Cleaning Silvered Plated Lamp Reflectors

[PalAl]

Doing a search I came across an article about Cleaning Silvered Plated Lamp Reflectors from Mr. Bob Bidonde dated December 1999, going to give it a try as my reflectors have a dull like coating on them but appear to have a shine under that film. Thank you Mr. Bob any other tips before I dips?

Any other ideas would be appreciated especially if you have done this and it worked.

Yes... I know I can buy new ones, but where is the fun in that

Thanks

[Russ/40]

Never tried it but have heard "lamp black works".

[PalAl]

Originally Posted by Russ/40

Never tried it but have heard "lamp black works".

Russ I am not familiar with this product, do you have a source or picture of "Lamp Black" what is this stuff?

[Bob Johnson]

Alternative method.


Get an aluminum pot big enough to hold the reflector. Fill it with water and several tablespoons of baking soda. Put the reflector in the pot and boil the water. There will be a chemical reaction between the aluminum and the silver sulfide. The reflector should be shiny again.


Bob

[daveymc29]

So how long do I boil the soda water? Let it sit to cool or wash it off with cold water? Just trying to not overlook something and ruin what I have.

Thanks

[Ruth]

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Originally Posted by PalAl

Doing a search I came across an article about Cleaning Silvered Plated Lamp Reflectors from Mr. Bob Bidonde dated December 1999

It would be nice if you posted a link to this article so others don't have to search.

[PalAl]

Originally Posted by Ruth

It would be nice if you posted a link to this article so others don't have to search.

You Sir are absolutely right!
I have thought the same thing many times after an exhausting search, my bad

Here is the link to the article

http://www.fordgarage.com/pages/reflectorcleaning.htm

[CA Victoria]

My 2 cents:
I don’t doubt the process works but I can tell you that when I tried it I was not satisfied. The reflectors were not pristine to begin with but ended up un-usable. I take credit but I am not sure what I did wrong, it removed some of the tarnish but lost its luster.

I sent them to Craig Riker to be re silvered, he is very reasonable.

[Oldbluoval]

Did he actually resilver or chrome them? Big difference believe it or not
Yes Craig is reasonable but best of all very good! Best of two worlds!

[Badpuppy]

Tried the boiling water & Al foil, didn't work well. Guess the water didn't stay hot enough.
Read online the jewelry buffs use salted lemon juice. Tried white vinegar & salt, tarnish wiped off easily with a soft cloth.

[Badpuppy]

Originally Posted by PalAl

Russ I am not familiar with this product, do you have a source or picture of "Lamp Black" what is this stuff?

Lamp black/carbon black is basically plain old chimney soot. Pure carbon powder, probably sold by chemical suppliers.

[Jim M]

Not sure what he used buy I sent him my light reflectors and they came back looking like they just came out of the factory. VERY satisified and a great gentleman. Had the good fortune to meet Craig at the fall sale in Harrisburg, PA.

[McMimmcs]

Originally Posted by CA Victoria

My 2 cents:
I don’t doubt the process works but I can tell you that when I tried it I was not satisfied. The reflectors were not pristine to begin with but ended up un-usable. I take credit but I am not sure what I did wrong, it removed some of the tarnish but lost its luster.

I sent them to Craig Riker to be re silvered, he is very reasonable.

I also had unsatisfactory results. What was the cost of resilvering or should I buy new ones from Steve.

[chrs1961815]

I believe a lot of the tarnishing comes from incorrect gaskets on the headlamp. The cork gasket should make it very hard to snap that ring in. It almost makes it like an air tight seal. If done right, you should not have to clean them for years.

[100IH]

I think that you'd be lucky to find a reflector that no one has ever touched before you got there. The coatings are thin and won't stand any abrasive, or even a finger print.

[PalAl]

Ok.... The boiling water and aluminum foil scared me...
so here is what I did and it worked well for me
I used Tarn-X and then applied a coat of wax, so far it looks good
Hope it doesn't dissolve in a puff of smoke overnight

[Bob Johnson]

Here is a picture of a headlight on a car that sat in a barn since the mid 1960s, over 50 years. The silver is still very shiny.


Bob

[shew01]

Originally Posted by PalAl

Russ I am not familiar with this product, do you have a source or picture of "Lamp Black" what is this stuff?

Here is a link.


https://www.etsy.com/listing/4748980...SABEgJh4_D_BwE


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PalAl]

Thanks Shew01, another day of learning, this is used as a polishing compound I assume

[CWPASADENA]

Originally Posted by CA Victoria

I sent them to Craig Riker to be re silvered, he is very reasonable.

I have my reflectors ready to be re-silvered and the shop I have used in the past is no longer in business. Could you post Craig Riker's contact information?

Thanks,

Chris W.

[PalAl]

Morning Chris, I found this info on an old Barn post from 2012, hope it helps.

1. www.queencityplating.com Queen City Plating 425-315-1992 (Washington)
2. www.frankfordplatinginc.com Frankford Plating, Inc (Pennsylvania)
3. [email protected] Craig Riker 419-290-4442 (Ohio)
4. www.nu-chrome.com Nu-Chrome (Massachusetts)

The link below may have some helpful information
You may have to copy and paste the link

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70412

[McMimmcs]

Originally Posted by PalAl

Morning Chris, I found this info on an old Barn post from 2012, hope it helps.

1. www.queencityplating.com Queen City Plating 425-315-1992 (Washington)
2. www.frankfordplatinginc.com Frankford Plating, Inc (Pennsylvania)
3. [email protected] Craig Riker 419-290-4442 (Ohio)
4. www.nu-chrome.com Nu-Chrome (Massachusetts)

The link below may have some helpful information
You may have to copy and paste the link

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70412

What is the cost excluding shipping ?

[Jack Shaft]

Lamp black?knew a kid who poured some in a neighbors swimming pool..that stuff is insidious..

[Badpuppy]

Originally Posted by PalAl

Thanks Shew01, another day of learning, this is used as a polishing compound I assume

The instruction book says to polish the reflectors with lamp black and a soft cloth, as I recall.

[Russ/40]

Post 18 for the lamp-black. I think you can make your own by lighting an acetylene torch and not giving the flame any oxygen. You let it build up on the reflector surface and with a soft cloth polish it. You end up with a super-fine carbon abrasive.

[Jeff/Illinois]

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I've used Magic Wadding Polish but go easy with it. Don't get aggressive and rub hard take it slow.

Also wipe in straight lines from the bottom out to the edge, don't wipe in a circle following around the reflector.

Best thing to do is probably either have them re-silvered, like you are going to do, or buy Bratton's reflectors. Strange as it sounds I kind of like the look of them yellowed a little looks more authentic and antique.

[McMimmcs]

Originally Posted by Jack Shaft

Lamp black?knew a kid who poured some in a neighbors swimming pool..that stuff is insidious..

“ insidious” Meaning what ?

[Jim M]

This is the last ifno I had: [email protected] Craig Riker 419-290-4442 (Ohio)

Well worth looking into...GREAT guy!

[31Tudor]

I had Craig do mine maybe 3 years ago and they were $55.00 each. Came out beautiful.

[J Franklin]

Originally Posted by Jack Shaft

Lamp black?knew a kid who poured some in a neighbors swimming pool..that stuff is insidious..

Sorry for the hijack but it reminded me of a time in my youth. We got to a cheesy motel in the Mohavie desert in the middle of summer, sign said POOL! That pool was a color towards a few shades of green! I noticed a bottle of tidy-bowl blue under the sink and tossed it in the pool that evening. Wow we were surprised how wonderful that pool looked the next morning, and we all took a cooling swim. It is funny what a bottle of bleach and bluing will do. I wonder what the manager of the place thought had transpired?

[McMimmcs]

Originally Posted by 31Tudor

I had Craig do mine maybe 3 years ago and they were $55.00 each. Came out beautiful.

Thanks for the price guesstimate!

[harleycontracter]

DON"T USE NU CHROME He's a rip off . Sent him a 47-53 Chevy grille guard. Kept putting me off NEVER got it back !! After a year a did a deep search on him Went out of business and has all kinds of lawsuits He's like 80 and a rip off artist BEWARE !!!!!!!!

[katy]

Anyone try "Silvo" silver polish?

[CWPASADENA]

Originally Posted by PalAl

Morning Chris, I found this info on an old Barn post from 2012, hope it helps.

1. www.queencityplating.com Queen City Plating 425-315-1992 (Washington)
2. www.frankfordplatinginc.com Frankford Plating, Inc (Pennsylvania)
3. [email protected] Craig Riker 419-290-4442 (Ohio)
4. www.nu-chrome.com Nu-Chrome (Massachusetts)

The link below may have some helpful information
You may have to copy and paste the link

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70412

Thanks very much for the info. This is a big help.

Chris W.