I got something on my exhaust yesterday that I couldn't get off with never dull of foil and coke, so it was recommended to me to try 0000 steel wool with flitz polish so I went and picked some up. It took it off but it took some pretty serious elbow grease. Now the area that I used it on is alot duller than the rest of the pipe. I used never dull and the flitz polish on a micro fiber and it brought it back some, but not near all the way. So WTF do I do now to bring the shine back. Not sure how much you can tell but here's a pic

 

The layer of chrome plating over the nickel that gives chrome its "shine" and hardness is only a few microns thick. Once it's damaged there's not much recourse.


Next time, instead of abrasives, use "Easy-Off" oven cleaner. Spray some on a rag, then wipe it on the chrome. Wait a few minutes and whatever got on the pipes will wipe right off. Warning-don't spray it directly on the bike as it will etch aluminum in seconds. Any overspray or spatter will do damage to the motor or any polished aluminum, but it's the cat's rear end on chrome pipes.

 

Well crap!! That's not what I wanting to hear.

 

Hell the guy that told me to use 0000 steel wool is a mechanic at the local HD dealer. Said that's all he uses on his bikes chrome.

 

Never ever would I use steel wool on any chrome part...

What Uncle G said is correct. Next time soak a paper towel with oven cleaner or similar, put it on the spot and let it soak for a while. If it's burned rubber you may use some piece of wood to carefully rub it off as long as it's still hot....

 

It wasn't rubber. Never dull will take that off easy. Honestly it looked like pitting in the chrome, but it just showed up all of the sudden. As in it wasn't there the day before, which led me to believe it was something else. Plus never dull normally works pretty good on pitting and it wouldn't even touch it.

 

Try polishing it with a small buffer wheel and some chrome polish. Usually brings back the shine somewhat for me, although not entirely. It will forever be different than the rest of it. Watch for more possible pitting spots.

 

Well I guess the ****ing joke is on me. Just tried a cotton wheel on the dremel with flitz polish and it made it worse. Made swirl marks everywhere. F¥^€K!!!!

 

Pipe itself or heat shield? If heat shied I;d just replace it.

 

It's the heat shield