Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Bianchi Pista stem, oven cleaner?

I got an old Pista stem that is a bit scratched and nasty. Does anyone know if I could do the oven cleaner procedure I have read about, remove the anodizing, the lettering and polish it?

I don't think the letters are etched, just under some clear or something. It's not going on a Pista.

Polish out all the scratches and lettering with nevr*dull.

Polish out all the scratches and lettering with nevr*dull.

That seems a bit mild to get rid of scratches. They are deeper than little nicks. I am really wanting to just make it plain and shiny since it's hard to find nice silver threadless stems.

sand it down, then wetsand, and polish. finish

If there deep nicks, your gonna have to sand. or fill them with body filler, but thats a little extreame for just a stem.

uuuuuuggghhhh, I tried this, The oven cleaner may have worked a bit, but not enough. You will have to sand forever to get the bianchi etching out and there are so many different surfaces on the stem it is actually a huge undertaking. I recommend using a sandblaster, then using a metal polish, that will save you a lot of cramped hands.

Everything being recommended or done to that stem in this thread is going to weaken the aluminium. Have a nice funeral.

Everything being recommended or done to that stem in this thread is going to weaken the aluminium. Have a nice funeral.

R U serious? I think you would have to sand down the stem to almost nothing to make it dangerous. If anyone else feels that way I'd like to know cuz I'm gonna eazy off the thing.

You do know if you polish an AL stem its going to rust and will not stay bright. Also, if it has deep nicks it needs to be thrown away. Any imperfection in AL will cause it to fail at that point.

Everything being recommended or done to that stem in this thread is going to weaken the aluminium. Have a nice funeral.


Spraying on oven cleaner(I'm assuming it's got sodium hydroxide in it) on the outside of the stem won't hurt it enough to weaken it.

If you soak it in a lye solution on the stove, then yes, it'll dissolve away to nothing eventually.


I should think sanding the stem would work the best though it may be more work than you want to do.

But if a nice shiny threadless stem was all you wanted, why didn't you ask first?

Velo-orange.com

http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-84224226242177_2042_17568845

$35 Pick your size. 6 degree drop(or rise)

You do know if you polish an AL stem its going to rust and will not stay bright. Also, if it has deep nicks it needs to be thrown away. Any imperfection in AL will cause it to fail at that point.

Aluminum rusting?
Oh boy, here we go!

Aluminum rusting?
Oh boy, here we go!

Rust, corrode ... same thing, no ?


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Aluminum rusting?
Oh boy, here we go!


Aluminum oxide, a white powdery coating. You'll see it only if you don't ride the bike very often and never clean it. I wouldn't worry about it.

You can buff an aluminum part to a bright shiny finish but if sanding the anodizing is too much work, forget about polishing it later.

But if a nice shiny threadless stem was all you wanted, why didn't you ask first?

Velo-orange.com

http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-84224226242177_2042_17568845

$35 Pick your size. 6 degree drop(or rise)

Because I got the stem for next to nothing and sanding doesn't cost me anything. But thanks for the link to the Velo Orange stem. That looks really nice.

I'm aware of white rust on aluminum, but didn't think it affected the structural integrity of the aluminum.