Buffing Chrome am I nuts?

[Moparfiend]

I am wondering if I am nuts because I can’t yell if I am effing up the chrome on my buffer or it if the imperfections were there all along. I think I am causing it.

Below is a shot of the handle. You can see an area on the left that’s scratched up. I don’t think it was there before.

Also a picture of my buffer. Trying various compounds.

Is it my technique or are the compounds to coarse (% Aluminum Oxide)? Or something else?

I’ve been successfully but today Iv noticed this on several pieces and not getting the overall clarity I had before.

I am using the same wheel and trying to clean before I re-dress with new compounds.

Any advice and or suggestions appreciated!

MF

 

[66 Sat]

It looks like your buffing the chrome off!
I just do mine by hand with Autosol metal polish.

 

[Car #4]

I use Autosol also.

 

[khryslerkid]

I don't believe anyone has figured out how to buff scratches out of chrome. It's way too hard.

 

[Moparfiend]

It looks like your buffing the chrome off!
I just do mine by hand with Autosol metal polish.
View attachment 1602323

Right? I didn’t think that possible but I think you maybe right as I can’t fix it.

 

[Kern Dog]

I don't think that you can buff it out.
I thought that what we call "chrome" is actually a thin coating over nickle.
Once you cut through that thin coating, the nickle supposedly doesn't hold a shine.

 

[dadsbee]

You can only grind for so long... and then you're starting over again...........

 

[WileERobby]

You've gone through the chrome plating, it's very, very thin. It's the final stage after copper and nickle are applied.

 

[Moparfiend]

You've gone through the chrome plating, it's very, very thin. It's the final stage after copper and nickle are applied.

You can only grind for so long... and then you're starting over again...........

that implies it can be improved from there? Further buffing or re-chrome?

 

[autoxcuda]

No it can't be improved from there.

You need to used less aggressive ways to just remove cloudy oxidization.

Autosol, Wenol, Semichrome on a soft microfiber or even soft paper towel are less aggressive methods.

 

[t.flatt]

I'd use a wheel on stainless steel but not chrome. For chrome I use #0000 steel wool and window cleaner followed by Autosol. All done by hand.

 

[68BabyBlue]

You've gone through the chrome plating, it's very, very thin. It's the final stage after copper and nickle are applied.

When I got Baby Blue back in 2013, the copper was showing through on the rear bumper I'd had re-chromed when I owned the car the first time, and the GTX had only covered 7000 miles during its absence. Exhaust residue from the factory tips probably didn't help.

 

[440 4 speed]

I tried what you did once. Believe that buffing chrome plated trim is as useless as butting your head against a wall.

 

[Sahara]

I don't think that you can buff it out.
I thought that what we call "chrome" is actually a thin coating over nickle.
Once you cut through that thin coating, the nickle supposedly doesn't hold a shine.

Yup, good quality chrome plating involves first copper, then nickel, then chrome. Chrome only became popular around the 1930’s; nickel was what was common before that.
Chrome reflects with a very slightly blue hue to it, nickel reflects with a slight yellow tinge. If you polish through the chrome no amount of polishing will restore the blue hue.