Electronics > Mechanical & Automation Engineering

contact burnishing tools?

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coppercone2:
Has anyone used these file look a likes called contact burnishing tools?

Sometimes I might take apart a old switch to clean the contacts. I typically use rubber abrasives or scotch brite.


It does seem convenient for use when you can't fit anything else.
https://www.specialized.net/jonard-ob-1-3-economical-contact-burnisher-set-3-5-3-piece.html

If you CAN take apart the switch to get easy access to the contacts, does this tool have any benefits over abrasive polishing?

floobydust:
I think you have to be careful and discern what type of contacts you are dealing with.

I worked with a telecom/railroad tech and he said the best is to use paper as an abrasive, like a sandpaper.
Put in a strip of paper or a business card, squish the contacts a little and pull it through. You can see the black oxide rub off onto the paper. This is for low level signal contacts, then I'll put PPE contact cleaner on them to prevent oxides from building up again. This has worked on small relays and switches for me, for many decades.

Next was an eraser, you can get small pencil-style ones and that works on rotary switches well with the silver/sulfur oxides they get. As a soft abrasive.


The "contact burnishers" he advised only on high current contacts that get pitted and are not simply plated. Like motor starters and contactors. Really rare, I haven't used them in decades. They make me cringe, very destructive filing metal away.

coppercone2:
so it is infact a file ? the description makes it out to have magic powers of some sort

coppercone2:
Designed for use on fine relay contacts, these burnishers are the perfect tools for removing the oxide layer from the precious metals of fine relay contacts. These burnishers feature the following:

    Plastic insulated handles allow them to be used on live contacts without any shocks or shorts
    Removes the oxide layer and any corrosion off contacts without leaving filings or debris
    Packaged in a clear plastic bag to protect the burnishers from grease and moisture
    Includes (3) Fine Relay Contact Burnishers

 :-//

are you sure your talking about the same tool? I heard of files being used to like, true up some mangled ass contacts, but this is supposed to be a ultra-fine tool...

https://jonard.com/contact-burnishers-burnisher-files


I don't understand how it might work. I thought it might be very hard and also totally rounded. but I have trouble imaging how that could work to clean a contact.



It clearly says it does not leave fi-lings. Jonard is a pretty reputable manufacturer, I don't think they would lie that crazy...?



I have a weird "file" or "burnisher" in my tool kit (they call it 'reamers" but its not a reamer its more like a ribbed 'broach' wire set, its not what you would normally call a reamer???) for cleaning oxyacetylene welding equipment. In addition to the wire 'reamers' the flat bit looks like a file with a few linear indents on it. I think you are supposed to drag it over the tip of a nozzle if it has some flux residue or sputter on it, so it rips it off. I would say its very lightly textured like its been rolled or something (not cut, smooth). If you drag it over the nozzle the 0.2mm around the hole does become polished. Its very bootleg/cheap looking but it does seem to work, though I never really used it (I use a wheel and then ultrasonic clean my nozzles). its like a not sharp scraper or something  ???

I thought it might be something like that, but it does not look like that, I don't see any intended lines on it, it looks more like a rough texture for the Jonard thing :-// . The picture makes me think its a fine sanding stick. But it claims its something else.

floobydust:
I have seen them not like a file with grooves, but instead rough etched finish or sintered, like a nail file. Basically metal-backed sandpaper.

"GC 9337 Contact Burnisher removes oxide and corrosion from relay and switch points. Safely cleans platinum, gold, tungsten, and silver."
I'm skeptical - gold is so soft and very thin, who is spewing this malarkey.

"Non-Residual" contact burnishers leave no filings, grit, dust or film on contacts to start a new carbonaceous build-up. They are economical and flexible, with enough stiffness to apply the right pressure to the contact face offering minimum wear on costly contacts." source

These tools seem to go back to early telephony even late 1920's. Popular use on pinball machines.

The fiberglass cleaning pens are an option too.

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