comedo

I used some fine steel wool and a Scotchguard pad to remove some filth from my 01 VTR's alloy Leo Vince slip-ons. The filth is gone but so is the nice satin finish in the area I cleaned. It is is now polished to almost a mirror finish. Any suggestions about abrasives or techniques that I can use to get the finish back to the way it was?
Thanks in advance for your help.

captainchaos

It may not perfectly match the finish they came with but if you want a satin finish experiment with a few different grades of sandpaper. If you wet sand aluminum up to say 400 or 600 grit and leave them like that they'll have more of a satin (smooth titanium like) finish. Without going into a polishing step by step you're basically doing like you were going to polish for a mirror finish without the final steps. Whatever you do you'll most likely have to do the whole thing though for it to match. If you want the rougher finish I think they come with (I have carbon leos but have seen the aluminum ones) you may try an even rougher grit.

captainchaos

From what I remember about the way they're finished, anything you clean them with that's abrasive-wire brush, steel wool etc is going to change the finish 'cause it's just raw unfinished aluminum. Whenever I try to clean something I always like to start mild and go up from there. Start with mild cleaners and if that doesn't work go a little stronger until something does. Maybe next time try some simple green and an old toothbrush first since that won't mar or change the finish.

comedo

Thanks, captain. You're right. I was a bit too aggressive with my cleaning effort. I'll try some of your suggestions.