how do i remove residue from steel wool?

jms2009 · November 4th, 2009, 01:34 AM

I was rounding the fret ends on my one piece maple neck and after using the steel wool on a few, I noticed some grey residue left from the 0000 steel wool I used. What is that residue & how do I remove it?

Big Mike Simpson · November 4th, 2009, 02:01 AM

Roll some masking tape up sticky side out and touch it to the steel wool pieces or use a strong magnet.

bubba105 · November 4th, 2009, 10:20 AM

I saw this in a woodworking magazine. Using a strong magnet, as Mike said, put the magnet in a ziplock bag, go over the project to capture the micro steel particles then hold the baggie in a garbage bag & remove the magnet, discarding the baggie with the particles. Works great & the magnet stays clean.

boneyguy · November 4th, 2009, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jms2009

I was rounding the fret ends on my one piece maple neck and after using the steel wool on a few, I noticed some grey residue left from the 0000 steel wool I used. What is that residue & how do I remove it?

I'm not sure what you mean by 'residue'. If you mean small bits of steel wool strands then I usually just vacum them up and it works just fine. I also like the magnet in a bag trick mentioned above. I'll try that one some day.

If residue means the wool has left an actual stain (rather than small strands) then I would try using naptha to wipe it off because it's likely a fine oil type residue that was on the wool from manufacturing. If it is a 'stain' then I would consider finding better quality steel wool. All wools are not of equal quality.

Doug 54 · November 4th, 2009, 02:42 PM

I 1st use magnet
then maskng tape

tonyw · November 4th, 2009, 03:16 PM

Magnet

jms2009 · November 4th, 2009, 05:16 PM

The residue is sort of like a powdery substance sort of like graphite, and it's certainly not the individual tiny metal strands from the wool since I've huffed and puffed them off the neck. Maybe naptha is the answer if the magnet trick doesn't fix it. The other suggestion about getting better wool makes sense so I'll get some. How do I know if some wool is better than other wool?

Southern Ill Electrics · November 4th, 2009, 05:26 PM

Use magnet as suggested......it'll suck up those hairs.......Your also probally getting some funk off the frets.......Use Naptha, keep on truckin.

Telesavalis · November 4th, 2009, 06:47 PM

why not just get another piece of steel wool? a bag of 0000 is pretty cheap....

November 4th, 2009, 01:34 AM	#1 (permalink)
jms2009 TDPRI Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 19	how do i remove residue from steel wool? I was rounding the fret ends on my one piece maple neck and after using the steel wool on a few, I noticed some grey residue left from the 0000 steel wool I used. What is that residue & how do I remove it?

November 4th, 2009, 02:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
Big Mike Simpson Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Gilbert, AZ (PHX) Age: 53 Posts: 1,978 69 Photos	Roll some masking tape up sticky side out and touch it to the steel wool pieces or use a strong magnet. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/bigmikesimpson

November 4th, 2009, 02:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
Doug 54 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ohio, Dayton area Posts: 1,309	I 1st use magnet then maskng tape __________________ "Cowboys to Girls"

November 4th, 2009, 05:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
jms2009 TDPRI Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 19	The residue is sort of like a powdery substance sort of like graphite, and it's certainly not the individual tiny metal strands from the wool since I've huffed and puffed them off the neck. Maybe naptha is the answer if the magnet trick doesn't fix it. The other suggestion about getting better wool makes sense so I'll get some. How do I know if some wool is better than other wool? __________________ Keep on plankin'

November 4th, 2009, 05:26 PM	#8 (permalink)
Southern Ill Electrics VENDOR Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hamilton County Age: 39 Posts: 1,068	Use magnet as suggested......it'll suck up those hairs.......Your also probally getting some funk off the frets.......Use Naptha, keep on truckin. __________________ Jeffro' at Southern Ill Electrics 618-643-2406/618-308-0223 God Bless Les and Leo.

November 4th, 2009, 10:20 AM	#3 (permalink)
bubba105 TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New York City Age: 54 Posts: 87 2 Photos	I saw this in a woodworking magazine. Using a strong magnet, as Mike said, put the magnet in a ziplock bag, go over the project to capture the micro steel particles then hold the baggie in a garbage bag & remove the magnet, discarding the baggie with the particles. Works great & the magnet stays clean.

November 4th, 2009, 03:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
tonyw TDPRI Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Melbourne Australia Age: 54 Posts: 57	Magnet

November 4th, 2009, 06:47 PM	#9 (permalink)
Telesavalis Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Posts: 400	why not just get another piece of steel wool? a bag of 0000 is pretty cheap.... __________________ If musicians ran the world there would be no wars...just an occasional battle of the bands.

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