Kirby polishing
- Thread starter logdog
- Start date
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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!
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!
vacuumfreeeke
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2006
- Messages
- 1,997
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!
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.
redgeminipa
Member
Logdog... can you upload a pic of the results from using the Mothers? I got some Maguires, but I'm not impressed with it.
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.
redgeminipa
Member
Thanks! I'll have to pick up some when I get to the store.
kirbylover
New member
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.
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.
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.
kirbylover
New member
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.
classicfan1
Well-known member
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!
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!
