Originally Posted by
HillRider
Most oven cleaners contain caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) which will indeed remove anodizing but doesn't know where to stop. So, if you use it, use it sparingly and wash it off quickly and thoroughly. Don't ever consider soaking the crank in it.
Unless you want to make em lighter
Actually, that's not a crazy idea; you can 'mask off' mating surfaces with grease or something, and it etches away pretty uniformly. I've heard of this method being used to make a tube's walls thinner.
Originally Posted by
HillRider
Also, once the anodizing is gone and the surface polished, it will tarnish rapidly with any exposure, particularly to water. Plan on frequent use of Flitz or similar polish, use a good coat of car wax or clear coat the parts.
Which is why I wouldn't consider polishing a raw part; the brushed finish looks a hell of a lot better over time.