What to use to try to reduce scratches on a vintage cymbal?

[PWindows878]

Hi,
What is recommended to use to reduce surface scratches on a vintage Paiste Giant Beat cymbal? They are 92% Copper so maybe that is the way it is with Paiste cymbals? Any opinions and advice would be great. Thanks! Phil Cormier Leominster, Ma 01453

[Drumaholic]

Everybody knows you'd use Paiste scratch remover, obviously!

But seriously any abrasive type cleaner will do. Comet kitchen cleanser is the most abrasive one . You'll need to rub in circular patterns following the lathe lines. And if I used comet I would follow that up it with a finer abrasive like Paiste or Zildjian cymbal cleaner, and then finally a glass cleaner.

[PWindows878]

Hi,
Thanks for the info! But I have already have used the liquid formula of Barkeepers Friend and there are light surface scratches from the cymbal being polished. The Paiste Giant Beat I have had never been cleaned, and the White label was gone as well before I cleaned it. Any suggestions? Phil Cormier Leominster, Ma 01453

[OddBall]

Any chance we can see it?

[Drumaholic]

Originally Posted by PWindows878

Hi,
Thanks for the info! But I have already have used the liquid formula of Barkeepers Friend and there are light surface scratches from the cymbal being polished. The Paiste Giant Beat I have had never been cleaned, and the White label was gone as well before I cleaned it. Any suggestions? Phil Cormier Leominster, Ma 01453

That's why I suggested using a more or less "standard" cymbal cleaner to erase the "swirls" left over from the first cleaning. The more abrasive cleanser might leave it's own fine scratches, so the second polishing is meant to erase those. And the glass cleaner will get rid of any cleaning residue from the cleaners. Otherwise the cymbal will begin to discolor from the residue which may be not obvious to your eye, but some is still there.
In fact I would even add an extra step to be sure. I use an automotive parts cleaner after both abrasives and finally I follow that up with the glass cleaner. That guarantees the removal of all residue so your cymbal will retain that freshly cleaned look for much longer. And bear in mind that you need to clean with abrasives being ever mindful of making as perfect a circular pattern as humanly possible. And thats not always easy.

[PWindows878]

Hi,
Thanks for the info! What type of glass cleaner should I use? Is it okay to use Zildjian cymbal polish on a Paiste? Never heard of doing that. Thanks! Phil Cormier Leominster, Ma 01453

[Drumaholic]

Originally Posted by PWindows878

Hi,
Thanks for the info! What type of glass cleaner should I use? Is it okay to use Zildjian cymbal polish on a Paiste? Never heard of doing that. Thanks! Phil Cormier Leominster, Ma 01453

Any glass cleaner. And Zildjian polish is O.K. too.

[PWindows878]

Hi,
What type of Zildjian cleaner should I use the regular polish or the ZXT/ZBT sheet bronze polish? Paiste is 92% copper 8 percent tin and traces of silver. Phil Cormier Leominster, Ma 01453

[Drumaholic]

Originally Posted by PWindows878

Hi,
What type of Zildjian cleaner should I use the regular polish or the ZXT/ZBT sheet bronze polish? Paiste is 92% copper 8 percent tin and traces of silver. Phil Cormier Leominster, Ma 01453

Either one.

[PWindows878]

Hi,
I have a set of 14 inch Paiste Giant Beat hi hats from 1972 that I recently cleaned with Barkeepers Friend liquid paste formula. The hi hats were covered in Patina and had never been cleaned. The Barkeepers left some light scratches on the surface of the cymbals, and in the light it looks a little cloudy. I had to use 4 or 5 applications of it to get them clean. Would Paiste cymbal cleaner or the Paiste cymbal protector remove the scratches? Or should I try something else? Phil Cormier Leominster, Ma 01453