I'm in the process of restoring a 35yr.old Benoto ten speed. My question is what to do about the rusty chromefork and chain stays. Is naval jelly the best product to use for removing rust? After rust is removed, how shall I protect the pitted chrome?

Thanks

Do a search on oxalic acid. There are a lot of threads on that topic. I am treating a set of rusty chrome forks myself today/

Once removed, wax the chrome. The good part of oxalic is that it chemically removes the rust, it is gone. But the pits remain of course.

Tell me where to get oxalic acid. I looked in the hardware store for rust removers. They All the various brands were phosphoric acid based.

Bar Keepers Friend. Most grocery stores sell it. Wal*Mart sells it, too.

tyvm, got it, wrote it down, will stop on the way home.

Wax is notoriously poor as a barrier to impede the exchange of water vapor. Wouldn't a thin, clear lacquer coating be better? It is easily removed with solvent if (when) the rust gets going again. Rust never sleeps.

After you remove the rust with whatever method you choose just wipe the rusty spots down with oil then wipe it off, I use chain oil. Thats it, no big deal

Thanks to all for the useful tips.

Home Depot sells oxalic acid as a powder, to be used to bleach red wood decks

fyi I had 2 Benotto 3000 SL frames in the late 1970's....bought them in Mexico City for about $300 USD for a frame and fork, fyi

I like that idea. The chrome on both of my '74 Peugeots was clearcoated at the factory. I stripped the clearcoat off and the chrome looks like new. I don't know what they used, but it's tough stuff. It took four applications of Jasco paint stripper to get it off.

FYI,
Once you remove the rust and polish the parts, I doubt much/any actual chrome plating will be left. You can polish the chromium steel at that point, or have it replated.

Also Barkeepers Friend has MUCH less oxalic acid in it than Zud cleanser. Try a woodworking store for oxalic acid, like a Rocklers, if there is one near you. A pharmacy can also get it for you.

Honestly, if the chrome is pitted, you may be better off just sanding it down with progressively finer grades, ending up with a wet 1000-2000 grit, and buffing it out on a wheel for a shiny finish.

That sounds like it was coated with a clear epoxy.

Same stuff on a Moto Grand Jubilee I had a while ago. Nasty stuff. Cleaned one fork leg of the clear compound, and gave up - sold the thing on eBay.

-Kurt

I buy oxalic acid in crystal form at Sherwin Williams for about 7-8 dollars. I just add a small amount to some water, works great.

+1 Buy it in a 12 oz container at Sherwin Williams. I also found a 10% solution in the paint department of either Home Depot or Lowes, not sure which. It was deck wash. Be sure to read the label, as they sold several brands, and only one was oxalic.

As far as not much chrome being left, I will post before and after pics of my Lotus fork. I soaked it for about two hours. Used a kitchen sized trash can as the "tub", and about 4 to 6 oz of the Sherwin Williams oxalic (it was all I had left).