I must be absolutely nuts...
 

...or a card carrying member of C&V now.

I was lamenting having to spend $50-60 to get a pair of silver PD-R540 SPD-SL pedals for the Tivoli. I have an old pair of R540s, my first SPD-SL pedals, but in black.

Hmmm, wait. I bet they're aluminum underneath that black. Sure, look at the scratches...THAR BE 'LUMINUM! And 'luminum I can work with!!!

1.25 hours later...

http://home.comcast.net/~khatfull/im...li/pedals2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~khatfull/im...li/pedals1.jpg

The order:

120 grit to get rid of the anodizing/paint/whatever.
00 steel wool to work out those rough scratches.
400 wet/dry.
600 wet/dry.
1000 wet/dry.
1500 wet/dry.
Mother's.

I didn't go crazy getting out ALL the scratches....heck, they are pedals and get scratched all the time...but I could have. :) I didn't strip those inside "wells" but allowed the sandpaper to find it's own way on the bottom of the pedal and just work on that center part...I held the sandpaper in my hand and let it curve naturally.

I now have what I believe to be the only pair of PD-R540 pedals in raw alloy finish in the world. LOL!

What have you people done to me... :D

Good thinking and nice work!

Post it in the 41 and they'll let you know if you're nuts!

In my opinion, one of the most redeeming qualities of the C&V community is that we recycle perfectly useful things. Some may do it for political reasons, some for aesthetic reasons, some for nostalgic reasons. I just do it because I'm a cheap bastid.

Nice work! They look great.

Nice Work.
SPD-SL's are great.
-Gene-

Thanks much!!!!

Funny you mention that...I used to hang out in the 41 all the time...after spending time here it just doesn't so anything for me anymore. :)

I'm a cheap bastid when necessary or convenient as well. And thanks, one down, one to go :)

Nice job! Looks very sharp.
I have a pair of old style Look-Shimano someone tossed out, with lots of scratches. I plan to do to the same thing with them. Thanks for posting your method, results are worthwhile.

I did that, years ago, with an original pair of Shimano Dura Ace 7400's... the first ones with the LOOK cleats. I didn't like the gray that they came in. It didn't match the aluminum & chrome of my Pinarello. They looked great, and so do yours!

wow

Not nuts at all! Very nicely done! People have been doing such for years. I did so to a black crankset way back when (1980 or so). I've been more or less thinking of doing something similar to parts on my modern road bike. Good job dude!

' looks awesomely nice! Thanks for sharing the techniques too.

They look great! Mind if I ask how long it took to get it to look like that?

1.25 hours or so, which included disassembling it and futzing around figuring out the best thing to use for the initial removal of the black stuff. I didn't want to be there all night, nor did I want to use 40 grit :)

Assuming the pair takes me 2 hours total...is my time worth $25/hr? In most cases...but I have the added bonus of the pedals really matching the other aluminum bits on the frame, instead of merely being silver. :)

You are so right - I have learned a lot about restoring old parts via CVers and this forum. Now I don't worry at all about getting an old, beat-up part because I know I can make it look like new as well as maintain it that way for it's remaining lifetime.

Khatfull: very nice job!

Nice custom work, the black parts against the natural really pop, glad you left the black parts there.

I agree, it makes them look good AND I didn't have to try to get into those spaces to sand/finish/polish. Lazy or inspired? You be the judge! :D

Aaaaaand, both done and on the bike. The look like they belong there...

http://home.comcast.net/~khatfull/im...li/pedals3.jpg

A close up...

http://home.comcast.net/~khatfull/im...li/pedals4.jpg

Yep, you belong here. Now get that rust off those FD limit screws.....

Holy Hannah, how did I miss that!

The power and awe of the camera lens. I can't think of how many times I think I have something cleaned up and ready, only to find dirt/rust that was missed when I take the picture for the ad.

Haha, and Canon L glass (24-105/4L on a 5D) makes it that much worse I suppose :)

Awesome. I was just wondering what I was going to do with the Look style 105 pedals that are on the Colnago I will soon be getting. The beat up gray finish clashes with the blue and yellow frame something terrible.