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T-cut recipe change
Hi all,
I often use T-cut for cleaning and polishing metal, glass and Bakelite. I recently bought some more of the same or so I thought. What I actually got was the new "Rapid" formula. This has replaced the traditional formula in the shops. Now this change may have happened some time ago as it had been ages since I last bought any. It has less amonia, less cutting compound and lots of wax. It is much thicker and is white in colour instead of the usual yellow. Apparently the recipe change is to make it more suitable for modern paint finishes. It does not seem to do much, so I'm assuming the "Rapid" name is supposed to be ironic! Well it was an unfortunate waste of money. I've checked the manufacturer's website and they state that the original formula can now be obtained in the old style cans. I have found it for sale online, but you might not be able to buy it at your local motor factors anymore. Cheers Andy |
Re: T-cut recipe change
The wax was always the problem with T-cut. It was the devil to remove if you wanted to cut a paint finish for re-painting. I used to use ICI Belco medium rubbing compound, but you can't get it any longer. What you can get is a range of grades of Farecla cutting compound. Done by hand, it's tediously slow stuff because it's intended to be used with a machine. Number 3 cuts moderately well, 6 is general purpose, and number 10 is needed for getting perspex glittery. On small things like radio bits, machinery is impractical so it's a lot more work than it used to be.
One of the uses of cutting compounds is to remove years of build up of wax or silicone polishes and muck. Ideally you want to remove everything to a clean surface, and only then do you want to apply new, clean wax. If your cutting compound contains wax, then the dirty old stuff you're trying to remove mixes in with the new wax and is kept on the surface. You dilute the dirtyness, but you don't remove it very efficiently. David |
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Car boots, when they are allowed again, can be a good source of older part-used products at a good price.
Rob |
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That's interesting! I've got most of a large bottle left that I've had for quite a few years. I'll be a bit more economical with it in future!
John |
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I have an OG bottle.
David, what was the thinking to include the wax in the compound? I know it was supposed to restore ‘colour and lustre in seconds’ but an additional wax was supposed to be applied on top, right ? |
Re: T-cut recipe change
T cut never used to have wax in it, whoever suggested it did is wrong.
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Re: T-cut recipe change
Funnily enough I used to use t-cut for Bakelite, but after running out recently (a very old bottle) I bought some new stuff and it simply didn't cut it (no pun intended) on a weather-worn DAC90. It never occurred to me there might be a change in ingredients.
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Re: T-cut recipe change
Like many materials, modern versions not only have to dodge ingredients verboten by health and safety, they also have to handle lower levels of knowledge in the general population as well as the trend for instant gratification. A paint surface free of any wax polish looks relatively dull and shows up any oily residues. Including a wax stops people seeing it in this state and makes the after-cutting job look better.
But getting a surface fully wax-free is important if you're going to paint it, especially if you want to blend in an area, and are working with period-correct cellulose paint which will slightly dissolve with the thinner in the new coat. Original T-cut used to leave a slight oily film which you didn't get with Belco compound. David |
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I think there is a similar product to T-Cut available in Poundland (when and if they open again). I recall there being a thread on this forum about it, but my memory is a little hazy (my wife has Alzheimer's, is it infectious?) :dunce:. I went and bought some of the Poundland stuff and it seemed almost as good as the original T-Cut. Can anyone remember the thread?
Colin. |
Re: T-cut recipe change
The bottle which I have (bought in the 1970's) is occasionally used on anything where a coarse abrasive is appropriate. Apart from that, I have a shelf full of Meguiars' stuff.
B |
Re: T-cut recipe change
I am glad that this has come up, I thought it was just me. I bought a 500ml bottle of the stuff in Lidl a year ago and thought "this is harder work than it used to be". I think I will just splash out on another 1litre tin of Brasso, at least it still works, for now.
Neil |
Re: T-cut recipe change
Hi.
The Unipart cutting compound I've been using over the years, which was obtained from a motor factors, has been very good. It looks similar to T-Cut but was much cheaper. Maybe check your local motor factors for a suitable alternative. I've also successfully used metal polishes too such as Autosol, Brasso and Silvo. They all work well with care. Regards, Symon |
Re: T-cut recipe change
Euro Car Parts do the old style bottles if people were looking for a supplier,
£11.49 for 500ml or £7.09 for 300ml https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/t-cut...00ml-553998610 https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/t-cut...00ml-553998600 |
Re: T-cut recipe change
At my last employers paint shop they used something called 'paint rubbing compound G3', don't know whats in it though.
Dave |
Re: T-cut recipe change
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But I can't see anything likely on their website. |
Re: T-cut recipe change
Poundland is open in Horsham probably because it sells food. J.
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Re: T-cut recipe change
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The numbers don't seem ordered G6 is the more abrasive (not as fast as the old Belco medium paste, though) G3 is listed as fine G10 is very fine The ratings seem to assume machine application, so they are a lot milder with hand-powered rubbing. Cost is about £30 for a big bottle, £10 for the smaller ones and about £7 for a big toothpaste tube. All trade and plus VAT. David |
Re: T-cut recipe change
In the days when I rode motorcycles there was a compound called Solvol Autosol ( I think!) . It was pretty abrasive soft smooth paste and would get the blueing off chrome exhaust pipes. Used gently it could be useful for the purposes referred to above.
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Re: T-cut recipe change
P.S.
I have just found this link:- https://www.thepolishingshop.co.uk/autosol-products They have a wide range of products, the original is about £4 for a 100ml tube |
Re: T-cut recipe change
Oh well, together with various ancient tins of my own, I inherited my dad's tins so I have enough to see me out I reckon!
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Re: T-cut recipe change
How does the Greygate stuff (polishing paste no.5, I think) compare with T-cut (and these other cutting compounds)?
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Re: T-cut recipe change
I've recently used the last of my bottle of T-Cut that belonged to my late grandad who died ten years ago. The bottle could be as much as fifteen years old.
It has worked very well for what I use it for so I hope any (possible?) recipe change does not render it useless. I have bought a 300ml tin of T-Cut 'The Original Restorer' hoping that it will be as good as the old bottle. A 'Rapid' formulation is available in a larger plastic bottle but a member who tried it said that it was not much use. When I get a chance to try the new tin I'll report back with my thoughts. |
Re: T-cut recipe change
I got some of the red can stuff from Tesco a few months back in a clearance sale.
But just bought some more last week via eBay for a project im working on. Buffing up polyurethane after final denibbing. It seems there's a lot of people not using it properly based on the youtube videos you see... Not sure if others concur, but after much experimenting, I've found the best way to use it is to apply it lightly, wait till its entirely dried, which does take a long time. Then buff with a clean cloth, with moderate force. Too little and it doesn't come off, too much and you scratch the surface more. With bigger areas it's easy to get caught, the cloth gets saturated and you can be left with tar like smears, or worse, new scratches. So it seems important to use a fresh piece of cloth on small sections when buffing off large areas.. |
Re: T-cut recipe change
I've had a few opportunities to use T-Cut 'Original' and I can say that it is just good as what was in my Grandad's old bottle.
I also was briefly able to use some of the 'Rapid' formulation on some car paintwork and it looked to work OK. I hope this information is useful. |
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Greygate I would say is better for Bakelite cabinets , T-Cut is more for cars.
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Re: T-cut recipe change
Something folks might like to look out for is a car scratch remover. It emerges regularly in Aldi in a plastic box with two tubes, one heavier than the other. I've had limited success with old DVD after a polish with this stuff and a clean down with meths.
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Re: T-cut recipe change
Greygate plastic polishing compound is excellent on Diakon and ABS - haven't tried it on Bakelite or Urea Formaldehyde. But it's the devil's own job getting it off your trousers, so don't spill it!
Rontech mentions Solvol Autosol. I've used that to good effect on Bakelite, followed by an application of beeswax. I find Solvol Autosol kinder than T-Cut. Solvol Autosol is very good at removing scratches from plastic watch crystals (not the Hardlex type!). |
Re: T-cut recipe change
The list of 'once-good, now-useless' products grows by the day.
The neck of my old T-cut bottle was broken such that it didn't seal properly so now the T-cut is more like a solid mass of paste than a liquid. |
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Re: T-cut recipe change
I'll give it a go! Never occurred to me to use petrol though...... in for a pound, in for 0.001litres.....
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I've found Autosol to be excellent. I think that it is more aggressive than polishes such as Brasso.
The manufacturers of T-Cut make an automotive polish, which is probably similar to Autosol. |
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Several posts deleted and several more edited for totally unnecessary automotive references.
We all know what T-Cut is sold as, and where. The only thing relevant here is its use on vintage equipment. Please read this post: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=177297 Cheers Mike T |
Re: T-cut recipe change
If you have a close-fitting needs-to-be-a-good-fit steel-pin-in-bronze-bush arrangement - perhaps a plain bearing in a motor, or even a tuning spindle - and the thing is a little tight, then a little T-cut mixed with oil makes a good lapping compound for easing things to a really nice fit.
I found this out in a context where the fit _really_ matters. You can lap the clearance and judge it by the feel of the shaft in the bearing. |
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