Topic: Will Black Beauty (coal slag) remove chrome?

[manjisann]

Will black beauty remove chrome from mufflers and other chromed parts?

Thanks,

Brandon

[mcuozzo]

Yes, if it's a larger grit slag and you use (slightly) higher pressure, but it will be slow going at best.  Good quality chrome is tougher to get off than a cheaper plating.  On larger relatively flat pieces, I usually go at them with a sanding wheel first.

There is a post on here about 'the works' toilet bowl cleaner stripping chrome off some parts.  I haven't tried it yet, but will the next time I need to blast some chrome.  If I can just dip a part and leave it for a few days, that will be a big time saver.

Good luck.

Oh in my gallery, there is a chrome fin guard that I blasted and then powder coated, you can take a look at that to see how it turned out.   http://gallery.sohc4.net/main.php?g2_itemId=306724

[manjisann]

I read about that and wondered how well it would work. What do you think would be the best way to do it? I am gonna be removing the chrome and rust from the fenders, fork ears and a few other parts.

Thanks,

Brandon

[kghost]

Just so you know...even glass bead removes chrome....

The coarser the grit the faster it comes off

[luder]

I used alum oxide in a blast cabinet to do my wheel, otherwise sandblasted the fenders and such....luder

[mcuozzo]

Well since I'm lazy, I'd test the works cleaner and dip a piece or two.  If it came off after soaking that's the way I would go.  Much less work.

Funny thing is I blasted a fender and the chrome came off relatively easily.  That damn fin guard I mentioned was a b**ch.  Blasting by itself would have taken weeks!  I had to sand the majority of it.

I've never used glass beads or aluminum oxide, so that's good to know that they'll work also.  I've read that the glass beads could get into the metal so I've stayed away from them.  I've been meaning to try aluminum oxide, but since I have a couple of bags of the coal slag, I haven't gotten around to it.  Plus coal slag is cheaper.  And I'm cheap.

Matt