Cleaning Anodized Mast

[roverhi]

My 43 year old clear anodized mast is off the boat and I'm trying to clean it up. It has black horzontal stripes on the upper half from halyards slapping. Am trying to clean this off without destroying the clear anodizing. Have tried mild abrasives, rubbing compound, acetone etc but these black stripes, though less noticable, persist. Don't want to go to green ScotchBrite or sandpaper for fear of destroying the anodizing.

Anyone have any ideas how I might clean the stripes off the mast without damaging it??

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by roverhi

My 43 year old clear anodized mast is off the boat and I'm trying to clean it up. It has black horzontal stripes on the upper half from halyards slapping. Am trying to clean this off without destroying the clear anodizing. Have tried mild abrasives, rubbing compound, acetone etc but these black stripes, though less noticable, persist. Don't want to go to green ScotchBrite or sandpaper for fear of destroying the anodizing.

Anyone have any ideas how I might clean the stripes off the mast without damaging it??

Roverhi, I had excellent success with 2 part Woody Wax (cleaner/sealer) when I reconditioned my boom two years ago. Their instructions and product are excellent. They claim it will not affect the anodizing and it was certainly the case with my boom. They recommend a very fine bronze wool for cleaning the metal. Hope that helps. Good luck and good sailing, Ron

[barnakiel]

The dark stripes are probably the parts where anodizing is gone (due to halyards slapping). If so, cannot be cleaned - the alloy oxidizes to this gray color.

Normally, anodized alloys can be cleaned with normal solvents (nafta, etc.), then they can be buffed with non abrasive wax.

b.