Cleaning vintage silver face

Steveomatic

Member
Hi,

Can someone help me with what is the best way to clean a vintage pioneer sx-1280 faceplate and knobs? They are not in bad shape, just need a good cleaning process to bring out the shine and luster.

Thanks!
 
This subject has been discussed at great length and variation - search bar should get you pages of answers_:thumbsup:
 
Best suggestion I ever got here was Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Takes care of all the grunge, doesn't attack the painted markings. After cleaning the glass I hit that with a little Windex. Knobs I just do in the sink with warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush.
This combination has my receivers bright and shiny as new (maybe better).
 
Some knobs and levers pull right off, others, like volume, balance, and tuning knobs may be held in place with one or two small screws (small jewelers style screwdriver set is handy) , some may have allen head screws so allen (hex key) wrenches may be needed for removal. As mentioned above a soft toothbrush and soapy water works well for cleaning those.
Avoid harsh solvents like lacquer thinner. Dawn dish soap, Simple Green are a couple of the "softer" cleaners available.
 
Dish soap and a little elbow grease. Be gentle around any lettering because sometimes it can rub off! After you're done rinse it off really well, pat dry with a soft cotton towel and wipe it down with isopropyl alcohol. This evaporates really quickly so as to not leave streaks or residue behind.
 
I don't use ME on face plates. It can remove lettering or even just change the sheen on the aluminum as it is an abrasive. I use liquid soap or biodegradable and diluted water based spray cleaner, like Simple Green but the stuff I get is at a dollar store and much cheaper.
 
I don't use ME on face plates. It can remove lettering or even just change the sheen on the aluminum as it is an abrasive. I use liquid soap or biodegradable and diluted water based spray cleaner, like Simple Green but the stuff I get is at a dollar store and much cheaper.


Yes, ME is abrasive, I DO NOT recommend it for cleaning the faceplate, you run a very high risk of removing the lettering and messing up the finish
 
I've had great success with Lestoil and a soft toothbrush. This is especially effective for removing dirt in the mill lines of the aluminum. So far I've not had any issue with it attacking lettering or other silkscreens but I always check first just in case. After the deep grime is removed I use dish soap as suggested for general clean-up then wax it.
 
I've had great success with Lestoil and a soft toothbrush. This is especially effective for removing dirt in the mill lines of the aluminum. So far I've not had any issue with it attacking lettering or other silkscreens but I always check first just in case. After the deep grime is removed I use dish soap as suggested for general clean-up then wax it.


 
I don't use ME on face plates. It can remove lettering or even just change the sheen on the aluminum as it is an abrasive. I use liquid soap or biodegradable and diluted water based spray cleaner, like Simple Green but the stuff I get is at a dollar store and much cheaper.

This hasn't been my experience. I've cleaned up a couple Pioneers, a Mitsubishi, a JVC and a Realistic that looked like it spent several decades in a smokers house. The Magic Eraser cleaned everything to a beautiful shine and didn't harm any of the painted on markings. I will admit, though, to always testing a little bit of the less obtrusive printing to make sure before going whole hog on one. I think this simple precaution is always warranted.
 
Best suggestion I ever got here was Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Takes care of all the grunge, doesn't attack the painted markings. After cleaning the glass I hit that with a little Windex. Knobs I just do in the sink with warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush.
This combination has my receivers bright and shiny as new (maybe better).

Agreed! That magic eraser works wonders.

You can also use them to clean your cartridge stylus. :)
 
Hi,

Can someone help me with what is the best way to clean a vintage pioneer sx-1280 faceplate and knobs? They are not in bad shape, just need a good cleaning process to bring out the shine and luster.

Thanks!

Not sure if you are asking help in removing the face plate and cleaning it just what to use to clean.

The 1280 volume and tuner knob had a 1.5mm hex head that needs to be removed, the rest of the switches and knobs anc be pulled off. Remove the top and bottom screws holding the face plate, also I think there is a few nuts behind a few knobs (volume and maybe a control knob)... anyway... you can download the user and service manual from HIFIengine...

The Magic erraser is fantastic, also a soft toothbrush and some warm soap and water do well.

I've also used NuFinish, and it cleans metal like new, just be careful it can lighten the black letters. Just don't scrub to hard...

Hope it turns out nice for you!

Kind Regards,
John
 
I just took the magic eraser to my 1280 and noticed black from the lettering on the sponge. I went at it lightly so no real damage was done but it is definitely abrasive enough to damage the print. The aluminum looked mint right away with it though.
 
I found the best thing is to scotch brite the surface and lay down a few coats of some really nice black paint. ;)
 
I accidentally used GE screen cleaner thinking it was stainless cleaner for my fridge and it worked insanely well with no loss of lettering.
 
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