So what is good for cleaning a nickel finish? The 1960 Pioneer snare I just bought has nickel plated hardware.....hoops, strainer...etc....and I swear the lugs are nickel plated also...going by the shine.

I have used 0000 steel wool to clean light rust from stands with great results. The micro scratches only show up...to me...under a flash when taking pictures.

Here's my take on these different cleaning idea's:

0000 steel wool: I use it all the time. However I do NOT rub hard. I also use it in conjunction with a cleaning or polishing agent, depending on how nasty the item in question is.

Brass brush: Same as above.

Cheap wash rags: You know those wash rags that feel like sandpaper? Walmart or K-Mart specials.

Soft shop rags: Better quality wash rags (chucked by the wife) or soft shop rags (Harbor Freight has 'em cheap).

Cotton buffing wheel and rouge.

Chamois: Best polishing thingy I've found. For final wipe downs and shining.

The whole thing comes down to just how nasty stinky dirty the item to be cleaned is. At the moment I'm cleaning up an old CB-700 kit that had lived partially outside for a while. They were covered, the shells stayed dry, but the metal work is... bad. For the rims, or should I say round rusticles, I'm using a bench grinder with a brass wheel on one side and a cotton buffing wheel on the other. Do I suggest using a brass wheel on a vintage American part? No, but if you know the item is going to be kinda poopy anyway... that will fix it. Other times I can do it with the same cotton wheel that's been charged with red or yellow rouge. The old Pearl kit I just finished cleaning up was easy. I used the rough wash rags and an ammonia and water mix. Polished them with a chamois... they look great. It all depends on the item to be cleaned. For nickel stuff I'd never use anything other than the rouge. Maybe a Windex wipe down if it's nasty.

I have a pair of vintage slingy cymbal stands. I had them traded for some flat based luddys, so I cleaned them up real good before the trade. I told the fellow forum member that I cleaned them up real good with chrome cleaner and a scotch pad, all of the sudden he decided he had a use for his luddy stands. I didnt realize at the time that steel wool or a scotch pad are taboo to clleaning chrome on vintage drum hardware. I use neverdull wadding. It really gets the rust off of chrome and doesnt ruin a good vintage stand. If you use steel wool on drum chrome, be sure you disclose that to a buyer if you ever sell it. You wont get much interest if you do. Its about as bad as a extra hole in a drum.

I am with Jaye and ddrumman2004, I still think there is no harm in cleaning chrome with fine steel wool. I think of it this way: If the stand has rust and it will never look "new" again anyway....why not make it look better? What's worse, microscopic scratches that are not detectable with the human eye or rust and neglect?

Plus, I am not a "vintage stand as museum piece" kind of guy. I actually use and enjoy my stands on gigs. I want them to look as good as they can of course (that's why I "shine" them up with steel wool), but I am not worried about their "collector's value". The only value that matters is the value they have to YOU, the owner. If I enjoy them and love them, then I don't really care what their "value" is to someone else.

Neverdull Wadding removes rust very well.

OK........try this.....

take a nasty,dime a dozen, Ludwig or Slingerland lug..........(spring/felt taken out)

"Clean" it under water with a SOS or Brillo pad............

Clean for 15-30 seconds........ dry it..

Now look at it,and get back on here and see what you think?

Ready for the trash or looks almost new?Coffee Break2

I would hope people are using finer grades of steel wool than SOS pads, #00 or finer.

[IMG]http://www.briwaxwoodcare.com/images%20steel%20wool/RhodesChart%5B1%5D.jpg[/IMG]

Scott

But if I can get the same part just as clean and just as easily with a non-abrasive cleaner, why should I use an abrasive?

Thats excatly how I feel.

just a note on beater steel u can use a wire brush it dont matter just remember steel against steel will change the way it looks i like to use the real fine soft scrubby pads for fine finish in automotive trade it does a better job of polishing and i like to use the fines rubbing compound before the polish