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Stainless polish for use in the sun

3K views 21 replies 15 participants last post by  Minnewaska 
#1 ·
We are gradually getting all of our stainless clean using a German product called Autosol that we bought in Cape Town which claims to be a polish as well as a cleaner. It does an excellent job of cleaning but not so as a polish/protectant as we had the stainless clean in Cape Town and after two months of sailing it was bad. We want to put a separate polish on and the local supply store has a wide range of products to choose. The only problem is that we are doing this in full, tropical sun and several of the products say they are not to be used in full sun. I know talking about the 'full sun' may not be popular for those in northern climes right now ;) - (and it would too hot except for the trade wind breezes), but I digress.

Any ideas about what to put on the large amounts of stainless we have?
 
#3 ·
I don't know as it has an actual polish, but I've always been a fan of NevrDull. While I've not used it in the tropics, it needs to dry, like a wax, in order to buff it off. It won't work well in cool temps.

I have some reason to think it will work in very high temps, as I've often found places that baked on all day long, when I missed a spot to buff out. They come right off anyway, unlike what you would expect from most waxes.

The little cotton cloth pieces are so easy to use, its one cleaning job I don't really mind doing. Easy to keep a can around for small touch up. We use it above and below deck.

Now, to go out on a limb, I do know of a polish that can stand the topics. AeroGlaze. It's designed as a dry cleaner and polish for aircraft. It will not be affected by the sun, nor how long it takes you to go back around to buff and I have used it in the tropics. I have not used it on stainless, only paint.

Keep in mind, there is no real magic here. The "polishes" that act like waxes, but don't bake on, don't last quite as long either. On the other hand, I'm not a big fan of heavy wax build up, which I think has a tendency to yellow.

Here are a couple of links, just to show the products:

AERO GLAZE DRY WASH & POLISH from Aircraft Spruce

Amazon.com - George Basch L Nevr-Dull Magic Wadding Polish - Automotive Metal Cleaners@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41xSuYW%2BS0L.@@AMEPARAM@@41xSuYW%2BS0L
 
#6 ·
IIMO the reason they don't like waxing in the sun is because of the quick drying time and how hard it becomes to work once wax is totally dry. I would not use wax in a large flat surface like the companionway turtle gel coat, but for small stainless steel parts it should be fine. Just don't let is sit for too long before buffing it out. Try a small part and see. Again, I think waxing in direct sunlight does not hurt the finished wax surface, it only makes it harder to work large areas without a buffer.
 
#7 ·
Sunrise and at dusk just not full sun. You can make a spot in the shade. Avoid any dew or fog should not be much of a problem. Pick an area small enough you can finish. If the sun is getting stronger you might work a smaller area. If you can not lay your hand on it this area might be to hot to polish ? You will just have to try a small area that you can recover and do over again if it is to hot .
The best way was developed by Mark Twain ? :D Have a party get lots of help make it a fun activity.
Kind Regards. Lou
 
#8 ·
It is pretty hot and sweaty here today - like most days I imagine, except the summer where it is apparently really hot and unpleasant.

I have tried Nvr Dull and it seems fine. The store here does not sell it though and the German stuff I am using cleans well and easily. It leaves a white powder that it is very easy to buff off, even overnight. Could do it first thing and last thing in the day, but time is fairly short before we go to the Great White North. Might leave it the way it is since it will just be sitting in the yard for almost a year. Might even try using regular wax on some parts and see a comparison of how those areas stand up to the ones with no extra protection.

The store here has Prizm polish and seem to remember that people liked it.
 
#9 ·
I use very little polish for some reason my stainless just doesn't get rusty . Type of SS and treatment (passivate) make the difference. Some boats on my dock are chronic rusters , people ask me what I put on my SS and when I tell them nothing they get angry . Please don't get angry at me.
 
#10 · (Edited)
We have become fans of Spotless Stainless. Though quite dear, it does do as advertised. It seems to be extending the time between applications, as well, conditioning the s/s as claimed.
When working in the tropical sun of the Caribbean, my mate uses plastic bags (supermarket) to wrap around the work area after application and if necessary, the bags can be dampened after wrapping to keep them cool. If the product seems to be drying too quickly (15 minutes) DO NOT LET IT DRY, she reapplies and rewraps. The longer the product is on, the longer the process works to keep the rust from reappearing. I'm hoping that after another year or so of applications, our s/s will actually be stainless, as it is supposed to be.
By the way, we are full time cruisers, always anchored out, and we do not wash down the s/s often, so our s/s gets a lot of salt sitting on it. Obviously, if your boat is marina bound and wash down after every trip, you will probably not have this problem.
 
#16 ·
Spotless Stainless when there is outright corrosion, especially in tight spaces.

It works incredibly well, but I find it tough to use. It needs to stay wet for 30 - 60 mins, which is very hard to do in the sunlight, let alone the tropics. I then worry about what else it is going to get on, if I apply it to installed hardware.

If you can take the piece off and treat it in a workshop, the stuff is a miracle at removing corrosion. It does not necessarily polish.
 
#17 ·
Cleaning is not the problem. The stuff we are using now, Autosol, works very well when applied with a tooth brush, which is good because you can get into the cracks and welds where the rust tends to be. Perhaps what I need to be thinking about is re-passivating the steel rather than polishing it to protect it. We have a neat looking stainless piece that covers the entire bow at deck level and I know exactly where the rust will appear in it. I think the store sold something that claimed to do passivating.
 
#19 ·
Another vote for Spotless Stainless. I might try the tip re plastic bags because keeping it wet takes a lot of effort. They used to say spray it with water, now they say keep applying. How does plastic bags keep it wet? Does it stop evaporation because the sun still gets at it. If it's only an evaporation problem I might try saran wrap.
 
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