polishing chrome on these cars

[Lorna c]

here it is

[Lorna c]

3 out of 4 are doing good . this one's a bear

[Lorna c]

I just learned one more trick . I'm going to try it on the ugly one tomorrow and see what's up .. wish me luck I mangled it and trying to save it .

[auggiemize]

As noted, tired/pitted chrome, is tired/pitted chrome. There is no panacea for old, tired chrome, except rechroming. If its just dirty, rust stained, and nasty, its cleanable. 000 steel wool and carnuba will tell you if there is anything left to clean off, but that's about it. Pits/rust start down at the steel (or zinc die-cast in some parts..) and bleeds up thru the copper, then the nickel, then finally to the chrome/surface...There is a reason why you see lots of silver/chrome painted bumpers, headlight surrounds, etc...

[Curtis]

Well as anyone on here who has had something chromed knows it is not cheap to have items redone. I have 4 hubcaps in right now at $125 each. A bumper will be $400. A set of stainless bumpers are $1,000.

However I can compare that to the lousy plastic bumper on my Acura that cost over $800 to repaint when we got hit in the back. Beauty does not seem to come cheap.

[Linda]

I wonder if soaking with EvapoRust would derust the pitting without the scrubbing. That is all you really do is clear out the rust down to bare metal, it seems. Having a good core though is important for rechroming , since some places will not straighten anything.
Linda

[RBMann]

Chrome is like paint. Both are thin layers over metal. If you saw a rust spot in your paint you know that it will not buff out as the paint is gone and the rust is coming through from the metal underneath. All your are doing at this is removing chrome. The pits are where the chrome is gone.

[Lorna c]

yeah . only the one i messed up bad like that thank goodness . I'm thinking of a new plan for that one . But the rest turned out great . I'll get pics in the sunlight ..

[Lorna c]

well I've added some pumice ffff to the carnauba wax and getting pleasant results . I'll post pics next .not finished yet but getting there . it will take several times but I'm beginning to see them ..

[Lorna c]

this is my back bumper where I didn't have any mirror finish anymore .. I'm pretty sure the super dullness was from the muffler heat . the rest is cleaning up nicely . more to go to get it like the front bumper but it Might just get there .

[Lorna c]

I'm thinking now maybe it's all film on top of chrome . I saw a clearance where a sticker use to be so that gave me hope it was all on top of the chrome . then another sticker spot showed up with less time on the bumper (it looked like ) that's what inspired me to go further with the cleaning of it .. I'm hoping it keeps up like it has been . I'm doing one a day "one more time " and now it's showing a but of" mirror " finish . I may be lucky and get it pretty good ..

[Lorna c]

haha really ? it's 0000 ss ? anyway I got some polishing wheels just now too . haha I'll get foul and start with that. oh and coke .

Actually wouldn't be worried so much to try steel wool with coke by hand as it would probably have results similar to the aluminum foil, it's using on a drill that would be a no no for me

Also sometimes with steel wool it leaves behind some small pieces of steel wich will rust

I see what u mean with the steel wool . besides it floats up into my lungs .. I'm seeing results in my situation with the pumice powder ffff and wax . m going to use the tin foil at the end to see if it'll help the shine more if needed . I've just finished the 4th round of buffing the chrome with this mix when a few more minutes pass I'll buff it with an old t shirt then see what's up and take more pics to post in any progression . so , we'll see if his I have is film or I'm fulling myself ..

[Lorna c]

I wonder if soaking with EvapoRust would derust the pitting without the scrubbing. That is all you really do is clear out the rust down to bare metal, it seems. Having a good core though is important for rechroming , since some places will not straighten anything.
Linda

that's a good idea . I'll try a vinigar soak, because that's what I have , on the lights . that's where I have pitting .. then I'll polish them ..

[Lorna c]

idk I think it's getting better ! I couldn't get any mirror look before . now look.. what I've done already about 5× over and over it taking my time not to kill my arm , is starting to show ? or am I seeing things in hope ?

[Lorna c]

by the muffler area is the worse But it's beginning to show some improvement too .