Classic & Vintage - Taking Rust off Chrome on '36 DL1

Alright I obviously don't want to get this one wrong. Ive started with Noxon but it left micro scratches that I can see (can I get those out?).

I'm now using barkeepers friend aka oxalic acid. Do I scrub with that or just let it sit?

Any other suggestions? It's just surface rust. Thanks!

I used an old paint brush to rub the frame every so often, couple times a day, swish the green away from the rusty parts, and bring fresh acid to the rust.
When you take it out of the bath, be sure to neutralize the acid with arm and hammer soda in water, then fresh water.
The acid won't take scratches off the paint, you'll want to rub it down with fine car polish, then wax.

thanks! frame is fine - this is just for handlebars and front rod brakes

brass wool + wd40 should do the trick with surface rust.

Crumpled aluminum foil!
It really works, but you have to realize there's a point when things are just too rusty already for anything to completely clean up chromework corrosion.

Chombi

Anything abrasive will leave marks. That's the way abrasives work. Do a search on oxalic, endless amount of info + opinions on how to best use it.

Oxolic is lovely, so is osphoric. Bronze wool is harder than iron oxide but softer than chrome so it will take away the crud without hurting the shiny. Lube with WD40 or PB Blaster.

Im a fan of the tinfoil, but if the rust is heavy enough to actually be flaking/bubbling/rough, you're screwed.

Anything abrasive will leave marks. That's the way abrasives work. Do a search on oxalic, endless amount of info + opinions on how to best use it.

i've been using steel wool on chrome and it's worked fine for me... no marks. my special trick is that i use tons of dish soap with it, and plenty of water.


Oxolic is lovely, so is osphoric. Bronze wool is harder than iron oxide but softer than chrome so it will take away the crud without hurting the shiny. Lube with WD40 or PB Blaster.

if oxalic acid treatment has removed very heavy rust and left behind bare metal, i wipe on a coat of boiled linseed oil. linseed oil dries to a thin, transparent, and scratch-resistant film. it's used on a lot of marine equipment as an anti-rust coating.

Crumpled aluminum foil!
It really works, but you have to realize there's a point when things are just too rusty already for anything to completely clean up chromework corrosion.
Chombi

This does work great. I've been using aluminum foil and coca cola on my bike rebuild and getting great results on the chrome.

I've used fine steel wool and then a towelling rag with Pedro's BikeLust which is silicone-based and I've gotten pretty amazing results and never had any scratches. I think anything that keeps things a little slippery--dish soap, oil, or the BikeLust stuff--keeps things from getting too gritty. But it sounds as if there are a lot of routes to shiny chrome...

Ordinary white vinegar!

Your going to have to take the brake assembly apart to clean it really well. Don't be intimidated by it, just work on one section at a time. Take plenty of photos to reference just in case. Honest, it's easy.

Here is mine, I used vinegar:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4879193572_3fab197b1f_z.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4878585773_39aca6d973_z.jpg

wait a minute...can't see...groping around for sunglasses...
Ordinary white vinegar!

Your going to have to take the brake assembly apart to clean it really well. Don't be intimidated by it, just work on one section at a time. Take plenty of photos to reference just in case. Honest, it's easy.

Here is mine, I used vinegar:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4879193572_3fab197b1f_z.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4878585773_39aca6d973_z.jpg