On drums...

Curious what people use to polish chrome?
How about two scenarios:
1) chrome is in good shape, minimal gunk or oxidation--just needs a good once over.
2) chrome has pitting, oxidation, pimples, looks rough, like my 8th grade class photo.

1.

http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-One-1035605-Nevr-Dull-Wadding/dp/B000CNBI1A

2.

http://www.amazon.com/0000-Steel-Wool-Pads/dp/B001DT1U10

combined with

http://www.amazon.com/SIMICHROME-POLISH ... B000BGOC0W

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Gregory

That wadding looks convenient--available at auto centers?

Probably. I don't use enough of it to remember where I bought it last.

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Gregory

Aren't you concerned with the steel wool scratching the chrome?

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Gregory

Latz, the 0000 stuff is harmless, and works wonders. It's all I've been using for years.

This just in: a guy at work told me to try ketchup on tarnished badges. I tried it tonight and can't believe it. I don't know how long to leave it but I checked it after about 10 mins and sure enough, the tarnish is almost gone. Going to leave it sit all night and see what happens.

Hale, I would say #1 can look like new, #2 is hopeless unless a rechrome which is expensive and I've never seen it come out real well. If you really do have some bad lug rods tell me which ones as I now have a ton of spares. Can't imagine that is your problem though because mine cleaned up like new. Premier was doing some terrific chrome work.

Not really, if you have genuinely fresh chrome. 0000 will put scratches on perfect chrome. But not on twenty or thirty year old chrome, because it's already scratched at least that much.

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Gregory

Sorry Greg, disagree completely.
I stopped using cleaners and have been using it solely since my Sig days.
I just did my whole Signia kit with it. My chrome looks brand spanking new, and always has.
It will clean, it won't repair.
Scratched and pitted will still be scratched and pitted, it will just be shiny and scratched and pitted.

Last night I tried it on a badge I was replacing anyway. My experience with badges is they couldn't even be wiped without leaving marks so I never cleaned badges. Signia badges look just like Signature badges but must be different. I found if I only wipe horizontally, it left zero marks. But if I went vertically, it left swipe marks.
I think I remember Signature badges being lacquered coated.

Kelly, were just going to have to agree to disagree.

Steel wool is abrasive no matter which kind/number you use. The only thing that could lighten its effects were if you were to use some kind of lubricant. Even then, it will still scratch, It may be very lightly and hard to see, but it will still scratch.

On older stuff that is already scratched, maybe you don't or won't notice it as much, but I'd be willing to bet you've created new scratches, however minute they may be.

There are chrome cleaners and polishes out there that work just as well. They probably take a bit more elbow grease, but not nearly as abrasive or prone to leaving any marks..