How to Repair Scratched Chrome?
#1
How to Repair Scratched Chrome?
The wife backed up in the driveway today and of course bumped my bike, which tipped over. My brand new chrome pipes I just had installed last week have 1/2" long scuff marks/scratches on them. They were as flawless as a mirror.
Can the scuffs be buffed out or repaired someone to return the pipes to their former glory? Will a body shop be able to do it or is the over-the-counter product available?
Can the scuffs be buffed out or repaired someone to return the pipes to their former glory? Will a body shop be able to do it or is the over-the-counter product available?
#2
If the scuffs and scratches are not too deep, a good rubbing compound will take some of them out. If they are not just surface scuffs and scratches, I don't think there is much you can do. If they don't come out, look at it this way. The pipes are going to get scratched anyway (if you ride) so they are already broken in. You don't have to worry about getting that first scratch. Oh, and park your bike somewhere else so the wife won't run over it again.
Navarre
Navarre
#3
I've never heard of getting scratches out of chrome like you can with paint aka repainted. But technology has advanced a lot to where it MIGHT BE possible.
Good Luck.
Good Luck.
#5
the chrome plating process consists of a copper base to fill in any imerfections, they can actually sand the copper to hide imperfections in the base material and replate it with more copper until the surface is ready for the next step which is nickle plating. The nickle is what gives you most of the metallic shiny appearance.
The final step is a very thin deposit of chromium, that gives it that bluish tint and the high gloss. Decorative chrome is designed to be aesthetically pleasing and durable. Thicknesses range from 0.002 to 0.02 mils (0.05 to 0.5 µm), however they are usually between 0.005 and 0.01 mils . As you can see it is really nor thick enough to do anything with, and why you have to be careful with abrasives when working with it.
In my opinion if you run a finger nail over it, if you can feel the scratch you are down to the nickle. at that point you can polish it to remove more chromium and "feather" it out so it is not so obvious, or you can live with it
The final step is a very thin deposit of chromium, that gives it that bluish tint and the high gloss. Decorative chrome is designed to be aesthetically pleasing and durable. Thicknesses range from 0.002 to 0.02 mils (0.05 to 0.5 µm), however they are usually between 0.005 and 0.01 mils . As you can see it is really nor thick enough to do anything with, and why you have to be careful with abrasives when working with it.
In my opinion if you run a finger nail over it, if you can feel the scratch you are down to the nickle. at that point you can polish it to remove more chromium and "feather" it out so it is not so obvious, or you can live with it
#6
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#10
With the chrome shops I've checked with around here, they will not chrome a pipe that has been run. The carbon deposits in the pipe will contaminate their chemical vats...
Only thing I could suggest would be to find some really fine grit polishing cloth tape. We used to use it for cleaning up bearing and coupling bolts where precision fit was critical. Good luck...
Only thing I could suggest would be to find some really fine grit polishing cloth tape. We used to use it for cleaning up bearing and coupling bolts where precision fit was critical. Good luck...