How to repolish a SS prop

[sangerwaker]

Anybody know of anything to shine up a prop? I have a High Five that has been on my boat for about 2-1/2 months and the finish has dulled slightly. I would like to polish it up before taking some pictures and putting it up for sale. Does something like a chrome polish work? Looking for some suggestions that will make her all pretty again without ruining the finish.

 

[KCLOST]

Re: How to repolish a SS prop

Send it to me and I'll have it polished in the poly shop at my work....<br /><br />If not, I'm sure there are some great polishing compounds out there for SS. I don't if they will get scratches out however...

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: How to repolish a SS prop

I haven't found any compounds...although I haven't looked very hard yet. Not wooried about scratches...the prop is perfect other than the luster. Like I said, it's only a couple of months old. Not 1 nick in it.<br /><br />BTW-Thanks for the response.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: How to repolish a SS prop

Get a can of "never dull " It is hard to find and looks like a can of cotton wadding but it works great.Charlie

 

[LubeDude]

Re: How to repolish a SS prop

If you have a high speed drill, go to the local hardware supply and buy a pad that will fit into your drill, they are a special hard sewn pad for polishing metal, usually abour 5-6". Then buy a stainless steel polishing compound bar and have at it. Best if you can figure a way to mount the prop solid to a work bench. I did mine this way only with an air die grinder and it came out great. Its like work though.

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: How to repolish a SS prop

Cool. Thanks guys. Appreciate the info. Charlie, I'll have to see how hard that stuff is to get my hands on. Might be less elbow grease than LD's idea. I'm all for that, but not afraid to sweat a little either.

 

[montanaman]

Re: How to repolish a SS prop

Sangerwaker, you may want to try lime-away. If it is lime or calcium this is the easiest way to get it off. Spray it on and wash it off with water, worked great for my SS prop and lower unit. Never-dull will work pretty good if that doesn't work.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: How to repolish a SS prop

I was just able to do a little test.<br /><br />I have a can of Neverdull that I used to polish spinner blades, (it works good for that). However, the prop I tested it on is in very good shape, and has a very good shine still. The spot I tried it on isnt as good as the rest of the prop now, it actually looks worse. This stuff must have quite an abrasive in it. Now, in your case, it may make it better as yours is a bit duller, guess you just have to try it.

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: How to repolish a SS prop

Thanks for the test LD. Guess I'll have to crack a sweat! I would like to have the prop look as new as possible when I go to resell. Tried the new prop (a borrowed one)last night and WOW, what a difference! Gots to find myself one by spring!<br /><br />Thanks again!

 

[LubeDude]

Re: How to repolish a SS prop

You have me curious as to what you are changing to? Also, Ive sold and bought a couple Highfives, they tend to go for anywhere from $250.00-$350.00. I paid $250.00 for the one I have now. I love the hole shot they have. Im using it on my Bass boat.

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: How to repolish a SS prop

I have a 21 and will be changing to a 19 (both High Fives). The 19 runs at red line (5800 RPM) with the trim all the way down. This is how the boat is actually supposed to be set up. The 19 really changes the wake characteristics. Don't know why, but the difference is amazing as a barefooter. It is much softer in the center. I would not have believed that the same exact prop in a different pitch can make that much difference.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: How to repolish a SS prop

Im running a 25P, But my needs are much different than yours. It knocked off about two -three MPH at WOT, But the overall performance is much better than any other prop I have tried.<br /><br />You are right, it makes little sence what different props do or do not do. Thats why its so hard to answer prop questions with any amount of real certainty here. Sometime two Identical props out of the box will not perform the same on the same boat.<br /><br />About twenty years ago, I had a friend that had the exact same boat I had, I mean right down to the same color, Mine was allways about 4 MPH fast than his, I even tried to set his as close to mine as possable, but no matter what mine was faster.

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: How to repolish a SS prop

I've always been told that every time you add a blade to a prop, you lose 1-2 MPH per blade. Thus,a High Five will lose 2-4 MPH top end vs a properly set up 3 blade. Holeshot is quite the opposite. <br /><br />It is really amazing how much better, or worse , a different prop can make the performance of your boat. I must have tried at least 10 different props on my last boat, even a couple customs. It was amazing how different they all were.