Cleaning pole pieces

[ped]

I'm tempted to clean up the magnets in these pickups. They're Alnico 8 type. Someone suggested using an eraser on them which didn't work. I don't fancy taking them apart or using anything drastic; I actually rather like the 'mojo' but open to any suggestions if there's something worth trying?

Cheers
ped

[ras52]

I was recommend to use a glass-fibre eraser - I bought one from Maplins but haven't tried it yet!

[KiOgon]

The type of rubber that will work is the sort used for cleaning rails in model train/railway layouts - not you're common or garden 'classroom rubber'

HTH

[ped]

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1476722015' post='3156653']
I was recommend to use a glass-fibre eraser - I bought one from Maplins but haven't tried it yet!
[/quote]

Let me know how it goes if you do. I'm going to keep an eye out for an ink rubber at work on Weds...

[DaveFry]

Crumpled-up tinfoil .

[MoonBassAlpha]

Black Sharpie?

[EBS_freak]

WD40 should clean those up nicely... or lighter fluid, or a little big of brasso on a rag. Don't be tempted to use anything like wirewool as you'll never get the metal debris away from the magnets.

Edited October 19, 2016 by EBS_freak

[Dood]

I'll take a picture of some I did recently. I used one of the craft glass-fibre pens. It took a lot of rubbing down to get the poles shiny but worked in the end. Then to protect the poles from future damage, I applied clear nail varnish giving them a glassy finish. Finally I treated each set to new pickup covers. They looked really great!

A month later I took them out and replaced them with EMGs... lol..

[ped]

Thanks chaps. I've tried nabbing a proper type rubber from work but nobody seems to have one. I think I'll try one of those pencils Dood. Is it easy to avoid scratches with one of those? I assume it's not too abrasive in the sense like sandpaper or wire wool (shudder) would be?

[ahpook]

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1476741477' post='3156938']
Black Sharpie?
[/quote]

That would have been my suggestion as well.

[ped]

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1476983311' post='3159020']
That would have been my suggestion as well.
[/quote]

Nah I quite like the look of the poles tbh. Silver marker maybe?

[ahpook]

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1476983969' post='3159028']
Nah I quite like the look of the poles tbh. Silver marker maybe?
[/quote]

Could do....although (more seriously) I wonder whether a silver touch-up pen for a car might be an idea

[ped]

Well I just tried scrunched up tin foil on a match head and it's done a fair job of brightening up the dullest ones. Looking a bit cleaner now. I may try a fibre pen at some point but I don't think it'll get much better and I definitely don't want to scratch the covers so perhaps I'll leave it there.

[ped]

Quick snap. Don't know why iOS pictures always rotate

[ped]

Vs before

[ahpook]

Tres bon, Raymond.