chrome/stainless

[Don Jordan]

I thought I did this last night but I can't find it - so let's try again.

I'm having my car painted so all the bright work is off. I was going to polish it but a friend said it wasn't chrome but stainless - my question is what do I use to polish stainless? I'm sure it can't be anything too abrasive but what? Steel wool? Brasso?

Stuff like the tail light bezels I think I'm going to have rechromed unless someone knows how to get the little pits out. I really can't imagine getting a beautiful paint job and putting dirty chrome back on.

Thanks, in advance

[BobT-47P15]

The best way to polish stainless, far as I know, is a buffing wheel and jewelers rouge of a couple different colors. Someone else can probably

provide a little more direction.

A fellow who knows how polished a bunch of it for me.....it came out looking

like new. You do need a good heavy pair of work gloves for holding onto

the stainless in case the buffer wheel grabs it.

[greg g]

Look for a product called NevR Dull. It is a solvent in a cotton batting with some extra fine abrasive in it. It will remove environmental spooge, and fine scratches. You just pull out a piece of batting and commence to rubbing. It will leave a cloudy coating which you buff off with a clean cloth. Hardware stores Wally world are among the sources.

You can also use super fine steel wool and laquer thiner for more stubborn areas.

http://www.nevrdull.com/

[Young Ed]

Greg is that the stuff that kinda looks like cotton candy?

[greg g]

yep!

[Don Jordan]

What kind of buffing wheel? Is this this kind that goes on my hand polisher or table grinder?

I will find the other stuff as well.

[Norm's Coupe]

I thought I did this last night but I can't find it - so let's try again.

I'm having my car painted so all the bright work is off. I was going to polish it but a friend said it wasn't chrome but stainless - my question is what do I use to polish stainless? I'm sure it can't be anything too abrasive but what? Steel wool? Brasso?

Stuff like the tail light bezels I think I'm going to have rechromed unless someone knows how to get the little pits out. I really can't imagine getting a beautiful paint job and putting dirty chrome back on.

Thanks, in advance

I have all the various types of polish to use with a buffing wheel, along with a sheet that tells me which one to use for which metal being polished. Will look at the sheet tomorrow (it's in the garage) and see which one is best for polishing stainless, and then post the type to use.

As for the chrome trim pieces, it's amazing what a little SOS pad will do to make those glisten, if you use the SOS pad correctly.

To clean up the chrome pieces use a "fresh new" SOS pad. Soak it in water, then "GENTLY" wipe (not rub) the chrome piece. Keep the SOS pad good and wet at all times and as soon as the soap begins to go away while using throw that pad away and get a new one and start again. Done correctly it will clean all the haze that is around the pitted area and shine up the remaining chrome real nice. It won't scratch the chrome if done correctly as explained. Works great on bumpers too. However, it will not get rid of pits, but will make the minor ones blend in better.

[NatesSedan]

I found this website I held on to. It seemed like a very good tutorial...I haven't tried the methods discussed however! Worth a read nonetheless.

http://www.automedia.com/Polishing_Stainless_Steel_Trim/res20020501ps/1

[BobT-47P15]

The sort of motor needed for polishing with the rouge is a bench grinder type. I bought a whole box of used Plymouth stainless trim on ebay for

about $25 one time....just to practice on. Some of it even has overspray

from a paint job. But have not devoted much time to it yet.

Have used the Nevr Dull some......but have not achieved what I would

call outstanding results. Not near so smooth and shiny as with the wheel.

But it will improve it some. For certain things, I have used Mother's

Mag Wheel polish. They say, as I recall, it's not for chrome, but have used

it on some things not too crucial. That Mother's stuff (a white paste) will

make some things look almost like chrome after enough repeated applicatons (works kinda like Brasso). For example, have shined up those firewall oval

clamps where cables come thru, and the triangular piece where the

hood latches. Also did the clamp that holds the coil in place.

The triangle needs another going-over by now.

[Young Ed]

Bob I like the nevr dull stuff more for little pieces like the dash stuff and the window cranks. Someone gave me a baggy full of it way back and now I will have to go find a can.

[kevinanderson]

I put a small sisal(?) wheel from Sears, a 3/8 bolt thru the hole and stuck it in a hand drill. Buffed all the stainless on the car. I used Mother's polish. Worked real well.

[Norm's Coupe]

BobT

Might take a lot of polishing to get overspray off the stainless. These 53 Plymouth hubcaps had paint overspray on them when I bought them. They are stainless too. I did not use the rouge or other polish on them though to get the overspray off. All I used was SOS pads. Took at least 2 pads to clean the paint off each hubcap. Never did polish them afterward and the look like new now.

[Don Jordan]

What about windows? what do you use to get overspray off windows? I've got all the glass out - I'm going to have some new windows made but I'd like to keep some - and those are the ones with over spray.

I worry that something like SOS will leave scratches.

[kevinanderson]

use #0000 steel wool on glass and chrome/trim

[kevinanderson]

can use soapy water to help it cut, it's pretty fine stuff.

[kevinanderson]

ooops........or metal polish. use light pressure...........

[Young Ed]

For glass try a razor. Usually will scrap it right off.

[40phil41]

I polished all of the stainless trim on my '40 Dodge using a buffing wheel on my pedestal mounted bench grinder. I used the white polishing compound . Wiped the excess compound off and then followed up with a chrome hand polish and it turned out beautiful.

For over-spray on my glass I used very fine steel wool. I was going to use paint thinner but then thought better of it with the fresh paint on the car :-)

Phil

[Norm's Coupe]

What about windows? what do you use to get overspray off windows? I've got all the glass out - I'm going to have some new windows made but I'd like to keep some - and those are the ones with over spray.

I worry that something like SOS will leave scratches.

As long as you use lots of water and make sure the SOS is very soapy, then use a wiping motion instead of rubbing, the SOS will not scratch the glass.

You can also use white rubbing compound to clean overspray off glass. I had an 87 Reliant that I bought new. Didn't have it a week before someone must have sat something on it in a parking lot and put a deep scratch on the top of the rear fender close to the rear window. When I got the car back from the dealer after having the scratch repaired it had overspray from the clear coat on the window. Cleaned that off with white rubbing compound and it didn't leave any scratches.

[BobT-47P15]

I would use windex and a razor blade scraper to remove the paint from the

glass. Spray the area to be cleaned first with windex, then use the scraper.

Then wipe with paper towel. That should do a pretty good job. I have

also used liquid chrome cleaner on glass, applied with a soft cloth. So....

you seem to have several choices.