Oxidization / corrosion on Manitou 3

[digitalkreation]

Hey all,

I've picked up a Manitou 3 fork which sat in a damp basement a while. Though it's not too bad, there's white specs all over the fork brace which I'd like to safely remove if it's possible. It's a textured surface, so my guess is that there's no sealant or coating on it - just the bare aluminum, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Can I simply use a 50/50 white vinegar and water mixture to wipe off this surface and bring it back to it's original look?

 

[Carge]

Be interested in the responses.....

 

[regan_ev]

Autosol or Meguiar’s Metal Polish then some fine wire wool to dull the shine unless you want a mirror like finish.

 

[captaincowelly]

I'd agree with that.Try polishing it out first,if it's not shifting the corroded spots,start with 1500 or 1000 grit wet n dry,or anything inbetween.As fine as you can get away with really.Hopefully you won't need to go much harsher than that.Depends how deep it's pitted.Possible you'll wear away some of the pattern of the cnc milled finish,in case that's an issue.Square edges are easily lost too,pays to go carefully around them.

 

[elite504]

As above, but to confirm, yes, there is no coating, just raw machined aluminium, likely with machining marks.