Chroming is the finishing touch to a successful restoration.
It is also the nightmare of restorers because it is a significant budget item but, if you want a restoration worthy of the name, you are unfortunately "forced to go through" this "chroming" step.
Many try to escape it by all means and the results are far from famous...
At the Workshop, we tried everything to reduce the cost of this chroming item but nothing really satisfied us.
"Chrome paint" gives a very average result and does not last over time, and even less so on certain "stressed" parts such as rims, for example. Try to make paint stick to the part where the brake pad rubs!
"Sanding the bare part followed by a transparent varnish" or other anti-rust product gives the same result in the long term: the varnish yellows, it peels...
A "slight surfacing of certain chrome parts with 000 steel wool" gives good visual results BUT you should know that if you see rust spots, it means that the initial coating has disappeared... steel wool removes rust but does not put the chrome back! So the operation has to be repeated very often, otherwise the rust spots will reappear very quickly!
In short, you understand, nothing replaces a surface treatment, this is true for a chromed handlebar as well as for a galvanized bolt... if it is rusty it means that the initial coating is gone and the metal is bare.
In the case of chroming, the final result must be as perfect as possible because chromed parts are essentially very visible parts that are there to "flatter" the appearance of the machine. This is why we talk about the finishing touch of a restoration.
However, when we talk about "chroming" and therefore "chrome", we are faced with treatments that can be very different.
Usually, we mainly find "decorative" chroming. This type of chroming shines a lot but not for long!
Indeed, both the treatment and the amount of chrome deposited are small and therefore totally unsuitable for parts used outdoors and heavily used.
As you can imagine, at the Workshop, we have completely skipped decorative chrome plating to focus on quality chrome plating, and that is what we offer you today.
Of course, this chrome treatment is more expensive (and yet....!) but totally explainable:
the good rendering of chrome plating depends on the quality of its polishing. Indeed, after removing the old chrome, the part must be polished to eliminate all imperfections and especially rust spots, small crevices present on the bare metal. Without this long and manual operation, the chrome will have a dull or "pitted" appearance... the opposite result of what is desired for chrome plating!
To resist the outdoors, the chrome plating treatment must be well done and in 3 steps: copper plating of the parts followed by nickel plating and finally a sufficiently thick layer of chrome.
All this requires time, equipment and also total respect for increasingly stringent environmental standards.
But it is also the guarantee of high quality work developed by our partner in this field.
But enough talk, let's move on to the results and especially the photos of some chroming examples!
Here is the chroming of a Solex 3800 handlebar:
and here, the chroming of a good old Solex 45
As you can see, the result is... magnificent!
here the chroming of a complete crankset:
It shines so much that it saturates the camera :)
the chroming of a "headset"
yes, again the chroming of a bell "panel":
On the "moped" side, here is an AV3 handlebar
A Solex bumper:
A headlight cap from a "bleue":
Same for an AV 92
or a cyclosport fuel cap:
Admit it, it makes you want to finish your restoration in the most beautiful way, doesn't it?
Latest information
Chroming or nickel plating?
Nickel plating is generally found on old machines (pre-war). It is often said that nickel plating is the ancestor of chrome plating.
In terms of looks, nickel plating is duller and more "yellow" than chrome plating, which is shinier.
The fact remains that to remain faithful to the original, it is better to make the difference 😉 but, in any case, the treatments are the same, except at the end of course!
Finally, some people wish to have parts copper plated: "mechanical" or decorative parts. This is also possible at L'Atelier.
In all cases, do not hesitate to contact us for more information if you have a project! We will give you the best possible answer to your need.