I'm new to the world of mods, my first is on the way, actually! So my question is, how do you care for your mod? Cleaning, polishing, I want to know it all! I'm starting with a stainless steel setup, but I want to try copper and/or brass, eventually, so care tips and tricks for all metals are appreciated! Thanks!!!
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How do YOU polish?
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StrappedKaos
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I own copper/brass/ss/aluminum. I have found they can all be cleaned with the same compounds but each one i use something different and different ways.
Aluminum I dont use anymore but mother metal or nano style polish and a med. Speed dremel/buffer wheel are fast and easy.
Ss I use either mother see way with dremel or hand polish with grain and use cape cod.
Brass I started day one with a old moonshiner trick to delead it then use a 3m soft rubbing compound and after first time cape cod regularly. If you let it patina then brasso/mothers with dremel cuts patina fast but can remove slight metal.
Copper I use a home made compound and then follow with cape cod, if you stay up cape cod is an easy way to protect and clean. Im sure others have better ways so I stand to learn also
Aluminum I dont use anymore but mother metal or nano style polish and a med. Speed dremel/buffer wheel are fast and easy.
Ss I use either mother see way with dremel or hand polish with grain and use cape cod.
Brass I started day one with a old moonshiner trick to delead it then use a 3m soft rubbing compound and after first time cape cod regularly. If you let it patina then brasso/mothers with dremel cuts patina fast but can remove slight metal.
Copper I use a home made compound and then follow with cape cod, if you stay up cape cod is an easy way to protect and clean. Im sure others have better ways so I stand to learn also
Chowder
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Well, I usually polish by using a sock or other.....No wait, we are talking ablut mods here, right? Alrighty then, I use a microfiber cloth and toothbrush to clean my mods. Stainless usually does not need a polishing compound unless you are trying to get scratches out. Phill Busardo did a video in where he gives a great review for a polish he was using, but for the life of me I can't find it on his site now. Does anyone know which video I'm talking about? However, I've always been happy with using Flitz Polish. It works great for all metals and puts a real shine to it. Find it here:
https://www.flitz-polish.com/
In a pinch, toothpaste is a great polish also. It not only brightens your teeth, but your mod too!
https://www.flitz-polish.com/
In a pinch, toothpaste is a great polish also. It not only brightens your teeth, but your mod too!
Puffinstein
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I clean all my threads with alcohol and use a nail buffing block to polish my copper mods. Works great.
Alan Woltemath
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Easiest and quickest method here - Use a boge cartomizer and screw on the top of your mod, put the other end of the cartomizer in the end of a drill.
- Use Blue magic chrome polish(it is also good for copper, brass, and stainless)and spread a little on a microfiber rag
-wrap the microfiber cloth around the mod and hold with one hand, activate drill with other hand.
-Watch rag turn black as your mod starts to shine, wipe mod clean with a separate clean microfiber cloth
- Admire the your reflection in your perfectly polished mod, and it only took 2.5 minutes to complete.
Here is a link to the best polish in the world.
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1420324&KPID=1190442&pla=pla_1190442
- Use Blue magic chrome polish(it is also good for copper, brass, and stainless)and spread a little on a microfiber rag
-wrap the microfiber cloth around the mod and hold with one hand, activate drill with other hand.
-Watch rag turn black as your mod starts to shine, wipe mod clean with a separate clean microfiber cloth
- Admire the your reflection in your perfectly polished mod, and it only took 2.5 minutes to complete.
Here is a link to the best polish in the world.
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1420324&KPID=1190442&pla=pla_1190442
StrappedKaos
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Oh yea, I should have added other info too.
I too only use micro fiber towels to apply and to remove any polishes.
For the threads alcohol works a treat with a tooth brush. You can even use dish soap and water to clean mod and threads before polish to prevent scratches.
I have a couple mods that have weakness in the threads like a nemesis. I apply some 3m soft rubbing compound to the threads before cleaning and pull it apart while threaded in and out and then push together while screwing it in and out. This is a good way to cut anything on threads and then I just use tooth brush and choice of cleaner on the threads, then I apply noalox or lubromoly mos with copper to help with voltage drop.
I too only use micro fiber towels to apply and to remove any polishes.
For the threads alcohol works a treat with a tooth brush. You can even use dish soap and water to clean mod and threads before polish to prevent scratches.
I have a couple mods that have weakness in the threads like a nemesis. I apply some 3m soft rubbing compound to the threads before cleaning and pull it apart while threaded in and out and then push together while screwing it in and out. This is a good way to cut anything on threads and then I just use tooth brush and choice of cleaner on the threads, then I apply noalox or lubromoly mos with copper to help with voltage drop.
On my copper mods, I have heated them with a torch to give them a nice discoloration and Ive also buried them in the ground for a week or two to help to get that "patina" look..
Any threads or contacts.... clean with alchohol as stated already
Any threads or contacts.... clean with alchohol as stated already
The only thing I've had to clean is the ring on an eVic after liquid leaked from an RDA. Take the battery out, dump some isopropyl in it, move the ring, dump some more, move some more, let dry, see if it's still sticky.
And 510 threads in eGo batteries, wipe out with a paper towel.
Other than eVics all I have is stainless and a brass mech. There's no care needed. eVics are anodized aluminum which you don't want to polish.
I embrace the nature of brass, just like I'd do if I had copper.
This is how I'd polish if I were to polish. Polishing Stainless is a pain with a polishing machine, can't imagine attempting it by hand. I've only had to do it after I've done some modding on a cap.
And 510 threads in eGo batteries, wipe out with a paper towel.
Other than eVics all I have is stainless and a brass mech. There's no care needed. eVics are anodized aluminum which you don't want to polish.
I embrace the nature of brass, just like I'd do if I had copper.
This is how I'd polish if I were to polish. Polishing Stainless is a pain with a polishing machine, can't imagine attempting it by hand. I've only had to do it after I've done some modding on a cap.
Sickboy
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Is this the Vinegar & Hydrogen Peroxide method?
StrappedKaos
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Yes it is and should be done for a very short period, More of a way to remove surfacing then to actually weaken the metal it self.
To add about the SS, if you do happen to polish against the grain it is possible to remove the finish and make it almost perfectly mirror like shine. So if you happen to do that and want the surface back then I can tell you how I do it and can be done to shiny SS to add that SS look.
If you use the method of putting your mod in a drill you can take sand paper and create the lines again very easily, I started with 80grit and moved up till about 1000grit. I did it to get the correct grains I wanted and is simplistic, you can go to 2000grit but will be in fact creating that mirror gloss again. If you own a SS that is mirror you can add the grain to it which will allow you to make it look cleaner longer, a good example is the sigelei 8w which is mirror finished and if you add grain it will look clean even with out cleaning.
To add about the SS, if you do happen to polish against the grain it is possible to remove the finish and make it almost perfectly mirror like shine. So if you happen to do that and want the surface back then I can tell you how I do it and can be done to shiny SS to add that SS look.
If you use the method of putting your mod in a drill you can take sand paper and create the lines again very easily, I started with 80grit and moved up till about 1000grit. I did it to get the correct grains I wanted and is simplistic, you can go to 2000grit but will be in fact creating that mirror gloss again. If you own a SS that is mirror you can add the grain to it which will allow you to make it look cleaner longer, a good example is the sigelei 8w which is mirror finished and if you add grain it will look clean even with out cleaning.
I don't really polish stuff, I just use one of these to keep them clean.
It also polishes to some extent...good enough for me.
http://www.litecigusa.net/Black_Microfiber_Liquid_Towel_p/liqtowel-blk.htm
It also polishes to some extent...good enough for me.
http://www.litecigusa.net/Black_Microfiber_Liquid_Towel_p/liqtowel-blk.htm
KREAM
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I use Cape Cod Metal Polishing Cloths w/microfiber towel. It's a great polish for silver, gold, brass, copper, nickel, pewter, aluminum and stainless steel. Highly recommend it.
You must be a jewler or own a pawn shop......... I owned that same buffing machine for ten years..
Jeweler. I can't imagine not having my tools. Knifemaking, pipemaking, ecigs, they come in handy.
What were you?
Owned a Pawnshop for 10 years.
Yeah, your right. That buffing equipment is so versatile. I really do miss it. I even use to buy old Scripto VU (see through lighters with the dice and fish hooks inside) and buff the age off the plastic tanks, rebuild them and sell them back on Ebay. I used the "watch crystal compound" for that. I would buff folks jewelry while they shopped and of course cleaned jewelry going into the show cases..repairs....that sort of thing.
I use my drill, a used carto that I hook up to my mod and then I use the drill to spin it. I use my trusty Never Dull wadding polish while the mod spins and then I use blue shop paper towels to wipe off the polish. The drill takes all the work out of it and I can polish a mod in about 5 minutes. The wadding gets into those hard to reach places.
I've got my beloved copper Nemesis clone completely disassembled and sitting in a glass of vinegar right now. For most parts, it only really took a few seconds to be all nice and pink and shiny. If you use an acid like that (lemon juice works, as will a nice ketchup bath), you gotta rinse it good with cold water after or it'll go all wonky. I'm no metallurgist so i could be way off on that.
Brass and copper I clean with a toothbrush and bar keeper's friend, the paste, not the powder. It's cheap and works like a champ. Contacts I just clean with rubbing alcohol. I like patinas, so bar keepers is for the inside, and threads. Good stuff.
CaFF, I like your style. Mine stay dirty on the outside, and shiny on the internals and threads etc... Gotta love a nice patina.
This stuff was recommended to me for the brass door on a Reo. It works great! I am sure it is similar to the Blue Magic from ace.
However this stuff gets a lot of votes for being the best! Like the package says; Perfect for all metals. Use a terry cloth or microfibre cloth applying a small amount. It will turn black no heavy rubbing needed. Polish with a clean part of the cloth before it dries.
I was amassed on how well it works!
There is nothing wrong with a nice patina either!
However if you want an "effortless shine" you can't beat this stuff. Any local auto parts store will have.
However this stuff gets a lot of votes for being the best! Like the package says; Perfect for all metals. Use a terry cloth or microfibre cloth applying a small amount. It will turn black no heavy rubbing needed. Polish with a clean part of the cloth before it dries.
I was amassed on how well it works!
There is nothing wrong with a nice patina either!
However if you want an "effortless shine" you can't beat this stuff. Any local auto parts store will have.
Kndabutch3801
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Can u post a pic of the carto. So I can understand what u mean?
JuicyLucy
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LOL, didnt notice that till you posted.You were the first person to post in this thread in two and a half years
I guess with all the regulated box devices "polishing ones mod" has become less of a thing.....
Kndabutch3801
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I got the mod polished need to do the top cap
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I don't like using compounds like Mothers that is petroleum based. What I've found to be best for copper and works well on brass also is Wrights Copper Cream. It's non-toxic, formulated for copper kitchenware and works really well. I also have an ample supply of Sunshine Cloth's to finish it up with. But when I first get a mod though I put it on a polishing wheel, buff it out for a while then just maintain with a weekly or bi-weekly dab of Wrights.
That works very well for me, I also have a fairly decent Ultrasonic that I use a non toxic jewelry cleaner. This though I use mostly for my tanks, rda's and coils. Once in a while I'll pop parts of my mech's in there and when I first get them.
That works very well for me, I also have a fairly decent Ultrasonic that I use a non toxic jewelry cleaner. This though I use mostly for my tanks, rda's and coils. Once in a while I'll pop parts of my mech's in there and when I first get them.
I have something that is very uncommon but works on all mods to protect them its called Museum wax it puts a crystalline coating to protect the device it is not a substitute for polishing but is kinda like a poly without it being permanent its freaking amazing
you can get it from all over but usually only online if you have copper mods ( keeps them from tarnishing) especially or mods with paint it will keep them from chipping peeling but you do have to put it on every week or two. I never share this as its my black magic stuff but here goes.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/QuakeHOLD-13-oz-Crystalline-Clear-Museum-Wax-44111/100170917
you can get it from all over but usually only online if you have copper mods ( keeps them from tarnishing) especially or mods with paint it will keep them from chipping peeling but you do have to put it on every week or two. I never share this as its my black magic stuff but here goes.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/QuakeHOLD-13-oz-Crystalline-Clear-Museum-Wax-44111/100170917
JuicyLucy
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That's ok. A man of his own domain doesn't have to answer to anyone else, nor have to deal with their drama and solve their problems.Just like your seks
looks like its sized for something else as well
With mah hand!