I was just thinking of posting this tip as I was using it on Italian chrome that looked rusted over, but came 99.5% clean: Use brass brushes.
Brass brushes are stiff enough to remove rust and difficult dirt and remnants like hard grease, locktite, framesaver, etc., but not hard enough to penetrate the chrome finish. If you look around, you can find different sizes, shapes and bristle lengths and concentrations, to reach most difficult areas on a frame or bike parts. I still haven't seen little brass tube brushes, but I'm sure they can be found. Places I have bought brushes are auto parts stores, hobby shops, Performance tool stores, and I have yet to look into gun shops, but I'd imagine they have something applicable there too.
I use Simple Green in a 50/50 mixture with water in a wide shallow tub with a tooth brush or the like, to clean and begin to soften the area first, then still using the solution I move to the brushes for the difficult stuff. You can hear it scraping away, and sometimes it sounds scary, but I still have yet to see any damage once fully cleaned again, well rinsed, rubbed and wiped dry. You can further polish the chrome to get it to look even more shiny, if so inclined.
Warning: The brass brush is like the healing hand of god on surface rusted chrome, but it is capable of working like the vengeful hand of god at Sodom and Gomorrah on paint and decals if you aren't careful and gentle in those areas.
Ciao, Mark Agree Southfield MI USA ~ ~ ~
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:38:38 -0800 From: Eugene Powell <radfin@SpiritOne.com> To: Dale Brown <oroboyz@aol.com> Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Re: [CR]1971 Schwinn Paramount's chrome, Now BB chrome
I have an all chrome (but off-topic) frame of great sentimental (almost no real) value with a bit of light surface rust 'round the bottom bracket. Has anybody a favorite cleaning-polishing technique? I'd like to put this back on the road with a side-car (might be on- topic, not sure) and want to protect the area from further damage.
Gene Powell Rad Finishes Portland, Oregon USA
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