Just looking for some chrome protect/polish recommendations for my step bars.
How frequently should product be applied?
How frequently should product be applied?
Chrome Protectant
- Thread starter coopns
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Chrome should not need any protection. But if you have a cheaply or improperly plated item, you can use an automotive wax.
What is the problem with using wax?
Originally Posted By: buck91
What is the problem with using wax?
Yes I'd like to know as well, why not wax?
What is the problem with using wax?
Yes I'd like to know as well, why not wax?
Decorative chrome is "micro-cracked"....meaning, there are tiny "holes" in the top chromium layer. A bazillion tiny little pores in the protective Chromium layer. Why? This helps to "spread" out the corrosion...kind of neutralizing the rust and preventing a nasty rusty red cancer from forming.
Your wax coating is trapping and preventing corrosion from "spreading" itself out over the part, thus causing a local concentration of corrosion.
Starting from the steel piece that you want to chrome plate: first, you plate down copper (to smooth out the part), then semi-bright nickel (which is very corrosion resistant) and then bright nickel (this gives the part it's "silver" look). Finally, you plate just a VERY thin flash of chromium on top. This gives the nickel that bluish hue that everyone associates with chrome. The chromium is VERY resistant to corrosion. However, platers actually put pores in the chrome ON PURPOSE, otherwise, when a nick does occur in the chromium layer, the corrosion will quickly bore through the nickel and into the steel and then spread laterally....causing a nasty mess.
Your wax coating is trapping and preventing corrosion from "spreading" itself out over the part, thus causing a local concentration of corrosion.
Starting from the steel piece that you want to chrome plate: first, you plate down copper (to smooth out the part), then semi-bright nickel (which is very corrosion resistant) and then bright nickel (this gives the part it's "silver" look). Finally, you plate just a VERY thin flash of chromium on top. This gives the nickel that bluish hue that everyone associates with chrome. The chromium is VERY resistant to corrosion. However, platers actually put pores in the chrome ON PURPOSE, otherwise, when a nick does occur in the chromium layer, the corrosion will quickly bore through the nickel and into the steel and then spread laterally....causing a nasty mess.
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