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Cleaning a classic cast iron weigh scale

2007

Hi,
I have an old cast iron Salter's NO 50 scale with a brass face that needs some cleaning. It was used daily in the restaurant I work at but now the boss has gone digital so I have acquired the scale and would like to clean it up. What should I use that will remove the built on grime without affecting the working mechanisms inside.
Thank you for any answers

Lorraine Middaugh
hobbyist - Blind River, Ontario, Canada

June 18, 2008

Hi, Lorraine.

Any brass that you can get to can be cleaned with a brass/copper polish. There are a hundred brands but Revere copper cleaner [Ed. update 2023: no longer available] seems to be good balance between fast-acting and leaving that warm glow.

For the cast iron parts, I think I'd use light Machinery Oil [affil links] or maybe WD-40 [on eBay or Amazon] . You don't want to use anything that removes all the oil or it will quickly rust.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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