Patina

[dhruid]

Hi all,
Me again.
Any recommendations on how to make this patina pop/shine without clearcoat?

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I got an old CCM at an antique shop in the middle of no where British Columbia several years ago. The patina on that bike was about what your's looks like, maybe a little duller. I asked the proprietor about using WD-40 and she emphatically said NO, WD-40 would ruin the "deck-ulls". I had no idea what she was talking about until I finally realized that it was Canadian for decals. Anyway, she recommended a product called Rejuvenator by Malco. It's a one step wax product that removes surface grime and oxidation and is supposed to leave a high gloss finish. It doesn't. In my experience it cleaned the surface nicely (after a soap and water wash) and left a very mellow low key luster. Luster might even be pushing it a bit, but I liked the finish. For the chrome parts, she recommended SOS Pads. They worked great! The bottom line for me is I like a clean bike but I also like the patina that only comes with age. Beausage I have heard it called - beautiful usage. That's something that you can't produce or buy. Time and beautiful usage are on our side.

Good luck with your project, that's a great looking bike! Should be fun to ride.

As a side note, when trying navigate difficult and strange Canadian dialects, a helpful hint is comes with just learning how to spell Canada.
C-ehh N-ehh D-ehh

My CCM when I first spotted it in the out building of the antique shop. The head badge says, Simpson' Roamer. Simpson's is the Canadian equivalent of Sears in the US and CCM produced bikes for them as well as other retailers. The stickers on the down tube are licenses from Vancouver circa early 50's. I left them on because they are part of the bike's history and it probably would have really screwed up the paint and looks of the bike if I removed them. I'm guessing that the paint beneath them would probably be close to the original ox blood red and that would have looked really odd.

This is what I feel like when I ride this beauty...

 

[1817cent]

That bike looks great how it sits. The only thing wrong with it is that it is not a Schwinn!

 

[Ron]

@Ron Here's another recent example. 1939 Hawthorne. I did change out the petrified tires, but that was it. All else is how I bought it.

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Very nice, this is with rubbing compound, polishing compound, polish and wax?
Think I'm going to give it a go.
Thanks again,
Ron

 

[redline1968]

I'd tell you but then ahh no..lol

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

Both in about the same condition to start with. The top fender was submerged in mild oxalic acid solution, the bottom fender was treated with WD40 and 0000 steel wool. The oxalic acid treatment provided more rust removal but also left bright bare spots.

don't worry about that bright clean metal, it will dull over time as I discovered on my Evaporust treated handlebars. they were chrome and clean silver colored bare metal. now they are chrome and brown. I may clean them again and try a clearcoat and see how that works.

I did a fender I bought to cut the tail off for a different fender. I did not even know what color it was, but the WD-40 and steel wool made it blue with nice pinstripes.

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

do not use SOS pads on your chrome, it will scratch it. I did it that way for a long time until I was corrected by a friend. SOS is too coarse.

cleans real fast and looks good from 10 feet is all I can say about SOS pads.

 

[OZ1972]

Very nice !!!!!!!

 

[HARPO]

SOS pads are very harsh and not to be used on a bike. 0000 steel wool is very fine to prevent leaving scratches, especially when used with WD-40.

 

[Billythekid]

I spray a lot of bikes down with marbles mystery oil from a spray bottle it stops any current rust and since I live in Florida next time it rains I stick it outside the finish it’s left with after the rain is the best I’ve been able to do it get it nice and clean but I haven’t lost anything pinstripe wise or anything decals doing it like this

And for any Peta people out there I wait until it rains because any of the marvels mystery oil that comes off will be super diluted by the other rain that is coming from the sky if I did this with my hose it would concentrate it to one area but since I don’t you have nothing to worry about

 

[Billythekid]

My method replicates the same look you would get if you left it out in the rain you know the colors get a little more vibrant deeper richer