Classic & Vintage - removing paint from chrome

I'm looking to strip the paint off my old fork, which is chromed up to and above the crown (it's seen some abuse, so it's easy to spot the chrome through the dings). Other posts suggest chemical strippers, and they emphasize avoiding sandpaper. So here's my question: I prefer to steer clear of the toxic chemical stripping mess, so can't I just use sandpaper to eliminate the paint and polish up the chrome afterwards? I could start with a medium grit paper to get the top coats off, then use a finer grit as I get down to removing the primer, then polish up the chrome. If that would irreparably damage the chrome, do I have other options?

Thanks for any advice.

Chemical stripping is the only way. If you sand the chrome it will be ruined.

Yup, anything harsher than finish grade 0000 steel wool will scratch the chrome beyond repair. And taking paint off of chrome using only 0000 steel wool will take quite a bit of elbow grease.

I used stripper on my fork. Took 10 minutes and cleaned right up.

Sometimes chemical warfare is the only way. Use a nylon brush, old tooth brushes work well and "aircraft" paint stripper. Proper safety equipment goes without saying. Anything less is tilting at windmills.

Some things to add, do not assume that the chrome is of visibly suitable finish (class A) under the paint, polishing prior to plating takes time, and regions destined for paint are often not prepped the same even though they all get plated.

Also under the fork crown is often not set up with an extra anode for that region to get a good dose of chrome, this has to do with current flow and the shape of that region, generally an area that was finished with paint was done so for a reason.

Besides its fun to watch paint bubble. Bubble, bubble toil and trouble... with apologies to William.

Try a nontoxic stripper, if you want to avoid toxicity. And as an anecdote to chrome under paint, I have a 70's Bottecchia that had chrome fork ends and chrome under the paint. After stripping the paint, the chrome underneath was not near the quality of the forkends. Polishing with compounds and a buffing wheel helped, but I never could get it to a high luster. It looks decent, but its not the chrome one would prefer.

I just did this the nontoxic way with 3m Safest Stripper, since I don't have the room or ventilation in my apartment. It worked well, just took time. After brushing the yogart stuff on, I wrapped it with saranwrap to keep it from drying out. The next day the coat of paint had detached from the chrome. Then I only had to peel it off & wipe the frame down. Easier than I imagined, I wasn't sure if it would work at all when I began. I didn't even wear gloves & had no problem. Just thought I'd mention it, since nothing about it came up in a search before. As PBR mentioned, my main tubes are as shiny as the fork & stays, but I expected it.

I used a citrus-based stripper that came in an aerosol can to remove paint from a frame/fork, and it worked fine though it took lots of applications. I was very glad to be able to work inside, however. I also found that that chrome that was meant to be under paint was not particularly polished. Ymmv.

Neal

YES to all of the above! ^

I used striper on a bike with chrome fork and the paint came off the chrome parts way easier then the rest of the bike. just open a window and put on gloves, I used a green kitchen scruber it held up long enough to do the job

You might try JUST steel wool and a carefully applied pocket knife or razor blade to get some spot to start. The paint on my U08's front fork was chipped and it game off easily with a bit of elbow grease and no stripper at all.

Of course, this is French Peugeot paint we are talking here. Real paint might be a bit harder. But really, chrome does not provide a good surface for which paint can easily adhere, so stripping/removing will be easier than you might think.

Tyson

Get a 'dremel' and polish that paint off! :D