How-tos of dechroming

I hate to answer your question with a question, but could we have 'the why' first, Larry? :-)

Because the thing is, if we don't yet know why you are dechroming these parts, we don't know which technology you should be considering: alkaline electrolytic stripping, acid stripping, or abrasive blasting. And when you say you are de-chroming, you are probably also intending to strip the underlying nickel plating--which involves other technologies, with their own hazards. When you speak of hazards to look for, I don't know whether you are talking about personal exposure hazards, or risks to the well being of the parts you wish to strip. Please tell us what you want to do with the stripped parts (replate them, powder coat them, paint them, etc.) and why, and we can hopefully help you better. Thanks!

A. It sounds like these are aluminum alloy rims and the aluminum is corroding underneath the plating. Stripping the old finish requires multiple steps because there are multiple layers. The chrome is stripped with hydrochloric acid, and the underlying nickel is stripped with nitric acid. There may be copper underneath that, which probably must be stripped with a proprietary ammonia-based stripper.

You probably are on the right track looking for a shop that can strip them for you. A shop that also offers anodizing would be an ideal choice, although there is no guarantee that the underlying aluminum can be aesthetically anodized, so you may need to go with painting or powder coating Good luck. Look up plating shops in your yellow pages or in our Directory of Shops. Good luck.

A. Hi Marc. Sanding or blasting should work. Solvents won't remove metals. Acid will remove chrome but not the underlying nickel (slight simplification, but close enough for the answer you need I think). Good luck.

A. Hi , I know you have probably done this by now but the simplest and safest way of de-chroming anything is to have non-conductive bath (i.e. plastic) that will accept your item to be de-chromed , fill to cover with water and throw in a couple of heaped handfuls of ordinary household soda crystals put the item you want de-chromed in this solution with a lead from a battery (6 or 12 volts) positive terminal , attach the negative lead from the battery to an old junk piece of clean metal and put in bath, not touching and leave for a few minutes, this will only remove chrome! best of luck , Ken

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Hi. A problem with Ken's suggestion, though, is that the chrome comes off as hexavalent chrome (you'll see the yellow to amber color). Hexavalent chrome is the stuff that made Erin Brockovich famous.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
August 2016

A. No, the reference was to washing soda [on eBay or Amazon] . This procedure probably should not be attempted by a person untrained in hazardous materials operations though. As already mentioned, it generates hexavalent chromium. Chrome metal is harmless, but when you electrolytically create toxic, carcinogenic, hexavalent chromium, well that's something else.

A. Hello, Tim. Kenneth is suggesting that the vat which holds the stripping solution must be non-conductive (plastic for example). As he says, this process will remove the chrome plating, but not the underlying nickel plating (please see our Chrome Plating Tutorial to understand the difference).

Please be aware that this process will leave you with a vat full of hexavalent chromium in solution -- the toxic stuff that made Erin Brokovich famous.

A. Hi from England, just a quick tip I found that works for de-chroming, I use a small angle grinder [on eBay or Amazon] with an abrasive flap wheel in, go carefully and you can remove chrome,nickel and the copper, wear a dust mask though it's a dusty job, best done outside the workshop.

A. Hi Dave. The nickel and chrome on the tanks is of no value for anything. It's probably best to lightly sandblast to remove the chrome and etch the nickel, then use an etching primer before your topcoat.

Regards,