No, I have never done that. I did once have a really thin chrome sticker that I placed over a bad spot on a snare drum to cover up some hand engraving of a number.

The sticker was a close match to the shell and it reflected the same as the shell.

The paint will never look correct, because you will have to blend it into the chrome and it will probably look dull. If you tape it off you will end up with an edge.

Then again for a quick fix I can see it working. Maybe they have improved chrome spray paint. I have not tried it in a long time.

Let me know what you do and the process you end up with.

David

I work in the rapid protyping industry and we are always experimenting with new paints and processes. Although the newest "chrome" paints are better than a few years ago, they are ok for start to finish full coverage jobs, but not good for touch-ups on real chrome. I've head some luck in the past minimizing small imperfections on chrome parts by using 0000 steel wool and Windex, then coating the entire surface with a thin coat of clear gloss spray. The steel wool polishes the small pits or spots to bare metal, which lessens their appearance, thus blending a little more with the chrome. The clear paint helps protect against further tarnishing of the bare areas. Of course the best option is a true strip and re-chrome, which can be rather expensive. You might check with your local chrome shop or bumper refinishing shop. Sometimes if you can wait a while, they can do it with a batch of other things, which can often minimize the price due to the fact that they aren't utilizing the process tanks for just one item. I've never had a drum plated, but bike parts and small bumper items usually cost from $30 to $100 each.

I have had really good luck also with the 0000 steel wool....that stuff is just magic on chrome. Unless you have actual peeling, you will be amazed how well it works. I have a chrome hoop that I was almost ready to throw away when I saw its condition. After steel wool, its almost mint....just a couple very small areas which the undersurface is barely noticeable. Keep in mind that older hardware is often chromed multiple times and usually cleans up better than you would expect.

Cool Dude

Hi guys, what if the surface of the chrome is scratched very badly, let's say from someone trying to polish a certain area that had a small amount of pitting, using Noxon metal cleaner and an old toothbrush, but all that resulted were metal scratch marks from someone scrubbing the surface too hard! What can be used to try and remove those darn scratches from a chrome metal surface? Any info would be great. Thank you. Phil Cormier Fitchburg, Mass 01420

Hi Phil,

In my experience, there is nothing you can do to remove deep scratches in chrome, short of re-chroming. Even small scratches are almost impossible to get out. You might try polishing with increasingly finer grades of steel wool all the way to 0000. The risk is that you will damage the surrounding chrome and it will end up looking worse. Any abrasive will damage the chrome.

I have heard from car guys that this product, Nevrdull, can remove small scratches...

http://www.edish.com/e/nevrdull.asp

I was thinking of trying it myself.

As an aside, I have seen pieces where people have tried to remove stick on labels with a scraper or razor blade and totally scratched and ruined the chrome. Always remove stickers chemically with paint remover, laquer thinner, etc. Chrome will pretty much stand up to any solvent. Just do it in a well ventilated space.