So waza everyone and thanks for making this a great forum. I just got my 1981 xs400 a couple days ago, and I am stoked about the possibilities. She runs but was in a barn for a good portion of her 33+ years, and she has her share of rusty chrome. I know steel wool and elbow grease is the standard for cleaning up the chrome, but I feel there is a better way: aluminum foil and a little plain old water.
Just tear you off a sizable piece of foil, get a little water on it and scrub away. For pitted areas, I have read that its best to use a wad or ball of foil. It works by chemistry, and I know how it works but I'm no the most articulate. In a round about way it's the conductivity of aluminum that makes it happen. The will be a rusty kind of paste that builds up, but the paste acts a polishing compound. Oh and you don't have to give yourself carpal tunnel scribing like with steel wool. The aluminum is also a "softer" metal than steel, so it won't scratch what you are working on.
I apologize if this is a well known method or if it has been discussed elswere on the forum. It also was not something I came myself, I got the whole idea from a bicycle websight. It works awesome. Thanks again for making this a kickass forum.
Just tear you off a sizable piece of foil, get a little water on it and scrub away. For pitted areas, I have read that its best to use a wad or ball of foil. It works by chemistry, and I know how it works but I'm no the most articulate. In a round about way it's the conductivity of aluminum that makes it happen. The will be a rusty kind of paste that builds up, but the paste acts a polishing compound. Oh and you don't have to give yourself carpal tunnel scribing like with steel wool. The aluminum is also a "softer" metal than steel, so it won't scratch what you are working on.
I apologize if this is a well known method or if it has been discussed elswere on the forum. It also was not something I came myself, I got the whole idea from a bicycle websight. It works awesome. Thanks again for making this a kickass forum.
