jyl

What is the best way to strip paint without damaging the chrome underneath?

The bike is fully chromed, with paint except at the lugs, stays, fork socks, and bands on the seat tube. The paint is terribly chipped and flaked, I mean terribly. The chrome is in so-so condition, but can probably clean up to look okay from 10 feet. I'm considering removing the paint and doing a DIY repaint (airbrush, probably). I've never painted a frame before and expect to do a so-so "10 foot" job, which might match up with the chrome.

dddd

I used chemical paint stripper on the Windsor Profesional that I pulled from a dumpster, and the chrome came through without damage.

There is a learning curve to using such chemicals safely, the fumes are horrendous. I applied the chemical and immediately covered the area to let the solvents work longer before evaporating. Still, it took two rounds of work to get all the paint off, then there was the usual rust removal and polishing to finish the job.

The bare-chrome fork rusted first on this one, with the bare-chrome lugs not far behind. The previous owner had used a bench-grinder on the fork blades, presumably to remove rust, so I had to discard the fork, but the frame built up into an interesting ride. All of the Windsor's Campag componentry went into building up my '74 Raleigh Pro frameset, since Campag's chrome had fared much better than the chrome on the Windsor's frame. It's not every day that one can spot Campagnolo componentry on an encrusted bike protruding from a dumpster!(!).

EvilWeasel

Paint stripper and fine grade steel wool. It's not a fun or pleasant job but it should come out nice. Don't worry the steel wool won't scratch the chrome... in fact it's what i use for chrome restoration at my day job.

dddd

+1 ^^, ...as long as the rust deposits aren't contaminated with dirt/grit, the rubbing shouldn't harm the chrome. I like to soak the wool pad in vinegar for the first light round of scrubbing to liberate any silica grit away from the rubbing surfaces.

Bubbled chrome may tend to peel away from rubbing with the steel wool, so if the chrome looks loose then an hours-long soaking in vinegar or 0.3% oxalic acid solution will gently remove the rust, possibly with less work.

ScottRyder 

I used an aircraft paint stripper available at most auto part stores. The paint peels up and then dries to a very paper like substance, pretty much falls off. No goop or mess.

However, I would never used steel wool on a chrome frame. Use bronze wool, its softer than steel and won't scratch the chrome. Plus it doesn't leave microscopic particles that will rust.



Scott

randyjawa 

Paint stripper, aluminum scraper (sharpen frequently) and patience, produced this...

from this...



to this, and the original decals were, with pains taking care, preserved...

fietsbob

Note: occasionally planned mix of paint and chromed frames only the exposed part may have the base metal polished, rest left rough, aiding paint adhesion.

SkyDog75

+1 for the chemical stripper and bronze wool.

I've seen lots of chrome finishes ruined by steel wool. It can be used with care, but it's really easy to dull the shine with microscopic scratches or to cause swirl scratches that show up in sunlight.

EhGiOeS

Google soda blasting. Ed

Lascauxcaveman 

+1 to what @fietsbob says. The chrome underneath the painted parts normally is not polished out to the same shiny finish as the boots, stays and sometimes lugs that were originally intended to be left unpainted.

I've noticed this on several painted forks with chrome boots that I have stripped for repainting. An example:




A look at the head tube of randyjawa's Torpado (above) gives you an idea of the mostly-polished texture you usually find on chrome that's intended to be covered by transparent paint for a chromovelato finish. Shiny, but not mirror smooth.

crank_addict

Indeed. I've noticed this on a few Italian makes.

Anyhow for paint strip, I suggest going with a chemical. Pay the extra and consider products from BIX. Safe for aluminum used in aviation to exotic metals such as magnesium.

Hudson308 

I prefer soda blasting, but chemical strippers and bronze wool should work as well. Repeated use of steel wool will eventually haze even the best chrome plating. Anyone who doubts that can come have a look at the bumpers & grille on my '49 Hudson. That was my chrome cleaner of choice for a little too long.

dddd

Can you say that you always washed the bumpers before rubbing with clean steel wool?

Chrome is much harder than steel, so I don't expect clean steel wool, rubbed across a clean chromed surface, to damage the chrome at all.

Chrome quality and thickness varies greatly. And the previous service history of any chromed part's surface may be unknown.
Steel wool rubbed across a dirty steel surface can be expected to abrade the chrome to the extent that common silica/dust is present. This appears to be the norm with vehicles that have been dolled up for sale one or more times.

Hudson308 

Grit encroachment was certainly possible... I was just a kid with a shiny toy that wanted it even shinier. Now I can tell right where I rubbed it all those times.

Bianchigirll 

What he said!! The chrome under paint id like a thick primer to protect the frame, and some old schoolers thought the process made the frame stiffer, and was not meant to be left exposed to the elements. Frequent cleaning and waxing may be required to keep it looking at its best.

J T CUNNINGHAM

You may call me a fool now, or call yourself a fool as long as you continue to own the bike; chromium plating could not, cannot, and forever within the

foreseeable future, be cleaned, improved, rejuvenated, reinvigorated, restored; the list continues.

End of Story.

"Chromium plate" is The "icing on the cake"; it is not a coating or number of like coatings similar to paint which is applied to/over a parent (base) metal,

nor is it similar to anodizing, a process that not only builds upon the parent metal but also infuses itself into the parent metal. 'Plating is an electro-chemical action

and is dis-similar and multi-layered if you will; each applied layer bonding to the one beneath. Generally, steel is the parent metal, copper, then nickel and lastly

chromium are plated-on, each being buffed to a mirror smooth finish between operations; the only exception being the Chromium and final layer. The end product is

actually The End Product, unlike the above noted paint coating(s) which can be "buffed-out" resulting in a smoother/flatter - flatter creates The Shine, not "flatter"

as in eg: "flat black".

ANY mechanical action will degrade the plating; remember the "Icing on the cake" thingy, as the "colour-coat", aka the chromium, it is of miniscule thickness,

it actually being there to protect the nickel from becoming yellowish upon it's own natural oxidation. (The first applied copper plate is responsible for No 1:

the adhesion of the following nickel to the parent metal and No 2: as a final buffing base for any (Very, Very) very slight pits/flaws of the parent metal's

own final polishing.)

So, please call me a Fool, etc, as I have been called worse, but do bear in mind, that when you continue to "clean your chrome" with steel wool/ brass wool/ red or

white rubbing compound/salt & vinegar/mag polish/chrome polish/brasso/ or even tooth paste, you are never "improving the chrome"; you are degrading it.


Regards to some; for others, Keep up the "good work", as you will eventually hit the copper layer or even the parent metal. Keep digging!

J T