Cleaning titanium question

I own a Litespeed Saber frame. I am wanting to give it a new cleaning this winter. Thought about sending it back to Litespeed and letting them do it until I learned it would cost me about $200. Any advice on cleaning titanium? I have ordered a new set of decals and plan on applying them once the job is done... which leads to another question. Any advice on removing the old ones?

 

WHY? soap and water,pledge,scotchbrite if brushed finish. Acetone or vigirous rubbing for the old decals.

 

Why? Because the old decals have cracked and have several scratches.

 

There's a metal polish called "Rolite" that is available in hardware stores (at least in the US). I believe that it's manufactured in Germany. It is a very mild abrasive that cleans up brushed titanium very well. I've used it successfully on a Merlin and on a Litespeed.

To remove decals, I used a powerwasher on my old Merlin MTB frame. Just be careful to not spray into the components so as to remove all of the grease.

 

I'd just get rid of them. Without a clearcoat they will just turn cheezy again. Keep the headbadge if you need the style points.

 

The best way to clean titanium is with a very fine scotch brite pad. It will look like new.

 

Only if it has a brushed finish. It will look like hell on polished or matt.

 

3M makes an adhesive/sticker remover that I've used before, and this stuff works great. (I found it in an automotive parts store). Be careful with it though, it will remove the paint off a car hood. (Powerful stuff!) It's non-reactive to Titanium though.

 

Any opinions on cleaning polished titanium? What about waxing, I guess that's not necessary?

 

I've used WD-40 for removing decals and it works really good! Spray it on, let it sit overnight and the decals will come right off.

Don't use Scotch-Brite or steel wool on your titanium frame if it's not a brushed finish!

 

I used a propane torch on my aluminum frame and the
decals turn to ash long before the metal gets hot.
Works in seconds

 

I read somewhere that Pledge Lemon Wipes are great for cleaning fingerprints, etc. from titanium frames. Haven't tried it.

 

I wouldn't risk my Ti frame too much... try a gentle cleaner or even that common goop-off stuff found in the automotive section, it should do the trick nicely without torches or pressure washing.

 

That is true. Only use scotchbrite on brushed titanium.

 

You can use scotchbrite on brushed titanium very wel. That also the advise from merlin on their website. Use household wax afterwards to prevent fingerprints. To remove decals use nailpolish remover. Works very wel with a litle rubbing.

 

Just last week-end I used Walgreens finger nail polish remover-copiously- with a kitchen sponge/scratch pad combo and the decals on my Litespeed Classic/brushed Ti came off rather easily. I ordered new decals from Litespeed as well and I am waiting on them to arrive. I was not aware that you had to put a clear coat on the decals after placing them back on. ? Can anyone give more insight into that? There didnt seem to be a clear coat while removing the decals.

 

I have a pisgah,

heres the real deal-

First, Litespeed doesnt polish any of their frames from the factory, so scotchbright is the way to go. You can use the white or blue pad to minimize big scratchs. I used dish soap as the cleaner of choice. Thinned abit in water. I then polished the metal a touch with simichrome to get a nice luster. on a side note, I saw a GT Zhizang the other day, which is a Ti frame that IS polished, and all I can say is that it was VERY nice.

As for the decals-

Use acetone to take them off. It comes right off. It's what litespeed recommends. Just be aware it has a bout 7 million brain altering chemicals in it, so use it in a very well ventilated area.

There is NO clearcoat on the decals, this is why they look crappy in such a short time. They are not very durable, and Ti is difficult to adhere to.

The new ones are a pain to apply. make sure you dont touch the area you are going to apply them to after you clean it, use alcohol, or more acetone. Then burnish the HELL out of them with the back of a spoon or something similiar after you apply but before you remove the backing. They will likely still be a pain to get to stick.

Looks good when its done though.

 

The most effective way to remove decals from our frames is to use Acetone, or more commonly, finger nail polish remover.
For the Litespeed frames that have a brushed finish, we use a red Scotchbrite pad. At the local hardware store I understand that they are not color coded, so I would advise the most coarse scotchbrite you can find. Cut them into small strips and pull them across the frame until proper finish is attained. The guys in the shop spend 3 to 4 hours on a frame to acheive the bright brushed finish.

 

Why wouldn't you simply use a hair dryer to take off the decals? Works perfectly

 

My Litespeed Ultimate came from the factory (which is about eight miles from my house) with a high polished finish. There are several 'how to' places on the web that tell in detail how to clean polished titanium. Works well on mine.

Eddie