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Steel Wool too light for Chrome?

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tracedef

On Training Wheels
I'm doing my first restoration of a 64 Deluxe American. We live by the beach, so I've got a fair amount of rust to get off the chrome. I looked for brass wool, couldn't find any and so I looked for 000 steel wool, but all they had was 0000 steel wool. I'm doing the front wheel and rust comes off but I'm noticing that some parts of the chrome are shiny and some are just hazy. Is is possible that 0000 is too light to get the chrome clean enough so that it's got a little bit of shine?
 
As nice as chrome can come back (especially Schwinn chrome), rust in the first place means that the finish was compromised. Sometimes you'll get flaking, pitting or sometimes it's just worn thin. I like using Mother's chrome polish on my 0000 and buffing it to a shine. It should bring it back a little more but it can only get so good.

Good luck.
 
If areas are hazy, that's also an indicator that your chrome was very possibly clear-coated. If that's the case, the hazy areas are the areas that still have clearcoat on them and that the steel wool has roughed up but not removed. Keep going and you should be able to get down to the chrome. I find that if I use Brasso on the steel wool it will help dissolve the clear coat as well as remove the rust.

Oops.... I just re-read your post and noticed you said you're cleaning the wheels. I doubt the wheels were clear-coated (but who knows?). Were the areas hazy before you started cleaning? If yes, it often means a previous owner used something abrasive in the past to clean the rims, like a Scotchbrite pad or an abrasive cleanser, and has damaged the chrome. I have the same problem on one of the rims of the bike I'm restoring now. Some bonehead in the past who didn't know what he was doing cleaned the rims with an abrasive pad and ruined the chrome in spots. It's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to buff out the damage... even though there is still plenty of thickness left. This might be the problem you're dealing with.
 
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Turtle Wax Chrome Polish and Rust Remover (Very inexpensive), an old toothbrush, and 0000 steel wool is what I use on chrome wheels with the spokes still in them and it works great for me. This tip was from JC another CABE member.

helpful hint: try not to let your wife find out that you're using her toothbrush!
 
I know where to buy Brass Wool

Hi, I found Brass Wool on Ebay by just doing a find search. Not cheap, but not crazy either.

I do prefer it, it is weaker than chrome, so it won't scratch the chrome surface.

Mike
 
Hi, I found Brass Wool on Ebay by just doing a find search. Not cheap, but not crazy either.

I do prefer it, it is weaker than chrome, so it won't scratch the chrome surface.

Mike

Neither will steel wool. Steel wool is softer than chrome too.
 
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