stripping chrome

Rat Rods Rule

Help Support Rat Rods Rule:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I would recommend sand/media blasting depending on what you are trying to remove the chrome from. You can get a chemical chrome stripper that will remove the chrome, but not the nickel. To strip the nickel, you'll need some heavy duty chemicals that aren't easy to get.
 
The only effective method of removing chrome that I have had any luck with is actually taking the parts to a chrome plater and having them dechromed. It'a a reversal of the chroming process. Sand blasting rarely works for me. I'm not familiar with the chemical stripper that Ron mentioned. I'd like to know more about it.
 
I would recommend sand/media blasting depending on what you are trying to remove the chrome from. You can get a chemical chrome stripper that will remove the chrome, but not the nickel. To strip the nickel, you'll need some heavy duty chemicals that aren't easy to get.

Now once the chrome is gone.How does the Nickel look?Is it nice and clean or real shabby lookin?

Got any pics??
 
The only effective method of removing chrome that I have had any luck with is actually taking the parts to a chrome plater and having them dechromed. It'a a reversal of the chroming process. Sand blasting rarely works for me. I'm not familiar with the chemical stripper that Ron mentioned. I'd like to know more about it.

Gastrick there are several chrome strippers, kinda hard to find, but they are out there. Look for a company called "MetalX" or "Caswell." ( caswellplating.com ) MetalX makes a product that is supposed to be environmentally safe called B9 Stripper or B9 Chrome stripper, something like that. Supposed to remove the nickel as well. Caswell does alot of stuff with anodizing and gold plating and they sell a product to remove chrome so you can gold plate it. There is also a company called Becker Industries that sells a Chrome stripper, but I don't know anything about their product.


If you get the Caswell stripper, (caswellplating.com) you use it alot like the rust removal method I think I saw somewhere on here. You connect the hot side of a battery charger to the part you wanna strip and the negative lead to a stainless stell cathode (like 1/8" thick 316) Then you put it in the solution for about 20 mins. Make sure the power is off until after you have put them in.
Rinse with water after you take them out.( Have another bucket of water and submerge into it)
To remove the Nickel, you need a large stainless bucket or pot (something big enough to fit the part your stripping. Mix a 50/50 solution of nitric acid and water. (make sure you mix the acid slowly into the water and not the water into the acid) sink the part (with chrome already stripped and rinsed with water) into this solution. It should turn colors (almost black) as the nickle and copper (which is under the nickle) is being stripped off.
Do not breathe fumes and strip in a well ventilated area. The nickle and copper are removed when the color fades from black, bronze to dull grey.

I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, This is just some info I had written down when I had looked into this in the past to do it on some pieces I had, but ended up gettin em blasted by a friend instead. ( Scared of gettin zapped :) )
 
Last edited:
That's interesting to know. My rear radius rods were nice chrome but I wanted them to match my front ones so I sandblasted them, sanded them, and did every other thing I could think of to roughen up the surface so I could epoxy prime them..........nothing touched it. They were VERY good chrome!! I finally just went with the sort of rough surface the sandblasting did and primed them. So far the paint is holding but I know it won't be forever.

Don
 
well i guess i need to find a plater, that sounds like the best way for me, hope i can find one fairly local, thanks for the info Tracy
 
Good luck!!!

well i guess i need to find a plater, that sounds like the best way for me, hope i can find one fairly local, thanks for the info Tracy

Blade,
Good luck finding one! There are lots of old shops here in H-town but r slowly fadin' out because of city regs. There's actually 1 about 6 or 7 blocks from me... been there *forever*!!!

BoB
 

Latest posts

Back
Top