Another Use For Cerium Oxide.

[cdjswiss]

Here is perhaps a useful tip: After polishing a glass watch crystal recently with a cream of Cerium oxide and water, I wondered if the remaining cream would be suitable for the removal of the cracked hydrocarbon film that develops on the outside of car windscreen. It turns out to be an excellent way of doing that job quickly and much more efficiently than the solvents sold for that purpose. A teaspoon full mixed with a little extra water was enough to clear the entire windscreen.

[ro63rto]

Thats its main purpose. Most detailers use it to remove the fine "ants gone ice skating" effect you get at night when viewing on coming car headlights.

[Geo]

That's good to know Colin. :) How's the watch repairing going?

[Ishima]

Sorry, you couldn't tell me a little more about this stuff and it's application to watches, first time hearing of it, you use a motorized tool with some kind of mop? or do you just rub with chamois leather? 

Also if you have a specific recommendation that would be helpful too, i'm seeing mixed reviews on various different brands. (and also small differences in micron)

Edited April 13, 2015 by Ishima

[cdjswiss]

Sorry, you couldn't tell me a little more about this stuff and it's application to watches, first time hearing of it, you use a motorized tool with some kind of mop? or do you just rub with chamois leather? 

Also if you have a specific recommendation that would be helpful too, i'm seeing mixed reviews on various different brands. (and also small differences in micron)

I bought the Cerium oxide from a motor shop outlet. I cannot remember which one. They were selling it for windscreen repairs as ro63rto describes.

I used it on a glass watch crystal with a chamois leather by hand. Trying to use it U-tube fashion with a motor was a failure. Neither my variable speed Dremel or Proxxon tools on minimum speed turn slow enough. The Cerium cream was mainly spun off the crystal when using either a cotton or chamois mop, So my solution was hand work the hard way after using the Proxxon with 600 then 800 then 1000 then 1200 emery discs and water. Diamantine past does the final polishing job as well as Cerium oxide. Cousins still sell it in two grades:

https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/bergeon-diamantine?code=P1414

Diamond polishing pastes, colour coded for grit size down to 1/10 micron, are much better if you want to splash out.

http://www.kemet.co.uk/the-perfect-diamond-product-for-your-process?gclid=CM7K5u7Q_cQCFVMatAodR3IACg

I have very little of two coloured grades from long long ago when I used to polish silicon crystals (cannot remember the grit sizes). They give a fast fine polish and are essential for use on sapphire crystals. But here, by far the best solution is to fit a Cousins replacement Japanese sapphire crystal. You might still need to use diamond paste to reduce the diameter. I recently had to remove .02mm on the diameter to fit a sapphire crystal to an IWC case.

Edited April 17, 2015 by cdjswiss

[Geo]

I've just taken delivery of theses http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231464360129 I purchased a set of six grades for the princely sum of £4.58 delivered. :). Delivery took about two and a half weeks to the UK from China.

I've yet to use it, but I will report my findings to the forum.

[bobm12]

I got them too! Wow! What a coincidence! Do please report back Geo, I believe you'll be using them first since I've got other stuff -- non related work -- that just turned up!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

[Geo]

Do please report back Geo

Will do Bob, the first job will be to re one scratches from my car windscreen.

[ro63rto]

Will do Bob, the first job will be to re one scratches from my car windscreen.

Be VERY careful not to overheat the inner "plastic" laminating layer or else it will turn opaque.

Go on, ask me how I know [emoji4]

Luckily its out of my eyeline but **BLEEP** annoying none the less.

If you are serious about removing scratches you need to use rayon pads for your drill to make any kind of a difference. Check out Detailing World. There's a really good how to.

Set aside a good half day to do this too and out of direct sunlight.

[cdjswiss]

I've just taken delivery of theses http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231464360129 I purchased a set of six grades for the princely sum of £4.58 delivered. :). Delivery took about two and a half weeks to the UK from China.

I've yet to use it, but I will report my findings to the forum.

Well sleuthed Geo, but this seller would not deliver to CH. On doing an eBay search, I found another seller who ships from HK to CH all seven grit sizes, 5g, for £2.99 plus £0.99 P&P. I wonder what is the % diamond content?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-pieces-5-Gram-Diamond-Polishing-Paste-Lapping-Pastes-Compound-0-5-7-0-/301243781683?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4623875233

He doesn't have 100% FB, but very few of them do.

[cdjswiss]

P.S. I just noticed that this seller offers 12 grit sizes up to 40 micron for £4.49. But Geo's seller has better FB.

[Maurice]

I bought the 12 sizes about a year ago and am very impressed, But I have only used the finer grades they give excellent results and you only need a tiny amount!

[cdjswiss]

I bought the 12 sizes about a year ago and am very impressed, But I have only used the finer grades they give excellent results and you only need a tiny amount!

The co**BLEEP** grits would be perfect for reducing the diameter of glass or Sapphire crystals.

This is another very attractive, but politically and economically worrying, source of otherwise costly material. At least the shipping must be subsidised and perhaps more.