Flitz - How Good Is It?

[DocB]

A lot of forum members wonder how they can make that gun look better. . .really clean it up. Flitz is totally non-abrasive. It is also a final polish. There is really no need to use any other wax or polish after using Flitz. You can if you want to. If you have a relatively new looking gun and want to make it look even better use it! On the other hand, if you have a rather cruddy looking gun, don't just smear Flitz on it. . .use those bronze brushes and bronze wool. Use whatever solvents and oils you like to use, but clean it up good. Be careful and don't screw up the finish on the gun with over enthusiasm. When you get to the point where the gun is spotless use Maas. Mass is mildly abrasive and it will get out those blemishes. Experiment with it. Use it carefully until you know what you're doing. Mass is far superior to Flitz in many ways and will improve the finish on the gun if it needs it. The time for Flitz is when you are done and the gun cannot be improved upon any more. A lot of people use Mothers and love it. I have never used it but will in the near future just to see. Is Flitz over-rated? Yes, just slightly. One thing is for sure. . .you can't hurt a gun with it.

 

[tomcatt51]

A lot of forum members wonder how they can make that gun look better. . .really clean it up. Flitz is totally non-abrasive. It is also a final polish. There is really no need to use any other wax or polish after using Flitz. You can if you want to. If you have a relatively new looking gun and want to make it look even better use it! On the other hand, if you have a rather cruddy looking gun, don't just smear Flitz on it. . .use those bronze brushes and bronze wool. Use whatever solvents and oils you like to use, but clean it up good. Be careful and don't screw up the finish on the gun with over enthusiasm. When you get to the point where the gun is spotless use Maas. Mass is mildly abrasive and it will get out those blemishes. Experiment with it. Use it carefully until you know what you're doing. Mass is far superior to Flitz in many ways and will improve the finish on the gun if it needs it. The time for Flitz is when you are done and the gun cannot be improved upon any more. A lot of people use Mothers and love it. I have never used it but will in the near future just to see. Is Flitz over-rated? Yes, just slightly. One thing is for sure. . .you can't hurt a gun with it.

Were you paid to post this "endorsement"?

 

[armorer951]

A lot of forum members wonder how they can make that gun look better. . .really clean it up. Flitz is totally non-abrasive. It is also a final polish. There is really no need to use any other wax or polish after using Flitz. You can if you want to. If you have a relatively new looking gun and want to make it look even better use it! On the other hand, if you have a rather cruddy looking gun, don't just smear Flitz on it. . .use those bronze brushes and bronze wool. Use whatever solvents and oils you like to use, but clean it up good. Be careful and don't screw up the finish on the gun with over enthusiasm. When you get to the point where the gun is spotless use Maas. Mass is mildly abrasive and it will get out those blemishes. Experiment with it. Use it carefully until you know what you're doing. Mass is far superior to Flitz in many ways and will improve the finish on the gun if it needs it. The time for Flitz is when you are done and the gun cannot be improved upon any more. A lot of people use Mothers and love it. I have never used it but will in the near future just to see. Is Flitz over-rated? Yes, just slightly. One thing is for sure. . .you can't hurt a gun with it.

Love the quote at the end of the post...."one thing is for sure, you can't hurt a gun with it." Turns out, you can.

Flitz and Simichrome both contain ammonia, which is hazardous to nickel plating. The Flitz liquid actually contains a warning not to use the product on plated metal. And both the products contain abrasive compounds including aluminum oxide.

Use caution and follow the label.

And remember...... that black residue on the rag when you're finished....that's some of your plating.

http://www.flitz.com/content/MSDS-Me...Paste_16pt.pdf

Simichrome Polish MSDS

 

[NEURON]

I like Flitz too. I find it more convenient to use than Mothers and a toss up IMHO in usefulness.

 

[DocB]

Oh crud. . .951 has me worried now! I just got through using it on a nickel plated Smith from the 1970's. I've been using Maas for decades without any problems. I've been fiddling with the Flitz this week just to see what all the fuss was about. Looks like I may be going back to Maas.

 

[Laketime]

Oh crud. . .951 has me worried now! I just got through using it on a nickel plated Smith from the 1970's. I've been using Maas for decades without any problems. I've been fiddling with the Flitz this week just to see what all the fuss was about. Looks like I may be going back to Maas.

Dont worry about the black,thats actualy the chemical reaction for when the product is working.That black happens after a few seconds of rubbing on any metal surfaces.To avoid the abrasives in flitz,use it on another surface to start that chemical process.This is the safest way to use it on a blue gun.I have been using this product since it came to this country in late 1984.

 

[Pisgah]

If it were totally non-abrasive it would be useless as a polish. It's micro-abrasive, and no better or worse than numerous other similar products.

 

[alwslate]

I have seen several threads on Flitz on here over a period of time and
I have yet to see any resolution to the ongoing question; is it
abrasive or not? I have a tube of it I bought some years ago and it
says non abrasive on the tube. But many posters state matter of
factly that it is abrasive. I have used it some to polish nickel plated
guns and it does work if I use a bit of effort with it. Is there any
consensus on a product that is better?

 

[fat tom]

I have seen several threads on Flitz on here over a period of time and
I have yet to see any resolution to the ongoing question; is it
abrasive or not?

Me too,and since I've never had it cause any damage to anything I own,I will continue to use it. I will however stop recommending it since there is ALWAYS someone who warns against it's use. Then again,there ARE some people who can destroy an anvil with a rubber hammer.
f.t.

 

[ghawke]

I use Flitz on knife blades mostly. I found another use, I tried it on a 98 Camry plastic headlight cover that appeared "foggy". It worked great, clear again. My .02.

 

[tomcatt51]

I have yet to see any resolution to the ongoing question; is it abrasive or not?

Go to the Flitz site and pull up the MSDS. There in black and white it says it contains "abrasive polishing minerals (Al2O3)". That's aluminum oxide, it's an abrasive. Grinding wheels are made from aluminum oxide.

 

[armorer951]

Great animation......It feels like I'm beating a dead horse to me too. Many people ignore and warnings clearly posted on labels, and well intended advice by word of mouth from others.

I don't have an axe to grind. My intent here is to provide information derived from facts and experience. This information can then be used to make intelligent choices about these chemicals, and other things.....or not used. I'm an old, retired S&W armorer. I'm not an expert or authority on anything.

As some posters have previously commented about ignoring these warnings and the information provided.....you can "take it with a grain of salt", or consider it a "myth".

That's exactly right, you can. After all is said and done, it's your choice.

 

[regalsc]

I use liguid flitz on stainless guns. I have used it on shiny stainless & very sparingly on bead blast. On the duller stainless just a little & not very often just enough to blend a finish to make it look uniform.

 

[sodacan]

All polishes contain some sort of abrasive or they wouldn't be polishes. You will see black on the cloth because its working. Use them properly and appropriately and they all work fine. I use Flitz and it works fine on all of my guns. It is the only thing I use on nickel. I also use the Flitz wax. Works like a charm.

 

[chief38]

Flitz is an EXCELLENT product and IMHO I think it is much better than Semichorme which I also have. While very mild, Flitz IS an abrasive (although very mild) and could get you into trouble if mis-used. I have also used Flitz on Nickel guns, but ONLY ONE APPLICATION per gun. I have been doing so on Nickel guns for many years and have had no problems what so ever. Again, I only use one application per Nickel gun - and never again on that gun. The one thing I would suggest is to NEVER use Flitz, Semi or any polish on a gun in conjunction with a Dremel or power tool - a disaster in the making. Just use an old cotton Tee Shirt or Microfiber cloth, wipe on and work with fingers, then wipe off. Turn rag often and you should be just fine.

I've never had much luck and have come to dislike the Semichrome. I've never found it anywhere close to as good as Flitz is. Haven't tried Maas and quite honestly I've been so happy with Flitz I probably never will.

 

[Laketime]

As I mentioned earlier.I have been using this product since the mid 80's.I first read about it in the gun magazines.This was the be all to be all for new products at the time.Flitz was invented specifically for the German military to remove rust and pitting without removing the bluing on firearms.The original product would not remove plating or Carbonia bluing.I still use some I bought back in the day,so I have no knowledge if the formula today has been changed or not.

 

[glowe]

A lot of forum members wonder how they can make that gun look better. . .really clean it up. Flitz is totally non-abrasive . . .

This is not the first time you have made this false statement and I am wondering if you have some vested interest in the product. The answer remains the same since your earlier post. http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-smithing/440558-shinning-polishing.html Flitz is a polish and all polishing compounds contain abrasives. The MSDS for Flitz contained in the link above states it contains abrasive polishing compound -aluminum oxide.

 

[RaylanGivens]

Read the container. Read the data sheet. No arguing needed.