moki

I've got a nice old chrome track fork that needs some love - the lower 1/3 is pretty rusty.

Since the chrome has flaked down to steel, Simichrome isn't going to make any difference on the really bad bits. Rechroming is not something I want to to, so I was going to just leave it when I came across a site detailing the restoration of a '66 chrome Hetchins

To save you all the suspense, the owner first sands down the worst areas, then uses a brush plating kit (copy chrome solution) to rechrome. The kits are not too $$ - $33 here

Needless to say, I'm all over this. I'll experiment with some dumpstered krap before tackling the Sabatini fork. I've also got a Colnago road fork that could use some attention.

Cheers

John E

PLEASE let me know how your experiment works out!!!

iab

I am also interesting in hearing about the results. I have heard good things about this process but before and after pictures would be great.

cyclotoine

a classic rendezvous list memeber uses one of these kits to restore small campy parts, you may remember a posting about it some months ago... it works amazing, I am interested as I could restore the pitted areas on the stays of my italian steed.

cruentus

I used the nickel kit to replate the receiver on a Winchester Model 1906. The kit works well, but you must follow directions. Surface prep is everything. I stripped the old finish entirely, removed all the pitting and polished the parts until they were mirror shiny. Then I degrease the parts very carefully -- any type of oil or grease will prevent the plate form adhering.

Depending on how badly pitted your forks are, touch-up plating will probably be a waste of time. The new plate will only look as good as the metal it covers up.

braingel

Bump!

This sounded too promising to let the thread fall off the edge of the earth.

Have you tried it yet?

cudak888 

Very true, and that goes for pro chroming jobs too.

In the case of the OP's forks, he'll have to do some serious sanding (and perhaps some light grinding) to get the surface smooth - from then on, the surface has to be gradually sanded with finer and finer grit sandpaper until the steel itself looks somewhat like polished aluminum.

Take care,

-Kurt

moki

This project is a bit on the back burner, as there's just too much other krap to do. I was going to sand the fork, then buff with a dremel (gently now!), then plate. I'm a little worried about the final result, but I have plenty of rusty old garbage to practice on.

OT, but does anyone know how to get sand/rust flakes out of a fork or frame? Dirt devil or computer vacuum? It's driving me nuts.

krntourist

Pick up a sandpaper-sponge thingy at Home Depot and do a once-over, then polish it off with some fine steel wool. Did this with friend's bike and it turned out real nice. Looked like the "polished aluminum" look cuda mentioned.