Protecting Chrome

[NOBLNG]

Other than never ever touching it in the first place, is there anything that can be done to kit chrome to restore shine to slightly dulled chrome? Once it is scratched or rubbed off it is gone,☹️ but what about removing finger prints or tape residue though? And then protecting it from future damage? I find the chrome on newer kits to be extremely thin and delicate. Any cleaning, polishing, protecting advice appreciated! Thanks.

[Misha]

That’s a tough question Greg. Over the years I have tended to remove kit chrome in a lot of cases and then refinish them with a variety of metallic lacquers or more recently the Avejo acrylics. When using kit chrome parts I will put on a pair of white cotton gloves to handle large pieces such as bumpers and grills. Smaller parts may be detailed while on the sprue depending on the sprue attachment points. Older kits often have distinct mold lines running through the bumpers which really does require dechroming, and proper preparation to have it look right. With smaller parts the sprue attachment points may require the same process of re-chroming.

Not sure if this answers your question Greg; it’s off the top of my head?
It will be interesting to see further answers…

Cheers Misha

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by Misha

[Bainford]

I use Tamiya wax for cleaning finger prints etc from chrome when building. If I have a chrome part that will be handled a lot, such as a grill or bumper that is being modified or detailed, I will give the part a coat of liquid mask to protect it. I use Microscale brand, don’t know how well other brands work with chrome. 

[Dpate]

Can't really help you on this one, but I'd like to know as well just in case i decide to keep some chrome parts in the near future.  I always dechrome the parts though because there gate attachment on the parts are horrible except for tamiya and aoshima and hasagawa theres be pretty good. Touch up chrome doesn't blend in that good either.  It really just depends on how anal you are about it tbh.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

              

          

[NOBLNG]

3 hours ago, Bainford said:

I use Tamiya wax for cleaning finger prints etc from chrome when building. If I have a chrome part that will be handled a lot, such as a grill or bumper that is being modified or detailed, I will give the part a coat of liquid mask to protect it. I use Microscale brand, don’t know how well other brands work with chrome. 

I have some of that Microscale liquid mask. Does it come off easily without leaving any trace? Thanks.

[deuces wild]

You could air brush Future on the whole chrome tree after you pull it out of the bag....

[Bainford]

3 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

I have some of that Microscale liquid mask. Does it come off easily without leaving any trace? Thanks.

It doesn’t leave any mark on the chrome, but sometimes it sticks pretty good and can take a little picking to get an edge lifted to peel it off. I paint it thickly around the back side of the piece so I can pick at it without marring the pretty side. The stuff really thins out as it dries. I goop on two or three coats. The thicker the dried coating, the easier to handle and peel off in one piece when removing it. 
 

Though I haven’t tried it, I have thought about sticking a small tab of paper, or maybe a thread, into it when applying the stuff, to serve as a tab to pull off the dried coating. 

[Erik Smith]

Wear cotton or rubber gloves when handling. You can get them fairly cheap online. The oils in your hands and anything else you touch can harm chrome and painted surfaces. 

[NOBLNG]

4 hours ago, deuces wild said:

You could air brush Future on the whole chrome tree after you pull it out of the bag....

A bumper or grill could likely be dipped also? I have limited experience with Pledge, but I understand it levels out nicely.

1 hour ago, Bainford said:

The stuff really thins out as it dries. I goop on two or three coats. The thicker the dried coating, the easier to handle and peel off in one piece when removing it. 

It sure does! I have only masked gages with it so far.

[peteski]

For protecting while handling, I wrap some stretched Parafilm-M over the "chrome" part.  It just clings with no adhesive and does not leave any residue when removed.

In the past I recall some kit "chrome" having factory-applied layer of clear paint over the metalization.  Yes, there is a layer of clear applied before the metal is deposited, but those parts had an outside layer of clear applied over the metalization, but I have not seen this done for some time now.

[Bugatti Fan]

Recently I have built the Fisher kit of the Bugatti Racing Aeroplane that has a large clear resin moulded cockpit canopy. The instructions advised dipping in Kleer, Pledge, Future whatever it is named now and wicking off the excess. This worked a treat and the canopy dried crystal clear. This will probably work just as well on chrome finished parts.

Don't know if this would work on parts that have been de chromed and refinished with Alclad or one of the other chrome finishes. Perhaps another modeller has tried this out and can comment?

Edited February 28, 2022 by Bugatti Fan