Clean Snooker Iron

[rdsalt]

Hi, finally managed to bag myself a used snooker iron. Can anyone please give me advice on the best way to clean up the soleplate? Also if there is any tips or general advise on looking after the iron and as it is a thermostat one, which setting would be recommended for Strachan 6811 pool cloth? Thanks.

[Leo]

That's a new one on me as I didn't think pool table cloths were napped

[DeanH]

The iron I got had seen better days, and the heat plate had some stains and light surface rust, I used a fine wirewool gently to remove these, gently so not to dig into the surface.
For the rest of the iron I used some baby-wipes (non-aloe vera type, we have loads of these lying around ) and dried it down, it has come up quite nice.
For future, as long as you keep it in a dry place and dust it now and then it should be fine.

Many have asked the question of what setting but I have not seen a reply to that, so I have it about 4.5

One word of advice, when heating and letting it cool down you have the iron "standing" up so the heat plate is NOT on the stand. I tend to have it with the plug socket at the top. don't know if this is wrong or right but hey

[DeanH]

That's a new one on me as I didn't think pool table cloths were napped

unless you have a specific napless type (Simonis, ?) all others have a varying levels of nap, from hardly any to loads

I know as we now have a "carpet" on our table, thanks to our landlord

[rdsalt]

Thanks, will try wire wool to see how I get on.

[DeanH]

is it really bad?
any photos you can show us?

I must admit I did not get rid of all the markers but there is nothing to be transferred to the cloth, which is the most important criteria of whether the heat plate is clean enough

[rdsalt]

No, its not too bad, I was amazed how good the iron was considering it was £40. There are some black marks at the top and bottom of the plate which look like burned on fibres, the centre is pretty clean. The rest of the iron is very good.