whats the best polish out there to shine up some dull chrome ? what about rouge ? where can i pick some up ? thanks
Turtle wax chrome polish. Really, it's dirt cheap and works well. I've used expensive stuff, fancy waddings and what ever. The best stuff for the buck was the same stuff I used as a kid on my Schwinn. Gr***roots Motorsports or one of those magazines had a polish test in an issue last year. I think they came up with the same result. Some expensive stuff was a bit better.
I've used Blue Magic for a long time but have been wondering if there is anything better out there... Don't get me wrong, It's good stuff but i haven't tried it all to say it's the best.
MOTHER's I love the stuff. Works really good unless the part is in real bad shape. The I clean it and use 0000 steel wool, followed by the Mother's.
If you can locate the old orange colored stuff at a garage sale.I have a few cans I use lsparingly.The new environmentally friendly white foumula doesnt work as well imho.Simichrome is great.Flitz is a bit overpriced.
I have used alot of polish and cleaners...most work "ok" on fixing dull finishes...but most are just to protect new finishes. Master Formula metal gloss is by far the best on the market! trust me. Made my old aluminum radiator shine like chrome. And also polished up some dull 15 year old budnik rims to look new, also have used it on restoring some trans am rims. Check it out! http://www.master-formula.com/Metal%20Polish.htm
I use Simichrome as well. My first job was at a bicycle shop and they used it there. You could even use it to clean up light paint scratches. As a kid I found that especially useful. I've had a tube in my toolbox ever since.
The old Dupont Number 7 is still the best chrome polish. It no longer carries the Dupont name but the logo still looks the same and the polish really works. I use it on plastic too.
This question is on here all the time. Do a search and you will get lots of answers. Then really do a search and find the handbook that used to be offered by Polisher. The man had the goods. He hated waxes-would trap abrasives into your metal and most chrome polishes since they contained abrasives and I think he'd have gone ballistic using steel wool-your chromes only thousands of an inch thick-why would you wand to remove any of it? Sadly, although the company is still on the the web, Polisher hasn't posted in a long time and when he did, he had cancer so I suspect he's gone, or at least unable to post. So do a search for the handbook and go from there.
5window has it nailed. Check out the englishpolishing.com website. You can also take it from me to stay away from "rouge", you would probably burn right through the thin chrome layer.
I'll add to the people who mentioned Simichrome, expensive **** but really good. If you've got bad rust staining on chrome, before you use steel wool (which will ruin the finish forever) try polishing the rust off with the same buffing compound you'd use to buff paint that was just wetsanded. I like to use Wizards Turbo Cut, it'll take minor overspray off and clean off rust without scratching on the surface.
Wizards...looks like pink cotton balls / i bought mine at Easy Riders Chopper shop...it is great,very little elbow grease needed. Guy / Dallas