72 Fender grilles

[Rey S.]

Best way to dechrome/strip the grilles ? I want to rechrome and then paint and expose the chrome edges. my local chrome shop removed half the chrome but wouldn't go any farther as he said it was eating into the pot (?) metal.

[Joe L.]

Re: 72 Fender grilles

Best way to dechrome/strip the grilles ? I want to rechrome and then paint and expose the chrome edges. my local chrome shop removed half the chrome but wouldn't go any farther as he said it was eating into the pot (?) metal.

Rey-----


I'd say it would be a VERY tricky proposition to try to de-chrome these pieces. Any process that I know of would require the use of a strong acid to remove the chrome. However, the substrate material is zinc diecast ("pot metal"). This material is more reactive than chrome with respect to the acid. Making matters worse, the grilles are only partially chromed. So, when the piece is immersed in acid to de-chrome, the non-chromed portions are immediately exposed to and attacked by the acid. You could very well lose a good amount of the substrate material before the chrome is removed. Generally, when the chrome is removed from a zinc dicast part, the chrome completely covers the part to begin with, but with these grilles it's not that way.

It might be possible to cover the exposed zinc-diecast with some sort of protectant that would not be affected by the acid. Something like chassis grease might work.