How to polish or refinish Titanium header?

rodH
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rodH
Edited Date/Time 3/23/2021 7:08pm
Anyone have any luck making their Titanium header look a little more new or better than the standard brown that they eventually become after so many heat cycles?

This doesn’t pertain to any certain motorcycle or brand. (I have an FMF, but it happens to all brands). I know it is normal to turn that color, but would just like to clean it up a bit if possible.

Thanks
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Skerby
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Skerby 3/22/2021 3:26pm
3/22/2021 3:26pm
Wire wheel works. Apparently it makes it impossible to weld the pipe ever again, but how many times have you needed to do that?
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DB505
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DB505 3/22/2021 5:29pm
3/22/2021 5:29pm
Scotchbright
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AngryBear
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AngryBear 3/22/2021 6:33pm
3/22/2021 6:33pm
scotchbright, then heat treat it with a small hand torch to re color the welds.
kb228
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kb228 3/22/2021 7:07pm
3/22/2021 7:07pm
Vapor blasted mine back to new.
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RCMXracing
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RCMXracing 3/23/2021 8:54am
3/23/2021 8:54am
WD-40 with red Scotchbright which is more corse than green. Might have to go to an auto body paint shop to get that. 00 to 0000 steel wool further shines it up.
mxaaron
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mxaaron 3/23/2021 9:57am
3/23/2021 9:57am Edited Date/Time 3/23/2021 9:58am
rodH wrote:
Anyone have any luck making their Titanium header look a little more new or better than the standard brown that they eventually become after so many...
Anyone have any luck making their Titanium header look a little more new or better than the standard brown that they eventually become after so many heat cycles?

This doesn’t pertain to any certain motorcycle or brand. (I have an FMF, but it happens to all brands). I know it is normal to turn that color, but would just like to clean it up a bit if possible.

Thanks
Red Scotchbrite, just like the frame. I buy it at O'Reillys.
Idaho747
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Idaho747 3/23/2021 10:03am
3/23/2021 10:03am
Scotch brite then polish to a near mirror finish with mothers power ball and some kind of polishing compound then go ride. This is what I ended up with.
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langhammx
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langhammx 3/23/2021 12:46pm
3/23/2021 12:46pm Edited Date/Time 3/23/2021 12:47pm
Metal polish and a little elbow grease.



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Jardo
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Jardo 3/23/2021 1:05pm
3/23/2021 1:05pm
What about a stock stainless header? This same advice would probably work as well I'd imagine.
mxaaron
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mxaaron 3/23/2021 2:31pm
3/23/2021 2:31pm
Jardo wrote:
What about a stock stainless header? This same advice would probably work as well I'd imagine.
The Scotchbrite doesn't do much to stainless. Not sure about metal polish either.
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MX915
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MX915 3/23/2021 3:07pm
3/23/2021 3:07pm
Jardo wrote:
What about a stock stainless header? This same advice would probably work as well I'd imagine.
It worked well on my KTM header. Took that brown color that it turns right off. Use a little WD40 on the pad and it cleans right up.
1
yzf162
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Grant Park, IL US
yzf162 3/23/2021 7:08pm
3/23/2021 7:08pm
Scotchbrite and wd. Yeah it cleans it up to like new. It just doesn't polish out as well or blue up. But still looks new.
Rotaholic
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Rotaholic 3/24/2021 12:57am
3/24/2021 12:57am
Scotchbrite ball in the end of a drill, work smarter, not harder

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