Cleaning chrome with aluminum foil

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kevbo82

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So i searched, and was surprised i didn't see any mentions of this. For budget minded folks like myself that don't want to pay for rechrome, this has always been my go to method. Here's a few shots of the handle bars and speedo i did today, literally spent about 15 minutes of my time and a few pieces of aluminum foil.
Cleaning chrome with aluminum foil

Cleaning chrome with aluminum foil

Cleaning chrome with aluminum foil

Cleaning chrome with aluminum foil
 
i read a nerdy science article about it once and i've been doing it since. Basically all you do is use aluminum foil and water, i use a silo cup of water, and dip pieces of the foil i cut in 3" squares in the water, then use it like sand paper on the chrome. From what i remember, the sum of it is the foil and water create a slurry of aluminum oxide (when you start rubbing you'll see a dark grey goo forming) and that along with the friction/grit of the foil will remove small amounts of pitting and surface rust, and also at the same time acts as a polish for the chrome all without scratching it like steel wool would do. I've also seen some people do it with cola rather than water, i found that only made things sticky and not much else. I've also seen where people say crumple the foil up, but i keep it flat and smooth like sandpaper and spend a bit more time at it.
 
"WHALE OIL BEEF HOOKED"! Will have to try that to cure my curiosity. I wonder how many others will aswell?
 
Are you serious Kev, have you been sitting on this for long.?
IF this works,... I think it's the first real good idea that's come up for ages.
Should have paid attention at school, hang on, should have
gone to school.
I tried to read the "ingredients" to Autosol, which I have used for many years,
as most metal polishes turn into a blackish colour when used on Chrome, but
alas not possible.
Thanks, AC.
Were you born in Ireland Foxy.
Did you here the one about the TREE FELLERS....
 
I tried it on my old handle bars. Was unimpressed, but how long do you have to rub. Some of the chrome on my bars is worn pretty thin and there are spots that have no chrome, it's flaked off.

Dave
69S
 
will have to research. I've always heard the top layer of chrome is clear and an abrasive is basically rubbing this layer off down to the nickel layer
 
Is it the 1st of April already?

I wonder if he is ROFL as we speak :oops:
 
pelican said:
will have to research. I've always heard the top layer of chrome is clear and an abrasive is basically rubbing this layer off down to the nickel layer
Click to expand...

Chromium plate is a HARD TOUGH BRIGHT SILVERY METAL, most definitely not 'clear'.
But is applied in a VERY thin coat (its very expensive, in any quantity).
Thats why they suggest you don't use metal polish on it.

The nickel usually found underneath is a yellowish-silvery metal.
The nickel underneath (and the copper beneath that) is optional though, a lot of brit factories appear to have applied chromium plate directly onto bare steel - they could get away with this because the steel was new and clean, and they applied quite a thick coat of chrome.

The modern replating of steel requires the copper and then nickel coats to ensure the final chromium coat will get good adhesion and have a good shine - otherwise the whole shebang may just peel off....

How do I know this = (hobby) certificate in electroplating.

Will have to try this aluminium foil trick though - heard of it, but not seen results/pic like that !

P.S. Stainless steel wool and phosphoric acid, used vigorously, are pretty good at removing rust spots from chromed steel. Use well-used s/s wool, or it may scratch the chrome...
 
AussieCombat said:
Are you serious Kev, have you been sitting on this for long.?
IF this works,... I think it's the first real good idea that's come up for ages.
Should have paid attention at school, hang on, should have
gone to school.
I tried to read the "ingredients" to Autosol, which I have used for many years,
as most metal polishes turn into a blackish colour when used on Chrome, but
alas not possible.
Thanks, AC.
Were you born in Ireland Foxy.
Did you here the one about the TREE FELLERS....
Click to expand...

Autosol pase is very bad for chrome, you will like silver just wear the chrome away.
For best results on slightly rusty chrome, use a brass, NOTE!; I said brass not steel! brush along with WD40.
I intend to try this new method.
 
Rohan said:
pelican said:
will have to research. I've always heard the top layer of chrome is clear and an abrasive is basically rubbing this layer off down to the nickel layer
Click to expand...

Chromium plate is a HARD TOUGH BRIGHT SILVERY METAL, most definitely not 'clear'.
But is applied in a VERY thin coat (its very expensive, in any quantity).
Thats why they suggest you don't use metal polish on it.

The nickel usually found underneath is a yellowish-silvery metal.
The nickel underneath (and the copper beneath that) is optional though, a lot of brit factories appear to have applied chromium plate directly onto bare steel - they could get away with this because the steel was new and clean, and they applied quite a thick coat of chrome.
The modern replating of steel requires the copper and then nickel coats to ensure the final chromium coat will get good adhesion and have a good shine - otherwise the whole shebang may just peel off....
How do I know this = (hobby) certificate in electroplating.
Will have to try this aluminium foil trick though - heard of it, but not seen results/pic like that !
P.S. Stainless steel wool and phosphoric acid, used vigorously, are pretty good at removing rust spots from chromed steel. Use well-used s/s wool, or it may scratch the chrome...
Click to expand...

Re; “The nickel underneath (and the copper beneath that) is optional though, a lot of brit factories appear to have applied chromium plate directly onto bare steel - they could get away with this because the steel was new and clean, and they applied quite a thick coat of chrome.”

They don’t get away with this because chromium plating is porous hence you will eventually see rust spots appearing.
For best results you need a triple coating. Not cheap!
 
it's hard to get a really good photo of the results, in person if you look hard at the chrome you can kinda see where the rust and pitting was, but they're very faint, and from five feet away or at 60MPH they look fantastic! I'm certainly not saying it will look like brand new chrome, and i've only done it with stuff that i thought wasn't in too bad of shape like the before photos i posted. You don't have to rub too long at all, and i should have mentioned any chrome thats missing in spots to tread lightly around, because it will act like sandpaper would to chipped paint and just take more off around it. I'll try to post some more photos today of other pieces i did, the sun isn't out here today so i might be able to get some decent photos outside without crazy glare that show it better. The chain guard was the biggest turn around!
 
okay a few more to try and show the results. Don't have great before pics of either part, tried to show the flaws still left on the afters, if you look into the glare sometimes you can see it, mostly it's that kinda crinkled effect you get on old/bad chrome. The foil makes if feel smooth but you can still see it. If you look at the after shot of the chain guard you can see under/around the mounting tab near the shock where i didn't get in the tight spots, thats what it looked like before.
Cleaning chrome with aluminum foil

Cleaning chrome with aluminum foil

Cleaning chrome with aluminum foil

Cleaning chrome with aluminum foil

Cleaning chrome with aluminum foil

Cleaning chrome with aluminum foil

Cleaning chrome with aluminum foil
 
That is an old trick, my father showed me that when I was a kid (I'm presently 57).
Be careful what you try it on, I was showing this trick to my GF on her KZ440 front fender and proceded to scratch the s--- out of it...oops sorry.

GB
 
They did get away with this - chrome was different back then.
A chromed Norton tank from the late 1940s appears to have about a 1/16" of chrome on it, you'd pay a fortune for that much chrome these days !!. In those days, chrome wasn't 'self-leveling' like it is now, they applied it thickly and then ground and polished out the bumps...

But yes, chrome applied a few microns thick is porous, its the nickel layer that is water resistant (not the inital copper coat, like some folk seem to think, thats only there to test the adhesion and can easily take a high polish).

P.S. the steel before it is plated is highly polished, and looks like chrome (but rusts).
The shine has to be on the metal underneath....

Re; “The nickel underneath (and the copper beneath that) is optional though, a lot of brit factories appear to have applied chromium plate directly onto bare steel - they could get away with this because the steel was new and clean, and they applied quite a thick coat of chrome.”
Click to expand...
Bernhard said:
They don’t get away with this because chromium plating is porous hence you will eventually see rust spots appearing.
For best results you need a triple coating. Not cheap!
Click to expand...
 
geo46er said:
That is an old trick, my father showed me that when I was a kid (I'm presently 57).
Be careful what you try it on, I was showing this trick to my GF on her KZ440 front fender and proceded to scratch the s--- out of it...oops sorry.

GB
Click to expand...

Modern chrome isn't nearly as tough as the old stuff - something about hexavalent and trivalent chromium molecules. The new one isn't nearly as poisonous as the old one, when the fish drink it when the residue is flushed down the river.. ??!!
 
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