Refinishing / Polishing Brushed finish

[lanikai]

Since reading all the threads with questions for polishing or not polishing the brushed finish of your watches.. I thought I would note a few issues and some helpful simple tools, readily available in Conus and EU also in Canada.

You can "polish" the satin or "brushed" finish on your bracelet or case.. it will not strip the finish.. it will brighten it and improve on the finish though...

*Cape cod cloth

*Metal wheel polish

*silver polish

All these polishes are acceptable for polishing your bracelet/case.

***remember not to use these polishes on any AR coated surface.. you will damage your AR coating!!!

To refinish your brushed finish.. you want to do this to get rid of light scratches every so often.. you can initially use a "pen eraser" to work out the scratches say on the underside of your clasp, for deeper scratches a 1500 wet sand papers with soap and water will be good.. then use the fiberglass pens to finish .. one way even strokes... or for the case.. follow the "line" if the case curves use the pen as if painting the finish..

Here are the brush pens.. you can also use them for turning shinny finishes on straps to matte..

they work well to refinish the brushed surfaces..

From Cousins UK > Here

And from Ofrei > Here

In Canada Watchboys > Here

Wathcboys also carry nice gator IWC straps and cape cod cloths

All are about the same Pricing.

here is a pic of my Doxa case.. I took the finish down to almost a polished finish and then used the brush pen to reapply the brushed finish.

I also use a dremel for deep scratches that I gather on my watch case of for removing AR before sending it to chief for AR coating..

Hope this helps clear up how to refinish your brushed surface..

AC/Lani

[deniz21]

wow man thank you so much

but i never heard from that pen bevore, i was thinking i need something like this..

http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/manfromomega/P9030001.JPG for rebrushing, canada watchboys is a real cool site

and cape cod seems to be real good stuff, but lani how long can you work with one towel, isnt this a little bit pricey??

and man i kow i can be boring sometimes, but how you youse so a little pen for rebrushing a watch bracelet for example

[lanikai]

wow man thank you so much

but i never heard from that pen bevore, i was thinking i need something like this..

http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/manfromomega/P9030001.JPG for rebrushing, canada watchboys is a real cool site

and cape cod seems to be real good stuff, but lani how long can you work with one towel, isnt this a little bit pricey??

and man i kow i can be boring sometimes, but how you youse so a little pen for rebrushing a watch bracelet for example

Please not the Brillo pad...

.

.

believe it or not.. the brush pen is amazing for refinishing..

you use the brush pen just as you would a paint brush.. not to much pressure is needed... just as if you were bushing on paint.. the evenness of the strokes dictates the lines on the finish.. believe me this is the best tool.

for the cape cod.. I cut off just an inch swuare at a time.. being sure to seal it in a ziplock bag.. it dries out rather quickly, and it's the solvent on the cloth that you need... all you need for a whole bracelet and case is a little piece.. easier to control too.

I've gotten some nice straps from watchboys.. for IWC and Panerai.. great price.. Kurt is cool.. it takes awhile for his parcels to reach Hawaii.. but good products..

[deniz21]

ok lani i belive it, but ist this very difficult to make the brushes with the pen all in one line..on a bracelet like them on a omega or rolex

or dos it not matter when one link of the bracelet is not exact the same brushd as the other, i hope you can understand me bro

[lanikai]

You do one link at a time one way stroke.. you'll be fine.. if I can do this anyone can,,the case one long stroke to follow the curve of a quarter of the case at a time..

one link at t a time and they will be even..unless your vision is way off

[deniz21]

ok brother, when you say so i think i order this pen and the cape cod too, they ship wordwide free, thats not bad

i only hope that this capecod stuff is not so strong for brushed stuff, i readet sometimes about that stuff and they said its realy strong and and it will polish your brushed areas very easy.

[lanikai]

Just don't use the cape cod on any AR treated Crystal.. one cape cod cloth will last a very long time if you make sure it's in an air tight bag.. so the cloth doesn't dry out.... remember to cut off a very small piece at a time.. to use..

and if your skin starts turning red.. the cape cod does contain mineral spirits which some are allergic to.. wash the bracelet with warm after before using.. just make sure all the polish is wiped clean..

[deniz21]

ok thanks man, i never tried cape cod, ok i will remember this with the ar and after polishing you use a normal towel to remove the polish, a old t shirt maybe something like this? and they make no swirls or something like this on highly polished areas, like a pam case for example

[lanikai]

I use it to take out the swirls form a dremel polishing actually.. antoher issue the pen may very well resolve is the "shine" on the lume markers that the vintage models have.. I believe it could be used to turn the shinny lume markers into a nice matte look..

In fact I'm going to use it on my Omega Vintage 300 lume .. you know the shinny lume on the vintage reps .. I think it'll come out very nicely... to a matte look using the pen.. I'll try it out and post pics after I'm done..

these lume markers are too shinny.. I'm excited that this issue can be resolve with the pen

if the pen will turn this glossy lume into a rough finish.. could be another issue resolve for cheap..

Edit Add:.. actually just order the 2mm size from Cousins for the lume markers.. I only have the large pen.. the thinner smaller one should be prefect for the lume markers.

btw.. one brush cartridge lasts a very, very long time.. I still have not used my extra refill.

[deniz21]

yes your right, this would make a more vintage look on the watch, hey you are realy smart thats a easy mod bro

but to finish this for me, can you tell me, you have your watch and you start to clean it first, then you youse cape cod for make your brushed areas more gen like shine right, do you youse the pen everytime after you use cape cod on a brushed part?

[lanikai]

yes your right, this would make a more vintage look on the watch, hey you are realy smart thats a easy mod bro

but to finish this for me, can you tell me, you have your watch and you start to clean it first, then you youse cape cod for make your brushed areas more gen like shine right, do you youse the pen everytime after you use cape cod on a brushed part?

No,.. the brush pen is just when you want to take out scratches .. I have used it initially though when the brush finish on the rep was to "thick" to give it more of a satin finish.. the finer the brush finish the more it shines like the genuine... imo.. the rough brush finish that the reps sometimes have does not look as brilliant, as a finer stain finish

No need to brush it after using cape cod.. just to remove scratches or give it a finer finish..

[deniz21]

ohhhh know i understud you

ok but as you say you can youse the pen also to make it a finer finish and not only for scratches, thats cool:)

is it because of this that your watch is so shiny and looks brandnew

i hope there is no copyright on this pic

[lanikai]

I used the cape cod on the UPO bracelet .. YES.. but there was no need to refinish.. the finish is fine.. I have used it on this bracelet to get rid of those "desk scratches".. and miscellaneous scratches around the bracelet..

and you are 100 it keeps the bracelet looking like new all the time..

No copyright Denz.. use my pics on this board if you want..

[deniz21]

ok thats cool

but you have to answer the final question for the , no understanding im a foraigner

how do you youse cape cod, in lines like you youse the pen, always in one way only, or can you youse it like you want too and this dosnt matter

and sorry for this stupid question but when you youse cape cod time to time, do you not polish the brushed finish of some day?

[lanikai]

Never a stupid question denz

use it like any polishing.. it is not abrasive so it will not leave swirls .. however you can use it to fit the area your polishing will be fine.. I use a toothbrush .. because the polish will end up in between the links and in cracks.. left alone it will dry white.. so I use the tooth brush to clean the cracks in between the links and around the bezel..etc.the toothbrush will not scratch the ss

the blacker the cape cod cloth, gets the more oxidation you are removing from the ss..

[deniz21]

thank you bro

but i now understud how to youse the pen and the cape on brushed parts thank you so much for your input, and i think im not alone that thinks that this i very helpfull thread

but can you tell me what you personaly youse when you have a light scratch(not only swirls from a dremel or something) on a polished part also your cape cod

[PeteM]

Lani

What about a brushed CG?

Thanks

[lanikai]

They work well on any brushed surface..

Watch Bitz has them for no doubt a better price.. both the cape cod and the brush pen..

AC/L

[deniz21]

http://watchbitz.com.au/shop/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=37

is this the pen lani? and the right site of them?

[lanikai]

I don't know if this is the same one that is used for refinishing (??)

for this you need to check with Offshore.. the one I use is for refinishing brushed finishes.. this states it is used as a cleaning tool.. so best to check with OS he does carry the cape cod though..

[deniz21]

offshore ? is this also a shop lani?

and lani, i was reading a little bit in german gen forums about cape cod, and they all say stay away from brushed parts whats wrong with us germans man

oh yes maybe because it was a gen forum and the brushed gen watches have maybe a better shine as the reps have..that could be the reason

[lanikai]

I really don't know why some say to stay away from brushed area's .. I use the cape cod cloth on my gen Rolex Explorers .. and all they do is make then brighter..

although I will say this forum has more experienced knowledge than most genuine fora'.. I'm not talking about my knowledge, but about the horological knowledge of movements, correct gen parts..

I guess this hobby breads more research in those area's than most that just buy a watch and strap it on..