"Wet-Sanding"
Hi Louis!
To polish a Kirby and remove those stubborn age spots, I sand the aluminum with sandpaper that is wet with ordinary tap water and Dawn dish soap. I usually start with 400 grit sandpaper (or 220 if really rough), add a lot of elbow grease, then work my way up to 800 grit. After a thorough rinsing and towel-dry, I polish it on the bench grinder with brown compound, and finish with white compound. Using the wet sandpaper does create scratches, but as you move through the different stages, those scratches smooth out and eventually disappear! I remember touring the Kirby Rebuild Department back at the 2008 Convention, but cannot remember what exact steps they take to work their magic. I know their buffing wheels are huge, though.
Hi Louis!
To polish a Kirby and remove those stubborn age spots, I sand the aluminum with sandpaper that is wet with ordinary tap water and Dawn dish soap. I usually start with 400 grit sandpaper (or 220 if really rough), add a lot of elbow grease, then work my way up to 800 grit. After a thorough rinsing and towel-dry, I polish it on the bench grinder with brown compound, and finish with white compound. Using the wet sandpaper does create scratches, but as you move through the different stages, those scratches smooth out and eventually disappear! I remember touring the Kirby Rebuild Department back at the 2008 Convention, but cannot remember what exact steps they take to work their magic. I know their buffing wheels are huge, though.
