Fret Erasers

[WrayGun]

Anyone have a first-person impression of the StewMac “fret erasers”? Seems like a really good idea, but you never know.

... and of course I have to ask: has anyone tried the cheaper alternatives being sold as “unbranded” on eBay?

thanks from Pittsburgh, yinz guys.

 

[Wallaby]

I've used them and I like them better than the Micromesh pads for polishing frets.

YMMV, and I'm just an amateur hacker, but they worked for me.

 

[WrayGun]

I've used them and I like them better than the Micromesh pads for polishing frets.

YMMV, and I'm just an amateur hacker, but they worked for me.

Yeah, I’ve been using the Micromesh pads as well, and they seem to wear out kinda fast.

 

[ahiddentableau]

I've tried fret erasers, micromesh and sandpaper. They all work, but I prefer micromesh or sandpaper because I find I can get a better result that way. It's way more work, so I can see the value of going the other way. But I couldn't get the same kind of mirror result I get with mesh or paper with the erasers.

Maybe I wasn't rubbing hard enough!

 

[Chiogtr4x]

$57 for the full set!

Do you need to use all to polish,
or can you go with using the smoother/ finer grade ones?

( I just use #0000 steel wool, but I like the idea)
Stew-Mac ain't cheap on their own tools and 'inventions'!

 

[Leonardocoate]

I like Guitarfedish erasers They also have a nice little fret leveler for the amateur like me

 

[netgear69]

I bought some fron Crimson guitars
Corse , Medium, Fine ,Super fine
They are crap
wet and dry paper from now on

 

[EsquireOK]

Masking tape, steel wool, Brasso, Maas is my process. 30 minute process, if that. Doesn't leave me wanting for anything else. Fret erasers wouldn't save me much time (still have to mask and polish), and I am not confident that the results would be better. Not sure where the convenience comes in, and the stuff I use is DIRT cheap and does a great job. I have done this process several hundreds of times. I think I've had the same bundle of steel wool for 10 or 12 years, the same can of Brasso for nearly 20, and the same tube of Maas for even longer. The masking tape, I go through more quickly; maybe a roll per year, or so. At any rate: great results, and all the supplies were paid for long ago...so no, I'm not buying fret erasers.

 

[Wallaby]

With the erasers I stepped through all the grits on a recent project, since I had the full set. I'm not sure about skipping grits.

I think they're going to last a long time, too.

 

[RobRiggs]

I’ve used model train track cleaning erasers for a few years now. They’re mildly abrasive. Not as many different grits as the StewMac offering but much cheaper. Makes for a nice shiny fret. Good for a mild polish.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BLPEX0/?tag=tdpri-20

 

[lammie200]

Anyone have a first-person impression of the StewMac “fret erasers”? Seems like a really good idea, but you never know.

... and of course I have to ask: has anyone tried the cheaper alternatives being sold as “unbranded” on eBay?

thanks from Pittsburgh, yinz guys.

Look for a Hosco set on Ebay. Much cheaper and a pleasure to use while drinking soda pwawp!

 

[Danb541]

0000 Steel wool. I cover anything magnetic first. I've never tried anything else.

 

[SRHmusic]

Anyone have a first-person impression of the StewMac “fret erasers”? Seems like a really good idea, but you never know.

... and of course I have to ask: has anyone tried the cheaper alternatives being sold as “unbranded” on eBay?

thanks from Pittsburgh, yinz guys.

I like them for the firat stages after leveling and crowning, after maybe one pass at maybe 400 grit 3M gold paper, then using 600, 800 and 1200 erasers. They sort of form to the fret shape. I continue through the MicroMesh set, skipping every 2nd or 3rd up to 6000 or 8000. Easier than dealing with so many papers for what it's worth. This is all on stainless steel frets.

Edit, P.S. How're yinz doin?

 

[EsquireBoy]

Last time I used a nail polishing pad my wife lent me: was free, worked like a charm, and I took the opportunity to polish the brass nut too.

 

[bender66]

Fingernail buffing sticks have a variety of grades on a single stick. They're like $1.99 at any beauty supply place. With a fret protector it takes minutes to polish. You could follow up with a polishing wheel if your really anal about it.

 

[WingedWords]

I’ve used model train track cleaning erasers for a few years now. They’re mildly abrasive. Not as many different grits as the StewMac offering but much cheaper. Makes for a nice shiny fret. Good for a mild polish.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BLPEX0/?tag=tdpri-20

Blimey I haven't seen one of those since I was about ten and into Hornby Dublo....

 

[telemnemonics]

Got these on eBay for $20 shipped.
Haven’t used them yet so I made a few passes with the 1000 grit and it polished nice without crumbling. Hosco is a good brand.

 

[Steve Holt]

The nice thing about the erasers is that when the end gets a little worn cut it off with an exacto knife and you have a new eraser. The 200 and 400 grits do tend to wear out over time, but the higher grits have stayed good for me for a long time. It was a little pricy bringing them all in, but I've done 10+ necks with them, cut one small chunk off the 400, 2 small chunks off the 200, and if I have to replace one of those, that's pretty cheap.

However I did switch to the dremel buffing wheel and that works so much faster and easier.

 

[telemnemonics]

0000 Steel wool. I cover anything magnetic first. I've never tried anything else.

I've used steel wool for years too, or old green back kitchen sponges.

Removing the crowning file marks requires a coarser abrasive than steel wool though, if I was buying the more expensive Stew Macs I'd focus on the coarse ones and finish with steel wool of a graded fine 3m pad.
I only first saw these rubber things this year, seems useful.

 

[telemnemonics]

The nice thing about the erasers is that when the end gets a little worn cut it off with an exacto knife and you have a new eraser. The 200 and 400 grits do tend to wear out over time, but the higher grits have stayed good for me for a long time. It was a little pricy bringing them all in, but I've done 10+ necks with them, cut one small chunk off the 400, 2 small chunks off the 200, and if I have to replace one of those, that's pretty cheap.

However I did switch to the dremel buffing wheel and that works so much faster and easier.

I always forget dremel as it arrived on the market after I learned this stuff.
What wheels do you buy?
Time is super valuable and a motor saves time!