How can I buff tiny scratches on new chrome bumpers?

Here is my latest blunder... I bought brand new AMD bumpers for my '69 Super Bee 5 years ago. I just inspected them today, and they are cover with oxidation spots, but there is no orange colored rust within the spots. I tried a small test area with 00 fine steel wool and some liquid chrome polish. It looked OK, so I rubbed down the entire bumper. After I cleaned the surface, I noticed tiny scratches where I had to rub harder on the stubborn spots. The scratches are not highly visible, but they show up as I look from different angles. Is there a way to buff these scratches out?

Thanks for hopefully helping fixing this before my friends find out!

Might I add that my blunder was leaving the bumpers in their boxes on a shelf in my garage for those 5 years, but how as I to know that it would takes 6 different paint shops 12 years to paint a car!

Wax...

Wax? Wouldn't that just protect the scratches, or are you just yankin' my chain?
I searched google and youtube for a solution, but no luck there. I called Chip Fooze, and he hung up on me, so you Moparts guys and gals are it! Please don't fail me now!

I think once there are scratches in chrome they are pretty much there as it is such a hard surface to polish out. Any product you apply is basically filling the voids. You could try some metal polish with a buffer to try and round off the edges of the scratches. I would never recommend steel wool to clean up chrome. Sorry this is not what you were hoping to hear.

But there are others on here who highly recommend it !!!

Nope...


Just like what was said above...


If the scratches are not 'highly visible', then they're minor...


You will be 'filling the void'...

Darn it. Yeah, I was afraid of that bad news. However, I thought I'd better ask before I hit them with my buffer and possibly do more damage. Oh well, I'll try the buffer on them and live with the results. After that, those bumpers will sit in my living room so I can keep and eye on them until they get installed!

#0000 super fine steel wool is ok on chrome and glass as long as you don't try to dig to China with it. Any of the more courser grades are too harsh.

You may be able to put some simichrome on the spots and gently work them out/blend them into the surrounding areas.

Do not use any steel wool, if you creat micro stratches you'll never get them out. Mothers makes a chrome product All chrome or there's another product called never dul can't recall who makes it...it's a treated cotton used by detailers. Beyond that I'd consult with a polishing shop

Any serious buffing and you will be looking at copper or whatever is under the chrome, which is microscopically thin. Wax is likely the best that you can do,,,fill the valleys to bring them up to the level of the mountain tops, so to speak.

Years and years ago, the old guy at local Chrome shop, would make a paste of water and "Bon Ami" cleanser . . . Rub it all over the chrome bumpers and let dry to a haze. Then buff off with terry cloth towel. Cleans like you would not believe !! And it would buff out light scratches. Worth a try - but it has to be Bon Ami which is not a harsh scratch cleanser like Comet.

Cheers

Mark

UPDATE... Today I put a 6'' buffing wheel on my angle grinder. I applied jeweler's rouge and tried a small spot on an old truck bumper. No damage was observed, so I went to work on the fine scratches in my new AMD bumpers. I am ecstatic at the results! The scratches are now nearly non-existant and each entire bumper looks and shines better than they did when I bought them. The buffing also removed the oxidation from the spots that I did not rub with the steel wool yesterday. Additionally, a friend of mine who was present when I open the boxes 5 years ago, reminded me that the bumpers were coated with a light film of oily protectant, which is why I had expectations of no problems occurring. I didn't remember that fact, but I was in panic mode yesterday. Anyway, the bumpers are now waxed on both sides and looking great, sitting on 2 saw horses in my living room. (That is the truth!) In fact my wife just packed her bags and unhappily walked out the front door. (That is a lie!) I actually booted her out of my life many years ago! Thank you everyone for your replies!

P.S. Please do not ask me to post pictures of my newly decorated living room. What happens in my house, stays in my house. (LOL)

(You sure you can't post some pics???


Decor unimportant...

Just like to see the bumpers...)

This is just an opinion ...

Every AMD bumper I've seen has had a less than a "show quality" finish to it. This is to be expected as they are "reproductions" for restoration purposes and factory originals were never show quality to begin with.

If you ever saw a mint set of originals, they have flaws - minor ripples and scuffs from the stamping process, scratches in the base metal that didn't get completely filled by the copper dip, and more minute scratches from a buffer wheel that needed dressing, etc.. And all the edges were rough as well. In fact, seeing a perfect reflection in them was rare.

My point is, don't overdo things. AMD bumpers are great for any restoration but they're not "show chrome".

Glad to hear you got the scratches out. I have some chrome stacks I'm going to try your solution on!

Honestly, the before and after results would not be distinguishable in a photograph. Sure they look great, but they are just 2 boring bumpers when all is said and done. I'm sure that there are many of you out there who have stored an engine or similar item in their living room or kitchen. No matter how big a garage is, it gets filled up fast! (guilty!) I will tell you this however... I am getting geared up to do a build thread on my mighty Mopar very soon. The bumpers will have a starring role fer sure!

Just be aware that the scratches were not completely removed by the buffing... just diminished enough to go unnoticed, while creating a nice luster. I totally agree that the AMD bumpers are not show quality, but I was pleasantly surprised on how great they looked when I first opened the boxes. I compared them to a newly re-chromed bumper, and the AMD's were not far behind in a side by side quality comparison. From a distance, they both look equal to me. Plus, the price of AMD bumpers versus re-chroming is a significant savings, and I get to sell my old original bumpers! Another thing that I noticed is... when you look at a newly chromed surface the wrong way, it causes scratches. LOL

1) Although I'm not big on chrome, I've had luck 'storing' a plated piece with a good swab of wax applied(unbuffed)...


2) I've been using 'Nev-R-Dull' on some chrome tips for many moons...

The chrome is doing real well...

great information
What type of angle grinder and buffing pad set up did you use.

My angle grinder is a 4 1/2'' unit rated @ 11,000 RPM. I removed the safety guard (Safety googles and gloves were employed) and then I put 2-6''x1/4'' buffing wheels, like the ones that fit on a bench grinder. The holes in the wheels fit the grinder arbor perfectly. You can use jewelers rouge, or the white buffing compound bar. I tried both with equal results, but I had more of the rouge bars at my disposal. Please note that my scratches were very minute aka very small, and they are not completely gone, but the chrome looks a lot better now, and I am happy because I spent a lot of time buffing. This by no means is a miracle cure for chrome scratches, but definitely worth a try.

Oh Billy! I friend of mine just told me after the fact, that using spray window cleaner works great as a lubricant on the steel wool. Curious, I ran to my bumpers in search of an oxidation spot that I had missed, and there were several of the little buggers! Well, it did work great! ...and I didn't have to use as much pressure as I did using chrome polish as a lubricant. Darn... would have been nice to know before hand! Anyway, my newly buffed bumpers are smoothererer, slipperiererer, and shiniererer than they were before, so it turns out to be a blessing that the oxidation occurred in the first place! Hah! I'm never that lucky! 2016 is gunna be my year!