The Ford Barn

jim1932 · 01-05-2012, 10:19 PM

I have some door handles that have the type of corrosion where there are small spikes on the handle. Kinda the reverse of pitting. What is the best way to treat these? sand them off? soak it in something? I am hoping to just knock the roughness off without refinishing them... any suggestions?

19Fordy · 01-06-2012, 08:44 AM

Jim, Please post a photo of the handles. Sure would be interesting to see. If the handles are pot metal, you could carefully file or sand off the "icicles", but probably would then need to rechrome them to look good.

jim1932 · 01-06-2012, 10:29 AM

The finish is shot anyway. I was looking to smooth it out a bit without doing too much further damage. Is there any way to soak them to dissolve the corrosion?

19Fordy · 01-06-2012, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1932

The finish is shot anyway. I was looking to smooth it out a bit without doing too much further damage. Is there any way to soak them to dissolve the corrosion?

Those look like they are made of pot metal -then chrome plated. Pot metal seems to corrode from the inside out so what you see on the surface is a good indication of more corrosion underneath. Yes, you could sand away the bumps, but deteriatoration will continue unless you fill the surface pits with bondo or JB Weld, sand smooth, prime and then paint. A good chrome plater can repair them, however, if you want them to be like new. Expensive, as it is labor intensive.

rotorwrench · 01-06-2012, 04:17 PM

Zinc diecast parts that are chrome plated pimple rather than pit. It's a build up of zinc oxide under the surface of the chrome that causes the chicken skin effect. If you take the chrome off then there will be a pit since the zinc oxide is just a powdery substance. Most platers usually reverse plate the die cast stuff as best they can before starting the surface restoration in order to keep the deterioration of the zinc diecast to a minimum. Then they fill the pits with copper plating & polishing to get it smooth & pitless. Some are using the muggy weld rod to "solder" the pits up then start the copper/nickle/chrome processes. Tedious and expensive to do now days.

Kerby

pauldeborr · 01-06-2012, 07:03 PM

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I just used 0000 steel wool on mine and they turned out fine. I do have to re-buff them from time to time. I guess it just depends on how perfect you want it to look. Personnally I kinda like the old look of some things. It makes it unique.

DavidG · 01-06-2012, 07:04 PM

Jim,

If you do have them re-plated, you'll recall that the originals were nickel plated, not chrome plated.

01-05-2012, 10:19 PM	#1
jim1932 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Hancock, MA Posts: 2,783	"Restoring Handles" I have some door handles that have the type of corrosion where there are small spikes on the handle. Kinda the reverse of pitting. What is the best way to treat these? sand them off? soak it in something? I am hoping to just knock the roughness off without refinishing them... any suggestions?

01-06-2012, 08:44 AM	#2
19Fordy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Coral Springs FL Posts: 10,950	Re: "Restoring Handles" Jim, Please post a photo of the handles. Sure would be interesting to see. If the handles are pot metal, you could carefully file or sand off the "icicles", but probably would then need to rechrome them to look good.

01-06-2012, 04:17 PM	#5
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: "Restoring Handles" Zinc diecast parts that are chrome plated pimple rather than pit. It's a build up of zinc oxide under the surface of the chrome that causes the chicken skin effect. If you take the chrome off then there will be a pit since the zinc oxide is just a powdery substance. Most platers usually reverse plate the die cast stuff as best they can before starting the surface restoration in order to keep the deterioration of the zinc diecast to a minimum. Then they fill the pits with copper plating & polishing to get it smooth & pitless. Some are using the muggy weld rod to "solder" the pits up then start the copper/nickle/chrome processes. Tedious and expensive to do now days. Kerby

01-06-2012, 07:03 PM	#6
pauldeborr Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 72	Re: "Restoring Handles" Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I just used 0000 steel wool on mine and they turned out fine. I do have to re-buff them from time to time. I guess it just depends on how perfect you want it to look. Personnally I kinda like the old look of some things. It makes it unique.

01-06-2012, 07:04 PM	#7
DavidG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: southeastern Michigan Posts: 10,101	Re: "Restoring Handles" Jim, If you do have them re-plated, you'll recall that the originals were nickel plated, not chrome plated.