Gt zaskar 95

[Robinhood]

Hi,
Just after some advice - I have just finished building a 95 gt zaskar (the bike I wanted as a kid but could never afford). It could do with a polish but iam told by a friend that it could take away some of the hardening properties of the frame. Is he correct? I was intending to give it a light polish using autosol aluminium. He also mentioned that it would come back cloudy again really quickly?
I've attached a photo of the bike as it is now. I've also attached a photo of my kona commuter (love those frames).
Thanks

 

[Theoldfm]

Hi - nice Zaskar there.

I tend to use a foam sanding pad to get any corrosion or deep scratches out then use Autosol - this will take away some of the ball burnishing but will bring back the shine.

Your frame is in really nice condition - especially with it still having the original decals too.

I'm glad you are a fellow retro biker as it was me that you bought it off last week!

 

[Theoldfm]

Re:

I polished my other one that way in October before fitting new decals and it still looks great.

 

[cherrybomb]

Re: Re:

I polished my other one that way in October before fitting new decals and it still looks great.

Now that is a nicely executed Zaskar.

 

[Factory Jackson]

Yep, used Autosol on my GT's finished with a coat of carnauba car wax to make the shine last longer.

Untitled by FactoryJackson, on Flickr

Untitled by FactoryJackson, on Flickr

 

[Theoldfm]

Re:

Why won’t this link work...?

 

[Bullpup]

I think the answer to your question is that these frames had a ball burnished finish which provided a hardened surface and the shine. This has generally started to oxidise together with wear and tear which is why the frame is starting to look dull. Polishing will remove the existing finish and without a protective coat, the polishing will have to take place more often. As others have said, a Wax finish may help.

 

[Robinhood]

Some nice looking bikes! Thanks for the advice

 

[legrandefromage]

You dont need polish to shine up a zaskar, just use a standard dry cotton cloth. Loop it a couple of times around the tube you want to polish and pull back and forth quickly. The cloth will wear out quickly but will be enough to brighten the surface without removing burnishing. The type of aluminium used doesnt cloud up too quickly either so a shine should last a year or more if stored in a dry place. Be careful around the decals.

According to the GT blurb, ''...burnishing is supposed to last 300% longer than hand polishing...''

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