[wkraus]

A hopefully simple question for the virtuoso restorators around: any best-practice recommendations for cleaning chrome-plated cameras?

Edit: I realize that the thread title is misleading without the question mark it was supposed to have…

[Unregistered User 8]

Edit: I realize that the thread title is misleading without the question mark it was supposed to have…

Fixed it for ya.....

[ismaelg]

Hello,

Like in a hot pepper eating competition, start mild and work your way up the hotness.

1- Start with simple distilled water and a cotton swab. You'll be surprised how effective that can be.

2- If needed, then move up to non-acetone nail polish remover in a cotton swab. Just enough without flooding it. *EDIT* As mentioned below, you can also use 99% IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol)

3- Next step, BRASSO metal polish or similar (Blue Magic, Mothers, etc.). I've had good experience with BRASSO but again, a small dab in a cotton swab and work a small area.


Word of caution: chrome plated brass can vary from nuclear resistant tough to barely adequate thin. You need to always be on the lookout for brassing (removing the plating and showing the base metal).
This was severely pitted and corroded.



4- If it declares war, you can step up to heavier guns: Abrasive cleaners.



5- And if it is a matter of mutual annihilation apocalyptical war then:


But the first 2 or 3 would do

Hope this helps.
This is just my experience, but I'm sure there are other suggestions as well.

Thanks,
Ismael

[Bob 256]

Just after the water method, use 99% IPA as a next step before going to those more aggressive solvents. That last photo with the wire brush "rubs me the wrong way". If you have any plating, a wire brush is the one sure way to take it off. A better choice is a less aggressive polish and a soft cotton buff. Can't come up with any polish recommendations but anything with silica in it like Comet or the like, again make good plating strippers and while you might end up with a polished surface, it will be the base metal and not the plating.

[ProfessorBuzz]

Like Bob256 mentioned, am also I'm a fan of 99% Isopropyl Alcohol (not the grocery store 70% which can have additives). I've also found a solution of 60/40 distilled+IPA + 1 drop of Dawn dish detergent works wonders. The dish detergent breaks the surface tension.
Goo Gone (a citrus-oil solvent) is great for removing label and tape residue.

[ismaelg]

That last photo with the wire brush "rubs me the wrong way".

That was meant to be a joke....

The non-acetone nail polish is very similar to the 99% IPA in my experience. Either one should do the trick and rarely you would need to go further.

Thanks,
Ismael

[wkraus]

Fixed it for ya.....

Thanks!

[wkraus]

ismaelg, Bob 256, ProfessorBuzz: Many thanks for your recommendations! This is exactly what I hoped to get here.

[Bob 256]

That was meant to be a joke....

Thanks,
Ismael

I assumed so, thus the quotation. Sometimes though you see some of the darnedest things on the internet and there are those who believe what they see without question.

simichrome