Steel Wool Infestation--Help!
- Thread starter kilgoretrout321
- Start date
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
It's kind of true tho. There's literally no benefit to using steel wool compared to sandpaper and scotch brite pads. Steel wool sux ballz. You can't rough sand with it, you can't fine sand with it. It makes a mess and can actually destroy your components apparently. And it gives you metal splinters, yippee!! Sandpaper isn't expensive and actually works. You can get as fine of a finish as you want. 2000+. All steel wool will do is get you a 320s finish and give you splinters. Just moronical.
You’ve clearly never used 0000 steel wool.
Seriously, properly used it can get a mirror shine on the frets AND nicely buff an unfinished board, as well as actually getting the sides of the frets.
I will look into this brass wool, though. I wonder if I can find it in 0000.
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Wattage
High Voltologist
Yeah try using a strong ceramic mag, I've had luck with that
Drak
New member
Wherever I 'would' use steel wool (I don't), I use Abralon pads, been using them for decades.
I use them from 360 up to 4000, tho they may go higher than that.
They nearly never wear out, I have some that are 10+ years old, well-worn, and still work.
Although a new 500, over time, turns into a 1000, but I rarely ever throw the things away.
A 5-pack is $15.00, and they last for years upon years...
Priceless.
I use them from 360 up to 4000, tho they may go higher than that.
They nearly never wear out, I have some that are 10+ years old, well-worn, and still work.
Although a new 500, over time, turns into a 1000, but I rarely ever throw the things away.
A 5-pack is $15.00, and they last for years upon years...
Priceless.
Wherever I 'would' use steel wool (I don't), I use Abralon pads, been using them for decades.
I use them from 360 up to 4000, tho they may go higher than that.
They nearly never wear out, I have some that are 10+ years old, well-worn, and still work.
Although a new 500, over time, turns into a 1000, but I rarely ever throw the things away.
A 5-pack is $15.00, and they last for years upon years...
Priceless.
Priceless? I thought they were 5 for $15...
Obsessive Compulsive
New member
Use Brasso or Autosol for mirror shine frets wtf... Sandpaper can get you scratch on the fretboard.
ErikH
Well-known member
Use Brasso or Autosol for mirror shine frets wtf... Sandpaper can get you scratch on the fretboard.
Not if the fretboard is taped up like it should be or fret guards are used.
Obsessive Compulsive
New member
More prep work. With metal polish none of that is necessary. Worst scenario is residue on the edge of the frets that can be easily removed with fingernails.
ErikH
Well-known member
That can work too but part of working on frets; leveling, crown and polish, is prepping the fret board by taping it up. Not doing that is being lazy and asking for the fretboard to be mucked up. 1000 grit, 1500, even 2000, will leave a really nice shine when crowning is done.
solspirit
Ultimate Post Liker
Use Brasso or Autosol for mirror shine frets wtf... Sandpaper can get you scratch on the fretboard.
https://whitediamondamerica.com/
alex1fly
Well-known member
Immediately? I'd think this would take a prolonged exposure. Think of all the pickups and extra alnico magnets laying around in everyone's parts drawers, smushing up against each other :11:
ErikH
Well-known member
Exactly. Bad idea. It may not completely demagnetize, but waving a stronger magnet close to a weaker magnet will have an affect on the weaker magnet. There are so many better options mentioned in this thread. Pickups should be stored in their jewel boxes or similar.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
If the polarities are the opposite and they attract, they should not demagnatize even in contact. Forcing like/repelling poles together will demagnatize one or both magnets, but I believe it takes time.
d1dsj
Cornographer
If it’s that there are some filings in the cavities and on the underside of the pick ups, I would remove the pick ups for the body/ pick guard and try getting a vacuum cleaner pipe set close to the area and then use a can of air blast blowing carefully in the direction of the vac pipe. It may move the stubborn particles that are hidden. Just make sure you wear a mask and safety goggles. My twopenneth.
Wound_Up
New member
I'm not lazy and I value my guitars far too much to EVER use steel wool on them. The only time I would ever use steel wool to polish frets would be on a neck that is not attached to a guitar. Otherwise, there are far better options out there that aren't destructive towards your guitar.
Steel wool gets down into your pickups, in between the winds and rusts, which can cause it to short out internally. No thanks. I value my possessions and don't actively, knowingly do things to ruin them.
It takes the same amount of time to polish with Micro Mesh and it doesn't leave metal particles everywhere, to fk up your guitar. Why on earth would you use steel wool anymore? It's not 1962 anymore. Theres plenty of stuff we thought was great in 1962 thats banned these days because we've learned that it wasn't as great as we thought, and was in fact, destructive and hurtful and caused issues later on. Polishing frets with steel wool is one of these things that ought to be banned in the guitar community now that there are better options and no reason whatsoever to continue to use destructive steel wool.
I just watched somebody do this on YouTube and all it did was take a little away. It went from reading like a new magnet to reading like a time-weakened 25 yr old magnet or something. I'll see if I can find the vid again. Sorry for the crappy description. I saw it once and don't recall it all exactly.
Steel wool gets down into your pickups, in between the winds and rusts, which can cause it to short out internally. No thanks. I value my possessions and don't actively, knowingly do things to ruin them.
It takes the same amount of time to polish with Micro Mesh and it doesn't leave metal particles everywhere, to fk up your guitar. Why on earth would you use steel wool anymore? It's not 1962 anymore. Theres plenty of stuff we thought was great in 1962 thats banned these days because we've learned that it wasn't as great as we thought, and was in fact, destructive and hurtful and caused issues later on. Polishing frets with steel wool is one of these things that ought to be banned in the guitar community now that there are better options and no reason whatsoever to continue to use destructive steel wool.
I just watched somebody do this on YouTube and all it did was take a little away. It went from reading like a new magnet to reading like a time-weakened 25 yr old magnet or something. I'll see if I can find the vid again. Sorry for the crappy description. I saw it once and don't recall it all exactly.
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There’s this stuff called tape...
chadd
New member
I actually don't use it for frets, a friend taught me his technique for that and it turns out a finish that can't be beat.
I do use 0000 steel wool on the back of a neck, that has worked better for me than anything else so far, including pads. There are a hundred ways to skin a cat, we all have our preferences.