Posted by Rick Denney on March 13, 2002 at 16:23:44:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Dent Eraser Pictures posted by Dan Schultz on March 13, 2002 at 14:21:56:
Oh, I don't know. I suppose I'm not worried about any dust particle that is smaller than the granules of abrasive that were used to polish the brass in the first place.
I don't suppose too much dirt would embed itself into formica, unless you used the dent magnet to lift dents in a really dirty and scratched instrument. A good cleaning and perhaps a bit of light buffing (if needed) before dent work might preclude that. I'm more worried about iron particles getting caught on the surface of the magnet. I suspect they are nearly impossible to remove completely, no matter what the surface material.
I still think felt is a good choice. I'm not too worried if there's a nearly imperceptible smudge from the wool fibers. But if that bothers you, then perhaps a clean chamois would do better. Though the smudge may be unavoidable--the force might be enough to cause some lacquer material to fail in compression, which will make it dull. Usually, a freshly removed dent is buffed in any case if the owner wants perfection.
And I don't think we should overestimate the force involved, though it is concentrated on a smallish spot (on the inside of the horn, at least). The magnet isn't THAT strong. A Ferree's dent machine will apply much more force, it seems to me, using dent rollers that have a satin finish.
Rick "whose dent tools aren't all that smooth" Denney