Faded Red help

[JimMcKelvey]

Hey folks - I'm a rather new poster here, but a regular reader of the forums.  I've got some questions on a restore and hoping someone can assist.  I've got a faded red head - just the lid, bowl is fine minus a few rust spots - and I'm trying to see if there is any hope of restoring the original color.  It's a 1992 'O' 22.5".  I've attached a pic.  This was my brother's kettle - I'm guessing it was left in sun for many years.  Appreciate any tips / guidance y'all can provide.  Hopefully I did the pic correctly....  Thanks!

[saxart]

Jim-
Welcome to the forum. It's a great group of folks here.

As far as the color of your kettle, there really isn't much you can do once it is faded that bad.  You could spray some PAM cooking spray on it (light coat) which may darken it a bit, but it will simply be a temporary thing.

Some kettles have irreversible damage to them in many forms.  At some point we just learn to live with them as they are because these kettles have stories to tell.

[Jeff]

I've seen how Pam can make the faded black grills look...like new again.  But yes, ultimately its temporary.  Its not difficult to reapply it from time to time though.  I've never seen anyone put Pam on a faded colored grill yet.  I'd be curious to see how it turns out.  Please post some photos if you give it a try!

[G$]

C'mon gang, lets not lose sight of the details here.....

So ....   Jim, Tell us about the little red behind your project in that picture......

[JimMcKelvey]

Thanks for the thoughts everyone.  Yeah – I've tried several things already with no luck. Different cleaners, polishes, ultracut compounds – no  change.   Still a keeper of course, just miss the original red color. 

Yeah, that SJ has caught a few eyes this morning.  It's nothing special... originally a black that I picked up for $5 at a garage sale.  I used it for a while and then on a whim decided to experiment a bit.  I cleaned it up, taped it off and them hit it with two coats of high temp red caliper paint.  The result is nice, but the picture might be a little misleading.  The finish is definitely more of a matte and not true Weber red (old red).  I'm happy with it though and it has held up so far through several cooks. 

[Heyjude]

Psych!   That Red SJ had me hoping too...
Where do you hail from?  Your bowl looks to be mint.. Is it a plain ole red or a fade?
AJ 

[AZ_MIKEY]

I am sure you have tried it Jim but just in case you haven't have you scrubbed it really good with #0000 steel wool I mean alot of scrubbing and rubbing on it plus maybe do it with it a bit wet on the surface and then also lightly while dry surface. Alternate between those two methods and then finish off using liquid barkeepers friend on a wet surface with the steel wool working it like a polish and keeping the surface wet then drying with a good terry cloth style buffing towel to give it a shine. Just what I have done to some really tough spots on my kettles that won't shine up. I had some areas on my recent mbh red I picked up that had that faded red look like your lid and I done this process over and over till they came out. And remember wuth the barkeepers friend to keep the surface wet and dont do it in direct sun light.

[G$]

Yeah, that SJ has caught a few eyes this morning.  It's nothing special... originally a black that I picked up for $5 at a garage sale.  I used it for a while and then on a whim decided to experiment a bit.  I cleaned it up, taped it off and them hit it with two coats of high temp red caliper paint.  The result is nice, but the picture might be a little misleading.  The finish is definitely more of a matte and not true Weber red (old red).  I'm happy with it though and it has held up so far through several cooks.

Hahah, so you had people sending PMs about it, huh?   

Did you use any of  the caliper paint on the lid of the OTS too?

[JimMcKelvey]

HeyJude – I'm near Charlotte, NC.  Yes, the bowl is really in good condition.  I had to add a new sweeper of course.  It's just the lid that has shown the effects of time, sun and high heat cooks. 

AZ – I have tired the #0000 wool, but not with the persistence process you describe.  I'll give process a chance this weekend or next.  Will let you know. 

G$ - You have a good eye...There was a rust spot near the handle that I encapsulated and painted.  Looking at the picture, I guess it doesn't look too bad if you were to extrapolate across the whole lid.  But it really did not finish well as compared to how the SJ finished due to surface imperfections of sealer covered rust.  It's horrendous up close in my opinion - the faded / rusted look is better than a botched look.