# 0000 steel wool on chrome frames...help



## jd56

OK, I have searched this forum and gave up rather quickly. 
I'm attempting to clean / shine up my Chromed Astroflite and have a problem.

I have read, that 0000 steel wool is the ticket on the chrome fenders but, my frame isn't taking it too well.
Trying to get the same luster and remove the rust from the frame. It is dulling the chrome. I have not tried Mothers chrome polish yet. 

I also notice (see below pics) of what looks like clearcoat on the frame. The shinny areas of the frame are what looks like below the clearcoated finish that I'm dulling. Are these chromed frames clearcoated? Am I scratching the clearcoat?

What am I doing wrong? 
How do I get the chrome frame cleaned of the rust?

Stupid questions I'm sure some are thinking but, I truely don't know what I'm doing.

Thanks
JD


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## Andrew Gorman

Looks like a clearcoat to me- chrome is a lot harder than steel wool and shouldn't be scratching.  Or it could even be floor wax...  I have no idea if they were clear coated at the factory, but it needs to go  in order to clean up the chrome.  Give the frame a good cleaning with detergent and water, and then try rubbing  it down with lacquer thinner on your steel wool to see if that removes the clear.  Spaceliners are cool.


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## Lrggarge

I've used with Turtle wax chrome cleaner(found in most aut parts stores) and lots of elbow grease and had pretty good results.


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## jpromo

They weren't clearcoated from the factory but yours looks to have been at some point in its life. If you're aiming to clean rust off the chrome, then the clearcoat will have to go (I'd get rid of it anyway).

I spritz a little WD-40 on the steel wool to help loosen the rust but just yesterday I tried using my Mother's chrome polish on the steel wool so I don't have to go back and polish it separately a second time. It seemed to work excellent. If kept out of the elements, you shouldn't have to worry much about it rusting up again so the clear isn't necessary.


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## jpromo

Also, it only looks like it's dulling because you're scuffing up the clearcoat--so it's becoming like a frosty window. Once the clear is gone, the chrome underneath should shine up excellent as your rust isn't bad at all.


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## jd56

*Clearcoat removal*

Well I hope it was just clearcoat and then I wished it wasn't. I need to go look at my other Astro to check to see if it has this same finished protectant film.
If so, then I have a lot of work to do. One appeal to me on the chromed frame was less work to keep it gleaming. Just a little 0000 every once in a while....sheeeeesh

I was wondering what about a brass wheel on a dremel for the tight corners and crevices? 
Will that remove the rust and not damage the chrome?

So I'll try the following items:
Turtle wax chrome cleaner then Thinner
Steel wool w/ Mothers
Steel wool with WD40
And a lot of elbow grease....poor finger tips are going to be sore on Monday.

Got to love it though....

Thanks guys


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## ratfink1962

For the tight areas, I would use a propane torch along with a brass brush.

just heat it up and then brush the clearcoat right off. I use this method for getting at the tight areas when stripping paint to bare metal.

Remember to just heat it up enough to soften up the clear, pretty easy.


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## jpromo

Yeah, definitely strip the clear before using the fine polishing methods or you'll get nowhere fast.


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## jd56

*peeling clearcoat*

Well, I took a nap from my frustration and then went to check my other 63 Astroflite for the signs of clearcoat.
I have included pictures below of the peeling coating on that bike frame. That sucks!

Little heat and a brass brush, got it.


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## VintageSchwinn.com

I've also used a very fine brass wool, like steel wool but brass instead of steel, along with WD-40 or some type of lubricant.  Takes off clearcoat (which yours definitely seems to have), and will polish the chrome.  I would work on gettting all the clearcoat off first, then focus on polishing the chrome, it should turn out pretty nice !!


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## pedal alley

*thats the ticket*



Andrew Gorman said:


> Looks like a clearcoat to me- chrome is a lot harder than steel wool and shouldn't be scratching.  Or it could even be floor wax...  I have no idea if they were clear coated at the factory, but it needs to go  in order to clean up the chrome.  Give the frame a good cleaning with detergent and water, and then try rubbing  it down with lacquer thinner on your steel wool to see if that removes the clear.  Spaceliners are cool.




this would be the best method.


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## kngtmat

jpromo said:


> They weren't clearcoated from the factory but yours looks to have been at some point in its life. If you're aiming to clean rust off the chrome, then the clearcoat will have to go (I'd get rid of it anyway).
> 
> I spritz a little WD-40 on the steel wool to help loosen the rust but just yesterday I tried using my Mother's chrome polish on the steel wool so I don't have to go back and polish it separately a second time. It seemed to work excellent. If kept out of the elements, you shouldn't have to worry much about it rusting up again so the clear isn't necessary.




Are you sure they didn't come that way, my Spaceliner has clear coat too and I have seen a couple other have it as well.


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## jd56

kngtmat said:


> Are you sure they didn't come that way, my Spaceliner has clear coat too and I have seen a couple other have it as well.




I tend to beleive they were. What are the chances of the 2 murrays that I have were sprayed with clear by someone?

So did you have to remove your clearcoat to bring back the chrome?

I have no choice but to remove it as the film is peeling and or smoked up. I can't feel good about the cleanup until it's chrome is blinding


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## Barkeep

the frames came clear coated from the factory. both my space liner and flight liner are cleared.


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## jpromo

Barkeep said:


> the frames came clear coated from the factory. both my space liner and flight liner are cleared.




My apologies for misguidance then! I only have one chrome Spaceliner and there was no evidence of clearcoat being there but with all the clearcoated ones accounted for, it seems to have been factory. I would have thought it was a preservation method by an owner somewhere along the line when they started to see rust spot up.


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## kngtmat

My Spaceliner was painted green when i got it because when I took it off the clear was under it which is the reason the paint came of so easily and some one told me to use a one sided razor blade the take it all off which I am doing.


Some of the chrome is a scratchy haze in some areas like at the head tube where someone did a very small repair for the bottom bar on the left side with a little weld in that spot that might have happened when it was first made into a Klunker then they decided to paint it after they scatched up the chrome.


I am just not having luck with these bikes because either it is too rusty like my last frame which I sold and this one is not rusty other than a few areas like between the tubes, where the big tires rubbed the frame, the tab where the 7 shaped tank goes into and the hazy scratched chrome.


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## Lawrence Ruskin

*yep*

Mine is also clear coated. They painted parts of my frame in a blue green then clear coated the whole frame.


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## jd56

*Wow what a job this is*

Ok, so heating the frame with atorch was a quick method of softening the clear but, it made me nervious that I would damage the chrome. So I went to a heatgun. This works but is a small area at a time. 
Then I thought of a post I saw here, about striping paint where "easyoff" was used. Toxic and messy but, this method is quicker. Be sure to remove the stock seat as overspray will stain the pleather covering....damn it. I have tried to scotch pad the stains and have removed enough to make it faintly spotted....damnit. 
Hell of a way to learn from ones mistakes. 
Using a razor blade to scrape the clear is a pain. I tried modifying the straight razor blade to a curved edge....not happening.
Anyone know of a half moon blade that might help? The straight blade only scrapes a 1/64" off at a time. These frames are all tubular.... duh
OK back at it for a while. 
The wife says I have to move the bike out into the cold (40's) as the residue from the scrapings is getting all over the living room. That's right, that is my workshop....she hates it.














And what easyoff did to the vinyl seat


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## ratfink1962

Just to clarify... I think it would take quite a bit of heat to damage the chrome. I have a bike that I stripped to bare metal and "blued" the frame with a propane torch, then clearcoated it. I also made the chrome look the same way.... but it took a LOT more heat to get the chrome to change colors.

I really dislike using paint stripper, but I bet if you sprayed it and then wrapped it in clear plastic, maybe even saran wrap... let it sit 30 min to an hour, I bet that would take that coating right off.  Then use the torch for the tight areas around the bottom bracket, headtube, dropouts, etc.


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## jd56

ratfink1962 said:


> Just to clarify... I think it would take quite a bit of heat to damage the chrome. I have a bike that I stripped to bare metal and "blued" the frame with a propane torch, then clearcoated it. I also made the chrome look the same way.... but it took a LOT more heat to get the chrome to change colors.
> 
> I really dislike using paint stripper, but I bet if you sprayed it and then wrapped it in clear plastic, maybe even saran wrap... let it sit 30 min to an hour, I bet that would take that coating right off.  Then use the torch for the tight areas around the bottom bracket, headtube, dropouts, etc.




saran wrap, hmmm there's an idea. The cold wind today is drying the easyoff fairly quickly so this is as tough as scraping it with out the striper application.

The torch idea should work but, the old lady freaked when she saw I was lit up in the living room. 
Did I mention I'd like to make it to 31 years of marriage. .....Yes Dear:eek:...is the common response.

But it's getting too cold now so till another day on this project.

Thanks for all the imput everyone.

She's looking better (both the wife and the Astro)...two tubes down and another 9 to go. got to Love that shinny chrome


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## Wayne Adam

*Hey jd*

Hi jd.
   Yes, they were all dipped in clear lacquer at the factory. The best way and the least toxic is to sit there and scrape it off with a single edge razor blade. For the tight areas, use an exacto knife. It will absolutely not hurt the chrome. When you have most of it off with the blade, you can go over the frame with 00 wool.
 Mine was like yours and you see it now, it is a show quality Spaceliner. It took plenty of hours, but it was worth it. I of course disassembled mine for a complete resto, but it will work just as well
the way you are doing it. Also, you won't burn your house down and kill your family with toxic fumes!,,,Everybody wins!..............Wayne


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## jd56

*Wow...lots of scraping*

I'm amazed of the look once the clear has been removed. What a shine the chrome gives off. To think that I thought the frame was an easy clean. 0000 and your done. 
Lots of work ahead of me for sure. But that's what we do, breakdown the bike, hope all goes back together as it came apart....please no extra parts left over after its done and reassembled.
Whaaaa. 
It is in the 60's here on the Va. Coast today, so today is a good day for scraping. 

Wayne...00 wool makes me nervous but youve been there so i'll go for it. 
Thanks to everybody for there imput.

JD


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## meteor

*a couple thoughts...*

Clearcoat is usually panned, and for good reason, but with these bikes clearcoat (or to quote wayne - lacquer) is orginal from the factory. Once this old clearcoat is removed -- shouldn't a new layer be put on? Afterall, the clearcoat did preserve the chrome. I know in the hands of collectors these bikes won't be left in the rain etc, but thinking long term it might be best to preserve them as the company specs intended.


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## jd56

*Clearcoat or not*



meteor said:


> Clearcoat is usually panned, and for good reason, but with these bikes clearcoat (or to quote wayne - lacquer) is orginal from the factory. Once this old clearcoat is removed -- shouldn't a new layer be put on? Afterall, the clearcoat did preserve the chrome. I know in the hands of collectors these bikes won't be left in the rain etc, but thinking long term it might be best to preserve them as the company specs intended.




I have been thinking about the clearcoat after I'm done striping the old off. And it might be a good idea.
But, right now I just want to get it looking good without taking it to the paint shop. I'm ready for some riding. 
Still lots of work to do before that happens.


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## highship

Brass wire brushes work really well in the tight areas and won't scratch the chrome. I have not yet been able to find a brass wheel for my Dremel so I don't know about that. Don't forget about tin foil, if your only looking to remove a light layer of rust it's the way to go. Little spray of WD40 and get at it with you ball of foil. You can mold it to all kinds of shapes to to get in tight areas too.


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## jd56

highship said:


> Brass wire brushes work really well in the tight areas and won't scratch the chrome. I have not yet been able to find a brass wheel for my Dremel so I don't know about that. Don't forget about tin foil, if your only looking to remove a light layer of rust it's the way to go. Little spray of WD40 and get at it with you ball of foil. You can mold it to all kinds of shapes to to get in tight areas too.




Tin or Aluminum foil? Or is that the same? And you scrub with the foil and WD?....Interesting

I found a dremel brass brush attachment kit at Harbor freight. haven't gotten that far on the striping yet to use them. These brass brusses just dont last long once started using them.


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## Wayne Z

I have had amazing results with small stainless steel wire brushes. The stainless is softer than the chrome, and no matter how hard you scrub, you can't scratch the chrome.


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## HIGGINSFOREVER

Ratfink1962 is right with using a propane torch and a fine brillo pad.Every bike that i paint i use a propane torch to remove the paint.Just heat till paint starts to bubble then use a brass brush to get into all the hard spots that sand paper cant get into.When you are done with the torch use oooo steel wool to wipe down the frame then wash frame down with cold water and hang to dry.A propane torch will not harm the frame,it will not put out enough heat to damage factory welds or brazing.


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## rustyspoke66

The fastest and safest way to remove the clear without damaging the chrome is soda blasting. You can check around to see if anyone local uses it and it will cost a few bucks but will hands down preserve the chrome and take all the clear off. I would offer to do it from home but I do not have a large enough cabnet at this point to do a frame. I have even blasted paint off a old torrington aluminum stem and it took it right down to the original finish without any etching at all.


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## jd56

The wife left me alone in the house for a while....so I got out a mini butane torch and loaded the bike on the stand. Took the wheels and fenders off, seeing i hadn't done that yet. Knowing that I'd have to eventually. 

Filled the mini torch with fuel and started heating portions of the frame. Wow, that worked well. 
Better than the fumes from the cleaners. 
I did have some problems with a little blueing in some nicked areas of the frame but, once it cooled down it seemed to clear up. I'm amazed how many areas are nicked.

Shame I have to use a razor. The straight blade only scrapes a thin line at a time. Tried modifing a blade to conform to the tube...no go. 
Tedious job but, the results are what I expected and hoped for. the brass brushes work but, seem more work than it's worth for the long tubes. Once the tube is heated I can do a long scrape.

Because of the nicked areas it may be best to have it recleared at some point. 

Thanks everybody.


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## jd56

*I may have screwed up / Polishing Chrome ideas*

I got a little impatient and decided that I try a course scotch pad and I think I have scratched the chrome...I figured it could take it. 
So the clear is off this section and yet the chrome seems scuffed.
Tried mothers to clean it up and no improvement/

What do you do to buff or polish the scuffed chrome? 
Have I ruined the chrome?










Dang frustrated!!!!


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## Wayne Adam

*Hey jd56*

Hi jd... Never use Scotch pads on chrome!. Scotch pads are like fine sand paper. As I said, the best way to remove the clear is with a single edge razor blade, followed by steel wool for the
remaining small stuff..............got to go now..................Wayne


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## jd56

yeah...I know. Had a brain fart now I'm in a pickle.
Hoping someone has an easy solution to this screwup. other than "Don't Use Scotch Pads". The damage is done and am pissed


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## jackomeano

*scotch brite leads to a satin finish...*

It will rub out...   LOL


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## jd56

I wish it would jacko


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## TexasDart

Brake fluid has anyone tried brake fluid....it removes paint....


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## tripple3

*Curved razor blades*

They do sell them; they're made for carpet cutters. We electricians use them to strip wire for recycling.


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## bikecrazy

I got on this thread too late I guess. I would have taken apart the bike to the bare frame and used chemical paint stripper to lift off the clear coat. I have had great results doing this. Lacquer thinner works but is very slow.


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## jd56

*Harbor Freight Exacto kit*

I found the easiest blades (and i tried the curved capet blades...too rigid) to use for this task was a kit I bought from Harbor Freight. There were spare blades and the one I used the most was a 2.5" thin blade that had a curve to the blade. It was flexable and on the tthicker diameter tubes it was a big help. The thinner top tubes was a different story...be prepared to do the tidious work....but, the payout was amazing.

Did not try brake Fluid but that DOT3 stuff will eat paint for sure.


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## bits n pieces

*Ive had 5 mens spaceliners*

and too many womens to count. I hated to clean them because they ALL were clearcoated over the chrome.
 I had to strip the bikes , then i used aircraft stripper and paint thinner to clean off the clearcoat.
 I use mothers metal polish and 0000 steel wool to clean the chrome. Dip the steel wool in the mothers and go to town. 

In my experience a oa both will cloud the chrome on cheaper bikes like spaceliners , huffy, etc. Oa bath works fantastic on schwinn chrome however. 

I also use brass wire brushes from harbor freight to get in all the small hard to reach spots. 
Watch for thin spots in the chrome . If its thin, you may clean right through it to the undercoating. 

After chromes clean, you have to seal it with something so it dont rust right away again.

I cant find the thread but someone else made the mistake of scratching up their chrome like you did above. They ended up wetsanding with very very fine sandpaper then polishing. It looked better than all scratched up but the chrome wasnt really bright like it should be.


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