Chrome on the hardware

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

This Rhodes sloop I got my hands on had about 1/4 or less of the hardware rechromed. I looked into getting the rest rechromed, and the cost is a bit more than I can cough up.

So, Is it tacky to have half polished bronze, and half chrome plated hardware, and if it is, how can I get the chrome off of the stuff that has been chromed?

Thanks again folks,
:cool: Thad

[John B]

You take it to the chromers and ask him to remove it. I took a bucket load of fittings along a few years ago. They reverse the polarity or some such arcane thing and it drops off.

[Bob Cleek]

John's got the answer there. Just make sure the chromed stuff is really bronze! LOL Sometimes it can surprise you. Once the chrome is gone, you can let it all go to pot and "develop a patina." Traditionally, you polish only the brass (clocks, lamps and bells), not the bronze.

[capt jake]

I think Cleek is right on. I entered into this discussion a while back. Be sure what is under the chrome, probably is Brass. Which you will have to polish. smile.gif

[Rich VanValkenburg]

You could do like I did, and get a few parts rechromed every 3 or 4 months with the secret stash of cash ratholed out of each paycheck. (she never missed it) :D

[John B]

BRASS! surely not.? Anyone who puts a brass fitting , intended to take load ,on a Rhodes sloop or any other keel yacht should be condemned to a lifetime living with Martha. If it's a stem fitting, gooseneck, fairlead yada yada it will be one of the bronzes. Please tell me it's so.

[bob goeckel]

just go down to lowes and get a can of chrome spraypaint. no one will know. trust me on this!

[bugeye]

hi,
Boy, I know that this is pure opinion, but for the love of God, don't put chrome on that boat. It's just so wrong!

[Bark]

Again, just an opinion, but I agree with Bugeye. I think bronze with patina looks so much better than chrome on a traditional boat. I have something of a mix on my boat, but my goal is to ultimately replace all chrome with bronze.

[Bob Cleek]

I happened across an interesting comment when researching something in one of my ancient boatbuilding books last night. I think it was something L.Francis Herreshoff wrote, but I can't be sure. (Seems LFH gets credited or blamed for saying a lot of things he never said... e.g. the famous "frozen snot" misquote.) Anyhow, the comment was simply, "Chromed metal has no place whatsoever on a boat!" All my metal (bronze) is brushed chrome. Maybe it was once shiny chrome, but I can't be sure. I'd have to agree. Chrome sucks. If I wanted to restore chrome, I'd be restoring old Chevies!

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

Thanks guys, That's what I had hoped you'd say.

here's the bigger question, will the boat be Kirby's #12, bottle green, or #14, bronze green? :cool: