Ed Huntress wrote:

No and yes. The method involves using a knife or a sharp chisel on the
spinning wheel. It's widely used by buffers in the plating business. Don't
do it. That sucker can flip and come right back at you. I have a big framing
chisel (called a "slick") that my great-grandfather used for timber-framing
houses. It has a two-handed handle and it's almost 3 inches wide. Unless you
have one of those, you're asking for trouble.

I don't know the MAAS polish that a couple of people here have recommended.
If it works as well as some have said here in the past, I'd give it a try.
It sounds like it might be chemical because the hard part about polishing
really bad stainless is getting through the oxide layers. Chromium oxide is
harder than a witch's heart, and it can get pretty tough on old pots and
pans. If they've been overheated, you also pick up some nasty iron oxides to
go with it. Polishing old, beat, overheated stainless can be difficult, at
least until you get down to clean metal. I've found that the Dico stainless
polish is relatively good at getting through that stuff without scratching
the steel, among the mechanical methods.

The only chemical I know of that eats it right off is hydrofluoric acid,
which is what welders use to clean stainless welds. Don't even think about
it unless your health insurance is very good. g

--
Ed Huntress



WHILE WE ARE ON THIS (TIMELY! SUBJECT, could you address
passivating(sp?) welded stainless?

There are a few (very few) welded parts I have to have done, and the
local welder, who does really pretty work, doesn't know the term.

Whazup?

Richard