best way to polish up old chrome?

I don't like Wenol, Flitz, mothers, Simichrome, Nev'r Dull.
I do like my own products (I gotta say that, sorry) they are tried and tested and pH neutral.
I also like Busch, white Diamond is not so bad, Zephyr pro 40, and a couple of others, but you might want to remove waxes with alcohol to stop hazing.
Basically if chrome is pitted (especially with aluminum or pot metal underneath) it's on the way out.
Cola and aluminum foil is the best saviour I know for making it look 1/2 way decent, if it's over steel.
On pot metal and aluminum those little green edged pits just keep returning.
If you can get the corrosion off a good waxed polish will help.
If chrome is unbroken it should be washed with soapy water and towelled dry.
You should only use an abrasive polish on chrome (mine included) to remove light surface scratches from road grit.
Heavy scratching where you can see a little gold or yellow is a sign that scratch is through the chrome to the nickel.
Then it's ok to use a pH neutral waxed polish to slow down the nickel yellowing.

 

coke and aluminum foil...plain and simple. So Polisher how would Jewelers' rouge work?

 

Thanks guys, Im going to try out the coke and foil method. Ill get some pictures and update you when I'm done..
one more question.. are there any readily availabe polishes that as polisher suggested doesn't contain ammonia, ammonia bi flouride or sodium hydroxide? what should we use when its all cleaned up?

side note.. Got some greasy clothes? I know you do.. Next time you wash them, pour a can of coke in before you add the water. let it soak for roughly 30 minutes, and then continue as usual. best way to get grase out that i know anyways.

 

Didn't see it here do figured I'd add this.

It's gotta be "regular" Coke.

None of that Diet crap or the Caffeine free stuff.

Good ol' regular comes-in-a-red-can Coke.

 

So, which of your products do you recommend for NOS parts with very light scratches?

Sent from my XT1585 using H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

For me , it will always be BRASSO.Used it on my first car in 1971...Nova 62 and still got my little can today.got some cheap chrome dummy spots rusty, now look like new...my 2 cents, Brasso is good for chrome ,copper ,cheap chrome plastic to ,even on glass . does a nice job...

 

I believe the gentleman known as Polisher passed away a few years ago.

 

When people say to use steel wool, they are not talking about the rough stuff. You can get a very fine steel wool that won't scratch up your chrome if you use it gently. If you have rusty pitted chrome, it works well, I have used it for decades and it is fine for old worn chrome. I wouldn't use it on good chrome thats just dull, but it works on rusty chrome that nothing else will work on. And it won't scratch if you are gentle with it.

 

Turtle Wax chrome polish and elbow grease.

 

i have a can of dupont chrome polish i've been using for decades. works great and does leave a sort of "wax" coating on the metal

 

I like that too. I polish my chrome the old fashioned way on a soft wheel and the appropriate compound stick. The chrome polish applied with cheese cloth finishes it nicely.

 

I now know none of you have DATED a good chrome polisher!!!

 

Off topic but you can use "Coke" to tenderize tough beef.

 

The parts are off topic, the method is not. This probably won't work on the car, the results are great. Oxalic acid, wood bleach, available at walmart and amazon, strangely enough, home depot doesn't carry it. you can buy concentrate as well.

http://bmxmuseum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=351132

 

You've told us Mothers and Turtlewax are not good.
What brand do you like ?

 

I personally use Never-Dull Magic Wadding Polish. Used it in the Marine Corp to polish brass bell. I never use anything else now. Shines up my hold Harley wheels to new and any chrome on my Pilothouse. Buy it man. Trust me it works great. Rub it on and wipe it off once the residue dries

 

the best stuff I've used is White Diamond with sometimes oo steel wool, makes chrome look new and aluminum and stanless steel look like chrome it even will make your dull head light lens almost look new with little effort. The only bad thing about it is if your wife finds out about it and how good it works, she will have you cleaning all kitchen and bath chrome faucets and pot and pans! its also work great on brass.

 

Posted a few timesin HARM. Also on uTube. Clean/wash bumper. Aluminum foil and water (or add some soap). Can also use WD40 as a lube (same purpose as the water). Rub and wipe. Rust for sure comes off and no scratches (foil is simply too soft). Tarnish requires heavy foil rubbing. followed by polish (I use Mothers Chrome spray). Also...I use Never-Dull. I understand can do #0000 steel wool..but I am too afraid!!! I stay with foil. Believe me: The bumpers on my Chyrsler Imperial '63 Le Baron have NEVER looked better. NO TARNISH!! Of course there are some minor scrapes and scratches. IT COMES WITH THE VINTAGE CARS FOLKS....and 'badges' the car unless you have loads of dough to dump into a heap that few may want or appreciate. All the more reason to 'roll your own'!!! Happy repair.restore!!!

 

Dip it in a batch of Sodium de-hydroxide and water for 10 minutes.

 

I know it sounds a little crazy but on flat chrome surfaces like wind wings frames and chrome side of non post type window frames I've found chrome vinyl to be an Excellant "cover up" . Took a few times and a real sharp razor blade or exacto knife for trimming. If you clean it a lot it does need redoing.
I'll bet some of these guys who vinyl cover cars could do wonders on some bumpers.

 

Listen to this guy, he knows what he's talking about. Now, if the chrome really looks like crap, I've had very good luck by using my buffer with a loose cotton buff and white rouge buffing compound to clean it up. On pitted parts, it will 'blend' the pits. They'll still be visible, but not nearly as obvious. I used this method on some surface rusty/some pitting and heavily stained/heat discolored motorcycle exhaust parts and got them back to '3 feet' parts (from 3' plus they looked nearly new). Chrome polish didn't even touch this, and I know better than to use steel wool. Just don't be heavy-handed while buffing; you can go through the chrome to the nickel if you're not careful.

 

Any way of getting the scratches OUT of chrome, if it has already been cleaned by one of the less gentle methods.?

 

Buffing as described above will remove minor scratches and 'blend' the bigger ones to degree. But once it's been damaged, you'll never get it back to 'new'...

The main problem with buffing like this is the mess, and you usually have to remove the part to do it right.

 

I’ve been using brite boy on chrome with good results.