Auto supply stores - eg Halfords)

As with most polishes, it is an ABRASIVE - so, if you use it, go slowly and gently - and keep checking the result.
You will need a very small drop (a bottle should last a lifetime, if used for pens instead of cars!) and rub it quite hard into the body of the pen. Straigt lines are better than circles. Then buff it all off with a soft cloth. It may take a few attempts to get your desired finish. A final shine can be enhanced with a drop of wax, or Mr Sheen etc.

ALWAYS do a small test area first, preferably as out of sight as possible (difficult, I know, but worth trying). Some products will react with each other. Never happened to me yet, but still better to be safe.
NEVER use T-Cut (or similar abrasives) on gold or other plated parts. A jeweller's cloth will bring these parts up to a nice clean shine. An abrasive polish will take the plate off, very quickly. I speak from (stupid) experience.

Patience is your friend. No quick fixes, here.

Enjoy.

Edited to add: All done by hand. No machinery.

[Paul-H]

Thanks for all the replies and tips guys and girls.

Paul

[carlos.q]

Would Simichrome or Flitz be safe for polishing a dull Esterbrook J?

[Sven-Erik]

Can anyone recommend a method for polishing ebonite pens? Is it the same as for plastic, or is ebonite a whole different ball game? I recently bought a handmade ebonite pen from an Indian pen maker. It's a handsome pen but has very pronounced toolmarks that detract from its elegance. I'd love to be able to buff these out. Thanks!
PS: Apologies for tacking on my question to this thread if this is not the way things are generally done on FP Geeks; this is my first post....

[joepike16]

For my ebonite pens, I use a polish from Mark Hoover at lbepen.com . It does a fantastic job!

[FredRydr]

For my ebonite pens, I use a polish from Mark Hoover at lbepen.com . It does a fantastic job!

That's what I've settled on as well, a two-stage formula.

[Jon Szanto]

For my ebonite pens, I use a polish from Mark Hoover at lbepen.com . It does a fantastic job!

That's what I've settled on as well, a two-stage formula.

Are we talking ebonite in general, or BHR? I thought he only had a product for black pens.

[FredRydr]

Are we talking ebonite in general, or BHR? I thought he only had a product for black pens.

Mark offers polish in Fine and Extra-Fine that can be used on any surface: hard rubber (ebonite), celluloid, plastic, metals and gold nibs. He says he avoids noxious ingredients and that you could even eat the stuff without serious consequences. It really does bring up the shine. Be patient; it doesn't work as fast as Simichrome or Wenol. (I still tend to use Wenol on metal parts and nibs, just because it works so quickly.)

Jon, this is not to be confused with Mark's so-called "deoxidizer" for hard rubber, but even so, that's good for all colors of ebonite.

[Jon Szanto]

Jon, this is not to be confused with Mark's so-called "deoxidizer" for hard rubber, but even so, that's good for all colors of ebonite.

Ah, thanks. I was unaware of anything other than the deox. Any idea if this polish is in the "micro-crystal" camp? NM, I should just write to him...