Kenwood 500

W

winstoncheop

Member
Hi all - just got a Kenwood 500 amp. It is mint save for a very small scratch on the volume knob. I want to remove the knob to buff it out but for the life of me I can't find the right tool to loosen it. I downloaded a service manual but of course it has no info for such a basic thing. I'm unable to see down the 2 small holes where I assume the tine bolts are. I've tried small screwdrivers and allen keys and I can't lock onto anything.. Anyone have knowledge of what Kenwood used? Thanks in advance. Mike.
 
1.5mm allen wrench.

You cannot buff out the scratch. The knob is anodized aluminum, and while you can try a bit of light-duty rubbing compound (followed by a car wax to keep it looking nice), you cannot get any more aggressive with the finish than that. Once the anodized layer is damaged, I can guarantee that you'll wish you had left it alone.

Polish it up with the rubbing compound and wax, and stop. Perfection would be nice, but these things are going on 40 years old, so what you got is what you get. Just look upon it as a bit of character.
 
Thanks for that. I have a friend who says that it should be possible to lightly buff it out using small circular strokes with compound to match the finish on the piece. It's a very small mark where the glass door front on the stand contacted the knob and it's the only thing that prevents it from being mint. Cheers, Mike.
 
winstoncheop said:
Thanks for that. I have a friend who says that it should be possible to lightly buff it out using small circular strokes with compound to match the finish on the piece. It's a very small mark where the glass door front on the stand contacted the knob and it's the only thing that prevents it from being mint. Cheers, Mike.
Click to expand...

Mike:

Ignore your friend, he knows not what he speaks... You would be better off doing a parts swap sometime down the road. Live with it and focus on the great sound it makes.

Take care,

Rob
 
Indeed. Your friend does not understand the nature of anodized aluminum. Leave it be.

That knob is a very rare part, and used on a very few pieces (700C, Model 500, Model 600). The chances of finding a replacement are exceedingly slim. A new one could be CNC machined by a skilled party and then anodized, but this is not very cost effective unless you have $$ to throw away.
 
Funny how it got marked in the first place. Here's a blurb on the anodizing process - "Anodized aluminum can be nearly as hard as diamond under the right anodizing process. Many modern buildings use anodized aluminum in places where the metal framework is exposed to the elements." If it's so hard how could it be scratched by a glass door? Hmmmm.
 
Yes in a perfect world, a hard coat anodized layer has a 65 to 70 Rockwell C, 850 to 900 DPH (this is the items resistance to indentation). If it was in it's natural sapphire form it would be a 9 on the Mohs' Scale. People tend to equate hardness of the Mohs' Scale with overall strength against denting, which is not the case. It is strongly resistant to wear abrasion, but an impact will easily leave a mark or indentation because it is still aluminum underneath. It's two entirely different criteria to evaluate.

Does that make sense?

Rob
 
I gave it try anyways with a bit of buffing compound on a Dremel pad and it did nothing - I guess I'll just have to wax it and leave it. Thanks for all the help guys.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

ThaiBerra
Kenwood 500
Replies
5
Views
499
sancho22
sancho22
radine
Kenwood 500 question
Replies
7
Views
511
radine
radine
bigredplane
Kenwood 600 vs 500
Replies
2
Views
710
bigredplane
bigredplane
georgedannyg
Kenwood 500
Replies
0
Views
324
georgedannyg
georgedannyg
sansevy
Kenwood 500 Volume Pot Repair?
Replies
3
Views
779
sansevy
sansevy
Back
Top Bottom