Polishing out fine scratches on chrome picture frame

[Ed209]

I am a picture framer and have had to take and put back several times a large picture (movie poster size) that is framed with a thin 10mm wide chrome plated frame, where I have dismantled/re assembled several Times there are now a few very fine scratches on the frame. I have tried very fine 3M polishing paper that I got for guitar fret polishing and also some jewellers red polishing past, nothing is really working also tried some 000 wire wool, I think I may have reduced the scratches a bit but at the cost of nearly wearing by thumb down to the bone. So looking for suggestions I noticed the likes of Dremel do a polishing kit, it would not be practical to take the frame to a wheel I would need something to use on the assembled picture. The chrome plating is probably very thin. It would be used again as it’s quite a common problem regardless of how carefully you handle the material.

 

[thetyreman]

get some 0000 not 000 steel wool you want the finest grade you can get, if that doesn't work I'll be surprised.

 

[mwinfrance]

Forgive what may be a silly question, but have you tried actual chrome polish? like autosol.
If the scratches are too deep for autosol to work immediately, try knocking them back with 3M Scotch cloth pads used gently, ( they will "matt" glass ) I think the white one is the finest "grain" , too dark here ATM to go out to the atelier to check my box of 3M stuff , and then polish to a shine with autosol.

 

[Johnwa]

Us cheapo's used to pinch the gaffers CIF ( used to be Jif) for getting scratches out of chrome on the car, worked surprisingly well!

 

[pe2dave]

Finer than 000 wire wool? Try and find 'micro-mesh'.
Paper goes down to 12000 (pen nibs) but also includes abrasive paste
supposedly used on airplane screens (perspex). Might be useful.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

https://www.beaufortink.co.uk/finis...cromesh-soft-touch-abrasive-pads-variety-pack
Available elsewhere.

 

[Lons]

Hi Ed
As Dave said my go to would be micro-mesh. I make pens so use it regularly but have also used it to polish out scratches on my watch glass and various other little jobs. It's used in the jewellery trade but if you do a search for pen kit suppliers many sell a kit of small size pads through the grades. Axminster also sell as in the link below but you might well find it cheaper. Look on ebay as well. The pads last a long time if not abused btw .
https://www.axminstertools.com/micro-mesh-soft-touch-pad-abrasives-211364
EDIT Phil beat me to it and you get very fast delivery from Beaufort.

 

[pe2dave]

Amazon sell the 'kit' which includess 7x4" sheets and the liquid.
(Better value than the pads @Lons ?)

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Depends how much you're going to use it.
Hunt around - my pads are twice that size and were cheaper but that was a couple of years ago.

 

[Lons]

I bought mine a ling time ago in full size sheets as there was someone on ebay selling them off very cheaply. I only posted the Axi link as an example what to search for and did say might find them cheaper elsewhere.

 

[Sideways]

Chrome plate is hard. I'd expect abrasives to work but wouldn't expect wire wool to be very effective as it's relatively soft.
Beware though, my grandad had an old black Vauxhall back in the 60's that had tail fins, a visor above the windscreen and lots of chrome. He polished it with autosol to the point where he started to wear some of the chrome out.

 

[Phill05]

Scrunch up some aluminium foil and rub dry.