Stripping Laquer from Korean war Chrome

[auburnseeker]

Has anyone ever stripped the Clear laquer from Korean war era chrome?

I have a bunch of NOS parts and they are from the Korena war era so they have the Laquer clear on them which is now yellowed and in some cases flaked off in spots. The chrome plating underneath is really nice.

I have used Acetone but it takes alot of time and only works so so. Is there a better way to strip it without damaging the plating underneath?

I tried soda blasting a poor piece I had and the plating is too softas it marks it.

[Guest Jim_Edwards]

Soak the parts in common household Ammonia overnight and the lacquer should be literally coming off in sheets or chunks. No damage to chrome should occur, but use a test of a not so good part to satisfy your own trepidations.

Edited March 6, 2012 by Jim_Edwards (see edit history)

[Guest Skyking]

Paint remover shouldn't hurt the chrome.

[Harold]

I've used '0000' (aka 'XXXX') steel wool with lacquer thinner as a lubricant with good results.

[auburnseeker]

I'll give the Ammonia a try. I've done the OOOO Steel wool with Acetone which cuts the Laquer faster but you can still get nearly microscopic scratches and I'm trying to avoid those. These parts have new flawless chrome so I don't want to screw it up. I've done the paint stripper as well and that didn't work nearly as good as I thought it would and it's the messiest process that leave a residue in every nook and cranny.

[Rusty_OToole]

I would try lacquer thinner and a soft rag. You may need to soak a rag in thinner and wrap it around the chrome piece and leave it to soak for 10 or 15 minutes. Then wipe off the softened lacquer.

Once you strip the old lacquer you should get the parts chrome plated before they start to pit. If this is not possible paint them with some modern type of clear lacquer such as used on base clear paint jobs.

Even with the original protective lacquer they will get dull, corroded and pitted in a year or less. I had the same experience with NOS chrome parts on a 1952 Chrysler New Yorker. I found the new parts in perfect condition for my father's Chrysler. He just stuck them on the car even though I warned him not to. In a year they were corroded and pitted and of course, much harder to rechrome than if he had them done in the beginning.

Edited March 7, 2012 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)