Before polishing the nib should be inspected closely under a microscope or stereo loupe (e.g. at the optician) — often it is just lint instead of real scratches. With bicolour nibs caution is warranted, since the platinum inlay is no massive layer but only a coating and can be removed by too frequent polishing. Suitable for gold nibs is Vienna lime, which is softer than gold and only smooths the fine burrs at the scratch edge. For regular gentle care a silver-cleaning cloth is recommended, also suitable for gold-plated parts and removing smaller discolourations and fine scratches. Cloth handkerchiefs generally do not cause new scratches.