Jump to content

Cleaning Headlight Reflectors


Recommended Posts

3 hours ago, keiser31 said:

Send them here and never worry about it again....

Uvira, Inc.

310 Pleasant Valley Rd.

Merlin, OR 97532

Telephone: +1.541.956.6880

Fax: +1.541.476.9096

email: uvira@terragon.com

I spoke with Bill a month ago - he needs your reflectors nickel plated (NOT chrome) and he will work his magic. I have my reflectors out at the platers now and hope to get the Uvira treatment on them this year But be aware Bill's health is not what it was so if you want his services, sooner would be better than later.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you want to keep the silvered reflectors, go to your local silverware store and buy their best polish.  Polish the reflectors radially (from the socket out) not in a circular pattern.  A circular pattern breaks up the light instead of directing it directly forward.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve just not long done mine and did the reflector with autosol. I used a microfibre cloth and went very gently. They where very tarnished and I was suprised how well they came up. For the outer light itself I thought re plating was going to be the only option but thought ide give it a whirl on my polisher and it came up like new. 

I used wax polish for that on a cloth machine buff. 

I’ll take a pic in the morning of how they came up. 

Edited by Mattml430 (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, jpage said:

If they are original, most sources I've seen was to polish them with lamp black, not sure if you can still buy that stuff.

You can make lamp black = carbon black the same way they used to: burn gas in an oxygen deficient environment and collect the soot in the smoke. It will work with a smoking candle too. They used long sheds with thousands of flames and a conveyor along the top to collect the soot and deliver it to the collectors at the end.

Edited by Spinneyhill (see edit history)
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a very good autobiography by Thomas Dudley Cabot, an early carbon black maker, "Beggar on Horseback". He greatly expanded carbon black production after WWI, much of it going into tires. The Beggar part of it comes from someone at a party calling him "the biggest beggar in Boston" because he was always touting for donations to (i.e. raising funds for) Harvard, at which he studied.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...