How to Clean Chrome on Vintage Drums
Vintage is a term often used interchangeably with antique, yet while antique is 25 years or older, vintage can refer to materials produced within the past two decades. No matter the era of its production, chrome can dull over time. Shiny chrome adds a special sparkle to a drum set, the reason chrome and chrome-plating was used by the manufacturer in the first place. Polishing your vintage drum's chrome parts is not difficult but will require careful attention.
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Things You'll Need
- Fine-grade steel wool, such as #0000 Cleaner-wax, metal polish or window cleaner Rags of 100 percent cotton
Instructions
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Choose your cleaner. You can use a mild-ammonia window cleaning solution like Windex, metal polishes such as Nevr-Dull, Flitz or Remove (by Mirandy) or a cleaner-wax such as Meguiars Cleaner/Wax. Often the metal surfaces are not real chrome but rather electroplating. Some experts recommend against using steel wool on chrome at all, and say instead to use only a soft cloth. In either case, the polish or cleaner you choose should do the work, not the rag or wool.
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Disassemble the drums if possible, so you can clean the chrome without the risk of scratching the shell finish. Place small pieces such as tension rod washers in a container to avoid losing them. Disassembling will allow you to thoroughly clean the entire drum as well.
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Apply your chosen cleaner to the rag or steel wool first. Then apply the rag or steel wool to the chrome. Buffing properly takes time and patience. The more you rub, the shinier the surface will become.
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Reassemble the drum. Dust frequently with a feather-duster or clean soft cotton rag to maintain cleanliness, and cover the drums when not in use.
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Tips & Warnings
Never use cleaners in direct sunlight. Use only fine-grade steel wool to buff chrome, such as #0000. Rougher grades can add permanent scratches.
Bill Detamore, president of Pork Pie Percussion, says not to use polishes or wax to clean drums because they can leave a residue under the lugs, tags and claw hooks. He recommends you use only 100 percent cotton rags to clean drums (old flannel shirts work well). Consider that drum kit finishes scratch easily, so you need to clean them gently. If you use a spray cleaner, spray the rag, not the surface to be cleaned, to avoid gumming up the moving parts. Mr. Detamore also says that once chrome is pitted with rust, no amount of polishing will bring it back to new.
Resources
- Photo Credit 05-20-08 © Roberto A Sanchez
