Chrome over Bronze Deck Hardware??

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hriehl1
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Chrome over Bronze Deck Hardware??

Post by hriehl1 »

More on 1968 Hinterhoeller 28; this is my first displacement boat, so please excuse if answers to some questions are obvious to you, they are not to me.

Much of the deck hardware (anchor fasteners, stanchion bases) appear to be original, and seem to be chrome plate over bronze. Some (much) of the chrome has flaked off exposing what looks like bronze.

Is it likely that it is chrome over bronze? Was the chrome simply for aesthetics... that most buyers wanted shiny? Can all the chrome be removed if one is OK with the bronze look (and how would one do it or where would one have that done)? Or... can the hardware be re-chromed? Or would one be better-off just replacing it all?

My priorities are lower cost over aesthetics... but the half-chrome half-bronze look is pretty shabby.

Thanks for any insights or advice.
Case
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Re: Chrome over Bronze Deck Hardware??

Post by Case »

In the 1960s, many people like shiny things. Stainless steel hardware wasn't as common back then compared to later time periods so if you wanted shiny, you went with chromed bronze.

You can sand off the chrome if you can. It will not ruin the bronze unless you use heavy grits over-zealously. I recall there are solutions that can remove the chrome but I can't remember them right now. Probably not worth it for you because they likely involved nasty acids. Re-chroming is very expensive nowadays due to environmental regulations. Bare bronze would the most cost effective way to go in my opinion.

- Case
Hirilondë
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Re: Chrome over Bronze Deck Hardware??

Post by Hirilondë »

hriehl1 wrote: Is it likely that it is chrome over bronze?
Yes.
hriehl1 wrote: Was the chrome simply for aesthetics... that most buyers wanted shiny?
Yes. But the shiny does absolutely nothing for me.
hriehl1 wrote: Can all the chrome be removed if one is OK with the bronze look (and how would one do it or where would one have that done)?
Yes. I personally think bronze with the natural green patina is absolutely beautious. I know of no place that will do this, but you can actually eletro-unplate it yourself or simply sand the remainder off and then buff out the scratches to what ever extent you feel necessary. You can also do absolutely nothing at all and let the hardware finish the process all by itself. You will probably have to wait a long time, and have to live with the shabby look during that time.
hriehl1 wrote: Or... can the hardware be re-chromed?
Yes, but it is rather expensive.
hriehl1 wrote:Or would one be better-off just replacing it all?
This is a matter of opinion. If the hardware is chrome over bronze, and this is very likely, no matter what method you use to remove the remaining chrome the integrity of the hardware should not change at all. The exception to this would be hardware with moving parts and the electro-unplate process.
Dave Finnegan
builder of Spindrift 9N #521 'Wingë'
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Gresham’s Law of information: Bad information drives out good. No matter how long ago a correction for a particular error may have appeared in print or online, it never seems to catch up with the ever-widening distribution of the error.
sail_fix
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Re: Chrome over Bronze Deck Hardware??

Post by sail_fix »

FWIW, I like the look of the chrome bronze...
Last year I replaced all the orig. above water thru hulls on our '88 model boat. They were a variety of plastics and the UV had weakened them over the decades.
New polished SS for all... except.... the chipped and worn chrome surface on the orig. bronze exhaust thru hull. It turned out to be a size that could not be easily sourced these days. I took the old fitting to a local chroming shop, and for less than a custom ss replacement would cost, it looks like new.
AFAIK, they chemically stripped it, buffed the surface and rechromed it.

Other posters are quite correct that it's not a matter of strength, but I dislike the mottled greenish-brownish-whatever color of "natural" bronze.
Some folks love it and think it's salty. More power to 'em.
Subjective stuff!

Best,
FA
Last edited by sail_fix on Sun Sep 05, 2010 11:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
Skipper599
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Re: Chrome over Bronze Deck Hardware??

Post by Skipper599 »

Take it to your local plating shop. They can either chemically remove the old chrome completely or re-chrome. It's still cheaper than new. ... If you can find a shop specializing in automotive trim pieces ... as in collector cars ... they are usually kept pretty busy and therefore often cheaper than the specialist who charges a bundle and is not so busy.

I'm about to take a load of SS bits and pieces to our local shop for electro plating and polishing. He specializes in Harley stuff for the Biker crowd. He's kind of rough and ready, but actually a nice guy ... I take him a case of beer to start with and then tell him how I'm a poor ancient senior with very little spending money ... so far, he has treated me very well and we get along just fine.
I am: Bob of Wight.

s/v 'Ros Na Cosquin'
a 'Passage - 24'

There are good ships, there are wood ships, and these ships sail the sea

But the best ship, is friendship and may this always be! ... ... ... A prayer from Ireland.
hriehl1
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Re: Chrome over Bronze Deck Hardware??

Post by hriehl1 »

Thank you all... I will pursue taking the hardware to a plating shop that can remove the chrome and go with the all-bronze look... on a 40+ year-old-boat, it just seems more appropriate.
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Peter
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Re: Chrome over Bronze Deck Hardware??

Post by Peter »

Dave Finnegan wrote: but you can actually eletro-unplate it yourself
Aha!
Dave, I need to know more !!
Peter
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One Way David
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Re: Chrome over Bronze Deck Hardware??

Post by One Way David »

There was a nice book on jewery/metalsmithing I picked up a few years back that discussed how to chrome and plate. I think just reversing the leads might work if you set up a plating tank. I'm at work and the book is packed up at home.

I also seem to remember using heat to pop the chrome off motorcycle parts. Oxy/acet on a chrome chock or such shouldn't do much damage. I'd try that befor sanding.

Dave.
Never finish all your projects or you'll be bored.
Figment
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Re: Chrome over Bronze Deck Hardware??

Post by Figment »

Hirilondë wrote:
Yes. I personally think bronze with the natural green patina is absolutely beautious. I know of no place that will do this....
The owner of Rayco Metal Finishing in Middletown CT is a boat guy. He un-chromed a big pile of stuff for me about five years ago. I think his name was Mark.
Hirilondë
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Re: Chrome over Bronze Deck Hardware??

Post by Hirilondë »

Peter wrote:
Dave Finnegan wrote: but you can actually eletro-unplate it yourself
Aha!
Dave, I need to know more !!
Some years ago I was adding a radar to the mizzen of a Concordia 39 mast. The box masts are hollow, but have sold blocking for the jumper strut. This meant the cable had to exit the mast below this blocking and go external the last couple feet to the dome. I needed a clam shell hood to cover the exit hole and the only ones I could find were S/S or chrome over bronze. I was under the gun to meet a deadline so I tried electro un-plating. I got a plastic bucket of sea water, added more salt to it, attached some wire to the terminals of a battery, attached the clam shell to one wire and a scrap of copper to the other (I can never remember which got + and -) and placed both in the bucket. After a few hours I had bare bronze. It was slightly pitted, but with a little sanding and buffing it was more than acceptable for 20 feet above deck. Had I known of the place Figment just suggested I would have been on the phone in a heart beat. The process works, but I suggest anyone in this position follow up on finding the platers in their area and asking about chrome removal.
Dave Finnegan
builder of Spindrift 9N #521 'Wingë'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gresham’s Law of information: Bad information drives out good. No matter how long ago a correction for a particular error may have appeared in print or online, it never seems to catch up with the ever-widening distribution of the error.
Skipper599
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Re: Chrome over Bronze Deck Hardware??

Post by Skipper599 »

... Actually guys, you can find out all about plating or un-plating right here on the internet ... just Google it and you'll learn more than you ever need to know.
I am: Bob of Wight.

s/v 'Ros Na Cosquin'
a 'Passage - 24'

There are good ships, there are wood ships, and these ships sail the sea

But the best ship, is friendship and may this always be! ... ... ... A prayer from Ireland.
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