Removing Engraving From Brushed Stainless Steel

[johnsi02]

I recently picked up a Sheaffer Targa in brushed stainless steel from ebay. Its currently a roller ball, but the original plan was to swap the section for a FP section.

Problem is, the pen has two lines of engraving. It is fine, not bold, but noticeable. I have read in several places on watch forums that scotch brite pads work wonders to remove scratches. Has anyone on this forum tried a trick like that with a pen? Any other recommendations?

The engraving wasn't mentioned in the ebay listing, so I can return it. But it was a cheap buy anyway, so if it is fixable with a halfway decent result, I guess I would rather do that. I really like the looks of it other than the engraving.

Thanks for any help

JS

[OcalaFlGuy]

It's going to take something a lot stronger than Scotchbrite to remove that engraving from Stainless. Then you'd have to have the whole pen resurfaced so it'd all match up again.

 

That is cost prohibitive for that pen. (IMO)

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[Blazing]

It'll end up costing a lot more than getting a refund, returning it and buying another of the same version without the engraving.

[tguk911]

I recently picked up a Sheaffer Targa in brushed stainless steel from ebay. Its currently a roller ball, but the original plan was to swap the section for a FP section.

Problem is, the pen has two lines of engraving. It is fine, not bold, but noticeable. I have read in several places on watch forums that scotch brite pads work wonders to remove scratches. Has anyone on this forum tried a trick like that with a pen? Any other recommendations?

The engraving wasn't mentioned in the ebay listing, so I can return it. But it was a cheap buy anyway, so if it is fixable with a halfway decent result, I guess I would rather do that. I really like the looks of it other than the engraving.

Thanks for any help

JS

Can you post a picture of how deep the engraving is. If you want to DIY then you can probably get a lot of it but I'm sure there will still be a hint of the engraving unless you get it done professionally which would probably cost more than you paid for the pen. I'm not familiar with the stainless steel Targa but scotch brite will not remove an engraving you'll need some wet/dry sand paper starting with a coarse girt and working you way up to a finer grit and then you'll probably have to polish it either by hand or with a dremel. Of course take all of this with a grain of salt because I don't really know what the stainless steel Targa looks like or feels like and I don't know how deep the engraving it. Also since it's brushed stainless steel remember not to sand across the grain.

[sexauerw]

Don't even think about it! That pen is a brass pen with a thin chrome plating that is brushed to look like stainless steel. Any attempt to remove the engraving will remove the plating and expose the underlying brass.

[johnsi02]

For those remarking on cost, not planning on paying anyone. This project is DIY or not at all.

tguk911, here are some pictures, one of the pen, one of the engraving. Please forgive the quality, only camera available is my cellphone, it had real issues with reflections and focus.

 

http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p740/johnsi02/IMG_20130524_164048_167640x200_zps0bfc0e54.jpg

 

http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p740/johnsi02/IMG_20130524_164149_400640x256_zps063c9a1d.jpg

 

As you can see, the engraving is very fine and hopefully shallow, on the cap opposite the clip. It is one of those things that you might not notice, but once you do, you always see it. At least, that's how it works for my eye.

So despite Bill's well intended advice, I am going to try touching it up a little. The pen didn't cost enough to make me cry if it doesn't work out ($10). And this way, we'll have a bit of info on this kind of issue on the forum. At the least, someone else will know what not to do!

I googled around and found a number of suggestions on a watch forum. Besides scotchbrite, which does seem inadequate, people mentioned rust eraser bars, fiberglass pens, sand paper, fingernail buffers, and micromesh. Oh, and dremels, but involving a power tool is probably not wise.

Two considerations on the proper tool. One is grit size, I don't want to remove too much and get brassing, but I don't want to end up polishing it either. The online wisdom on that has varied from 150 grit sand paper to 3000 grit micromesh. That's a large range. Since I have some 3200 micromesh on hand, I tried that a little. That looks like it will leave a polished finish without removing the engraving. So courser than that.

The other issue is I need enough control to get straight brush strokes on a round surface.

Looking into finding a fine grit rust eraser to try next. Won't be for a few days, as life is also happening these days.

If anyone else has anything to add before I experiment some more, please do.

JS

[tguk911]

For those remarking on cost, not planning on paying anyone. This project is DIY or not at all.

tguk911, here are some pictures, one of the pen, one of the engraving. Please forgive the quality, only camera available is my cellphone, it had real issues with reflections and focus.

 

http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p740/johnsi02/IMG_20130524_164048_167640x200_zps0bfc0e54.jpg

 

http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p740/johnsi02/IMG_20130524_164149_400640x256_zps063c9a1d.jpg

 

As you can see, the engraving is very fine and hopefully shallow, on the cap opposite the clip. It is one of those things that you might not notice, but once you do, you always see it. At least, that's how it works for my eye.

So despite Bill's well intended advice, I am going to try touching it up a little. The pen didn't cost enough to make me cry if it doesn't work out ($10). And this way, we'll have a bit of info on this kind of issue on the forum. At the least, someone else will know what not to do!

I googled around and found a number of suggestions on a watch forum. Besides scotchbrite, which does seem inadequate, people mentioned rust eraser bars, fiberglass pens, sand paper, fingernail buffers, and micromesh. Oh, and dremels, but involving a power tool is probably not wise.

Two considerations on the proper tool. One is grit size, I don't want to remove too much and get brassing, but I don't want to end up polishing it either. The online wisdom on that has varied from 150 grit sand paper to 3000 grit micromesh. That's a large range. Since I have some 3200 micromesh on hand, I tried that a little. That looks like it will leave a polished finish without removing the engraving. So courser than that.

The other issue is I need enough control to get straight brush strokes on a round surface.

Looking into finding a fine grit rust eraser to try next. Won't be for a few days, as life is also happening these days.

If anyone else has anything to add before I experiment some more, please do.

JS

Now forgive me if I'm wrong because I don't know much about the Targa nor own one but I believe there was a brushed chrome one and a stainless steel one and I do not think the one you have is chrome for chrome gives a much more silvery look even when it is mixed with steel but this is pure speculation and it is a little hard to tell from the photos and I am no Shaeffer expert by any means.

Even if it's plated I think it's still possible to remove the engraving since the engraving doesn't look that deep but keeping the brushed look is what you may loose in the process which might look worse than the engraving. I do not think you'll get anywhere with even a coarse micromesh since stainless steel is a hard metal you'll most likely just be polishing the metal around the engraving. I would go with 80-120 grit wet/dry sandpaper and try that lightly to see if you need to go lower or higher and then once you find the right grit then I would get a few more grit sizes increasing all the way up to around 400-600 so you can give it a uniform brushed look. Take this advice with a grain of salt and get some more expert opinions before attempting.

[mbankirer]

Use it as is?

[Richard]

Don't even think about it! That pen is a brass pen with a thin chrome plating that is brushed to look like stainless steel. Any attempt to remove the engraving will remove the plating and expose the underlying brass.

 

Actually, Bill, the first generation 1001 Targas are stainless. They can be identified by a matching cap crown. The second generation are chrome-plated brass, and they have a polished gold-plated cap crown.

 

(Edited to fix typo)

Edited May 30, 2013 by Richard

[Hooker56]

I've used a ScotchBrite pad to great effect on a brushed ss Rolex watch to remove slight 'desk rash' that scratches against the brushed direction of the grain. I've also created a 'brushed' effect with great success on a couple of Lustraloy 51 caps (and to freshen up posting marks on my 51 flighter ), these are all very slight blemishes. In looking at the picture you posted, it appears that the 'engraving' may in fact be burnished. If that's the case, the scotchbrite pad might actually work (if it is a 1st Gen. Targa). If you try it, post back with results. Good luck.

 

 

Clayton

 

"Not a Hooker, hooker, but rather a left-handed overwriter"

[sexauerw]

 

Actually, Bill, the first generation 1001 Targas are stainless. They can be identified by a matching cap crown. The second generation are chrome-plated brass, and they have a polished gold-plated cap crown.

 

(Edited to fix typo)

Thank you, Richard. I have suspected that for quite a while, but had been told otherwise by a person who I thought was in a position to know better than I. It seems that he was wrong and now I know better.

 

Another way to distinguish the first and second gen 1001 Targas is to look at the end of the barrel. The first gen will have a small black grove just above the end while the second gen have a gold-plated metal piece that is pressed into the barrel end to finish and trim it. So looking at either the cap or the barrel, gold tip means brass underneath brushed chrome plating, while stainless tip means solid stainless. Just to be super clear, this applies to the 1001 models only.

[Sasha Royale]

I think that engaving is not the same as "scratches". It may not "polish" out.

 

How offensive is the engraving ?

What would you have bid, if you knew of the engraving ?

Returning the pen would involve shipping cost. Perhaps, you could offer to accept

a partial refund.

[johnsi02]

Well, my garage turned out to be deficient in sandpaper options. I had 120 grit, and green scotch-brite, which is about 600 grit equivalent. I also had #0 steel wool, but that can leave little bits of non stainless steel in your otherwise stainless steel so you end up with rust. It works, but not recommended.

The 120 sandpaper worked fine taking the engraving off. I would recommend only scrubbing in one direction. By that I mean either away from you, or towards you, not both. When I went back and forth, it left little loops at the end of each stroke where I reversed direction. Those were hard to get out.

Hopefully it is also apparent to go parallel to the grain of the existing finish. Even to start with. It is a lot of work to fix any scratches going perpendicular later (yes, this was a stupid move on my part, don't try it on yours).

The green scotch-brite worked decently to restore the brushed appearance. I noticed the factory finish is slightly more matte than what I did. I think if you had the intermediate sizes of sandpaper it would avoid that. Something like 220 and 320. Then finish with the scotch-brite (and what is up with scotchbrite pads? How does something made with nylon cut steel?).

Here are some pictures. Under bright light and close inspection there are flaws the pics don't show. I couldn't get pictures with better lighting without glare washing it out, sorry.

JS

http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p740/johnsi02/IMG_20130602_172752_487640x202_zps180027dc.jpg

 

http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p740/johnsi02/IMG_20130602_172759_998640x317_zps2b04539a.jpg