# Unrestoration



## Brian R. (Dec 18, 2017)

Who are these people who apply silver spray paint on nickel plated parts and think they've done a restoration? I spent an entire evening undoing what one such previous owner did to my left-hand drive 1896 Crawford. The handlebars had been sprayed with red oxide primer underneath the silver, so it took four, 20-minute soaks in oven cleaner plus extra-fine 0000 steel wool and hot soapy water to get it all off. I am pleased with the condition of the nickel, especially on the stem. It makes me wonder why they bothered to spray it. Would the pedals have been plated in nickel originally? Pedals always take such a beating over 100+ years it's hard to tell. I wasn't able to remove the crank arms so I will have to "unrestore" those plus the chainwheel while they're still on the bike without ruining the paint on the frame. Some before and after photos:


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## hoofhearted (Dec 18, 2017)

*
Your parts look waaay better now, Brian !!  

A little tarnish -- a bit of neutered and stabilized
rust here and there lends a bit of character to
the wheel.

But silver paint in small pits and fissures - gag !

Good Form .....

....... patric*


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## Cowboy in NC (Dec 18, 2017)

Silver paint or any color paint protects the underlying surface against rust or heavy scratches, etc., so long as the bike is not left out in the open for years afterwards.
The guy that painted it silver really did you a favor, and your nickle finish should be real close to the condition it was when he painted it.
A lot of work to undo maybe, but a preservative measure- maybe by accident.  God Bless,---Cowboy


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## Rambler (Dec 19, 2017)

Brian R. said:


> Would the pedals have been plated in nickel originally? Pedals always take such a beating over 100+ years it's hard to tell.




Yes Brian, the pedals would originally have been nickel plated.


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## corbettclassics (Dec 19, 2017)

I had the same problem once where I went to see some bikes that a guy was going to sell.  He took me down stairs to the basement where about 8 bikes were displayed.

He took me over to this bike ( Racycle ) and said he "completely restored" it himself.  Everything on the bike was spray painted silver! ( but to him it was completely restored ).

Price was $600 ( this was 1989 in Canada )


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## Brian R. (Dec 19, 2017)

Egads! That would take a whole lot of oven cleaner. It would be worth it in the end, though, nice bike (the Racycle).


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## markivpedalpusher (Dec 19, 2017)

Nicely done! Spray paint can be a blessing in disguise protecting the plating and sometimes even the paint. But lots of work as you said - and a lot of times not so much a blessing, just a disappointment when you get down to the rust and or pitting lol


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## Cowboy in NC (Dec 19, 2017)

markivpedalpusher said:


> Nicely done! Spray paint can be a blessing in disguise protecting the plating and sometimes even the paint. But lots of work as you said - and a lot of times not so much a blessing, just a disappointment when you get down to the rust and or pitting lol



That is true , also.----Cowboy


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## rollfaster (Dec 19, 2017)

One of my biggest pet peeves. People think they’re doing a bike justice by covering up rust, in return they’re just making it hard on the bikes future owner. I see lots of this. I figure that whatever chrome or nickle is left is far better than any coverup. Silver paint is gaudy on a bicycle!


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## lgrinnings (Dec 19, 2017)

I grew up with silver spray paint being called "Rhode Island nickel." My dad had a 1916 Columbia chainless that was completely silver painted. When he removed the silver, everything, including the plating and original decals, was pristinely preserved. It can indeed be a blessing. I have a 1936 Rollfast where the plated parts have all been painted over black. Not much plating to be found underneath unfortunately.


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## catfish (Dec 19, 2017)

Nice job.


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## nycet3 (Dec 26, 2017)

hoofhearted said:


> *Your parts look waaay better now, Brian !!
> 
> A little tarnish -- a bit of neutered and stabilized
> rust here and there lends a bit of character to
> ...




You said everything I wanted to say.


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