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Creative => How-To => Topic started by: Wolf Knight on May 07, 2010, 07:40:01

Title: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 07, 2010, 07:40:01
Hi all,

Is there a way to polish, and /or remove dirt off the chrome armor of the old Nuremburg guards???
I know its been discussed before but I wander if regular soap will do the job...and maybe a kind of spray....Oh well, i'll just experiment again...
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: playmofire on May 07, 2010, 07:51:46
Hi all,

Is there a way to polish, and /or remove dirt off the chrome armor of the old Nuremburg guards???
I know its been discussed before but I wander if regular soap will do the job...and maybe a kind of spray....Oh well, i'll just experiment again...

Other than warm water and mild soap I wouldn't consider using anything else aprt from a clean soft cloth.  Polishes may well remove the chrome entirely; that was my experience with the "gold" fireman's helmet anyway.
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on May 07, 2010, 12:28:36
BE CAREFUL :o! Do not use any types of solvents on these delicate plated surfaces! As Gordon has mentioned I have had the gold plating disappear from the old commander fire helmets in sets 3526, 3525 by being too aggressive in cleaning procedures! Water & baby shampoo, that is PH balanced removes plain dirt. Stains, or other contaminants are a different story!
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 07, 2010, 13:22:44
What if i remove chrome completely (some huge chunks are already missing as the person who had them earlier thought of it being a good idea to stick the stickers on the chrome plates.... :doh: :0 ) and then use a chrome spay paint to paint them again.... ::) ::) ::)
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on May 07, 2010, 13:30:14
What if i remove chrome completely (some huge chunks are already missing as the person who had them earlier thought of it being a good idea to stick the stickers on the chrome plates.... :doh: :0 ) and then use a chrome spay paint to paint them again.... ::) ::) ::)

I have painted some parts having the same problem using Krylon Premium Silver Foil Metallic paint #1060 Silver Foil. It says it will work on plastics, & I have had great success using it! You need to remove all of the old chrome coating to make the new application smooth. It looks just like the factory applied coating. An 8 ounce spray can here, costs $5.00 to $6.00.
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Gepetto on May 07, 2010, 14:17:02
I have painted some parts having the same problem using Krylon Premium Silver Foil Metallic paint #1060 Silver Foil. It says it will work on plastics, & I have had great success using it! You need to remove all of the old chrome coating to make the new application smooth. It looks just like the factory applied coating. An 8 ounce spray can here, costs $5.00 to $6.00.

Thank you Bill, that is very interesting information! Did you prime first?
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on May 07, 2010, 14:31:36
Thank you Bill, that is very interesting information! Did you prime first?

Primer is recommended, but I don't like to use primer due to excessive layer build up distorting fine details. I was sure to remove any prior coating by using wet & dry sandpaper  in increments of 1000 to 3000 grits making sure the surfaces are completely smooth. The paint adhered without any problems. Correct preparation is essential!
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 07, 2010, 18:49:00
excuse me guys, what is a primer??? and how do i prime???  :-[ i got the chrome spray and i'll start removing the old coating this weekend...and then...paint anew....
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on May 07, 2010, 23:25:33
excuse me guys, what is a primer??? and how do i prime???  :-[ i got the chrome spray and i'll start removing the old coating this weekend...and then...paint anew....

Primer is a non shiny type of paint base coat that helps to cover imperfections & adhere to the prepped surface to which paint sticks to. I don't normally use it.
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 08, 2010, 06:24:32
Primer is a non shiny type of paint base coat that helps to cover imperfections & adhere to the prepped surface to which paint sticks to. I don't normally use it.

Oh i get it!! Thank you Bill!!!
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 08, 2010, 07:56:02
Right...so i woke up this morning...and started on two projects...here is the first...(i'll post the other one on another thread)...

I gathered some of my worn off chrome parts (either from time, sun, dust, stickers you call it)
(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x335/Baldthar/Chrome%20-%20restoring%20armour/DSC00936.jpg)
and started rubbing them with silvo and enamel thiner....great combination btw....   (actually it struk me how diffently the various parts were originally produced by playmobil....yellow plastic???? grey???? blackish....even no color on the plastic whatsoever...but the texture of the chrome was also different....you'll notice on the yellow plate the chrome was like one of those thin sheet foil layers used...this was easier to pull off with band aid (great method btw Richard!!! Thank you very much) while on other parts the chrome was actually some kind of paint....
(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x335/Baldthar/Chrome%20-%20restoring%20armour/DSC00945.jpg)

Anyway, i sank the parts in a small container filled with silvo and thinner.....
(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x335/Baldthar/Chrome%20-%20restoring%20armour/DSC00937.jpg)
(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x335/Baldthar/Chrome%20-%20restoring%20armour/DSC00938.jpg)
.... and after a while I rub a little more....

....i cleaned a part and prepared it for painting...
(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x335/Baldthar/Chrome%20-%20restoring%20armour/DSC00942.jpg)
...sprayed it, and as i write these words waiting for it to get dry...
(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x335/Baldthar/Chrome%20-%20restoring%20armour/DSC00943.jpg)

I do this project as i have about 30 or so Nuremburg guards and most of them i have since childhood...After seeing Richard's Thornrose Castle and the guards there I got green with envy and wanted my guards to have the same shine they once used to have!!!!
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: playmo1989 on May 08, 2010, 15:34:06
nice thought pano!!!!1 ;) but why did you removed the color for painting them again you could spray on the old paint or betterly :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: paint the black ones silver!!!!!!
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 08, 2010, 18:05:51
nice thought pano!!!!1 ;) but why did you removed the color for painting them again you could spray on the old paint or betterly :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: paint the black ones silver!!!!!!

You need to remove original paint so that the new one will look smoother on the plastic....and avoid any boobly look on the surface...
I need the darker ones for other projects Alex!!! ;)
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 08, 2010, 18:13:18
I think this thread needs to be renamed to ''restoring chrome plated armor''....

Ok so, i've learned from experience.... never touch it before 5 hours have past....even if the spray can tell you its alright to touch after 20 minutes.... >:(
(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x335/Baldthar/Chrome%20-%20restoring%20armour/DSC00944.jpg)
I lined them all up,painted them gently ...do not squeeze hard and do not spray too much paint..it'll start drooling....
(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x335/Baldthar/Chrome%20-%20restoring%20armour/DSC00946.jpg)
(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x335/Baldthar/Chrome%20-%20restoring%20armour/DSC00947.jpg)
And after five hours or so, still hold the parts gently....we have the restored armor pieces we need...
(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x335/Baldthar/Chrome%20-%20restoring%20armour/DSC00948.jpg)
As you look the image, the left one is the restored one.... the right one is an original one.... this spray is not as shiny as the original chrome coating but it works....
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: playmo1989 on May 08, 2010, 18:27:26
You need to remove original paint so that the new one will look smoother on the plastic....and avoid any boobly look on the surface...
I need the darker ones for other projects Alex!!! ;)
you can find plenty of the black on ebay and cheap so you could paint them but you said those were destroyed from time that you painted!! so well used !!i'am gonna do this too has a nice result!!!!!!! ;) ;) ;) ;)
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Sylvia on May 08, 2010, 20:54:56

I think this thread needs to be renamed to ''restoring chrome plated armor''....

I've renamed it for you. :)
Really fabulous results! The old stuff looks just like new again. 8-)
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 08, 2010, 21:53:08
I've renamed it for you. :)
Really fabulous results! The old stuff looks just like new again. 8-)

Thank you Sylvia!!! Much appreciated!! Glad you like the result!!!  :wave: :wave: :wave:
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Lindama on May 09, 2010, 00:10:43
Looks fabulous! Thanks for the tips.
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on May 09, 2010, 04:59:51
Great results for your first try :)9!
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 09, 2010, 06:31:51
Looks fabulous! Thanks for the tips.

Thank you Lindama, Here is another tip.... Do not let your children use these materials.... They are dangeous if you inhale too much and for you  if you suffer from asthma or any other kind of breathing problems... or you might just get strong headaches
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 09, 2010, 06:33:58
Great results for your first try :)9!

Thank you Bill. I am trying to spay as thinner as a spray layer can get....otherwise its very drooling...this is the hardest part...perhaps with an airbrush...which i have never used myself....
Another problem i had was that some of the origina chrome is not comming off!?!?!?
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: AndrewL on May 09, 2010, 11:25:40
Hi Wolf Knight,

Very interesting thread, and congratulations on getting what look like some excellent results!

I've got a load of old chrome-plated accessories lying about, all in pretty bad shape. I'd never have thought of trying to restore the chrome look! I'm not sure I'll try this myself -- I've never had any luck with painting, but I'm very glad this has worked so well for you.

Do you think you could try try this with torsos/bodies from old knights? The 'chrome' on the few first-generation knights I still have has also suffered. Just a thought...

Cheers,

AndrewL
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: playmofire on May 09, 2010, 11:30:03
You've done a great job there, Panos.  Well done!   :clap: :clap: :clap:
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: skypurr on May 09, 2010, 12:06:36
Great results Panos,   :wow: the restored pieces look very good.
Thank you for such a detailed description.  :clap:

Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 09, 2010, 14:42:59
Hi Wolf Knight,

Very interesting thread, and congratulations on getting what look like some excellent results!

I've got a load of old chrome-plated accessories lying about, all in pretty bad shape. I'd never have thought of trying to restore the chrome look! I'm not sure I'll try this myself -- I've never had any luck with painting, but I'm very glad this has worked so well for you.

Do you think you could try try this with torsos/bodies from old knights? The 'chrome' on the few first-generation knights I still have has also suffered. Just a thought...

Cheers,

AndrewL

I have a couple of those Andrew and i think i can make it...its the same work actually and i have painted torsos and egs for other projects with various colours.... Yes it can happen...
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 09, 2010, 14:43:53
You've done a great job there, Panos.  Well done!   :clap: :clap: :clap:

Thank you Gordon!!!  :wave: :wave: I really wanted to give them their ''old shine'' shine back  ;) !!
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 09, 2010, 14:44:50
Great results Panos,   :wow: the restored pieces look very good.
Thank you for such a detailed description.  :clap:



Thank you Elaine!! Glad you enjoyed it!!! I'll post an image latter with all of them... :D :D :D
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 09, 2010, 16:43:01
The first banch is ready!!!! I will do a few more next weekend!!!
(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x335/Baldthar/Chrome%20-%20restoring%20armour/DSC00958.jpg)
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: AndrewL on May 09, 2010, 19:50:48
Hi Wolf Knight,

Excellent! They look fantastic -- excellent work!

AndrewL
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 09, 2010, 20:21:32
Hi Wolf Knight,

Excellent! They look fantastic -- excellent work!

AndrewL

Thank you Andrew!!! It was a project long postponed and finally coming into completion!!!
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Gepetto on May 11, 2010, 04:33:17
Excellent job Panos!  :clap: Your step by step instructions are also wonderful, I did not think you would be able to restore this armor to such a degree, well done!  :clap: :clap:
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 11, 2010, 05:34:59
Thank you Gepetto!!! The key to success is trial and error!! It makes you want to achieve perfect results!!!  :wave: :wave:
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Giorginetto on May 13, 2010, 13:03:46
Excellent job Sir Wolf. I admire your patience and the end result is fantastic. i want to buy lots of these guards !!!!!  :love: :love: :love: :love:
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 13, 2010, 17:58:45
Excellent job Sir Wolf. I admire your patience and the end result is fantastic. i want to buy lots of these guards !!!!!  :love: :love: :love: :love:

Thank you Giorginetto!!! It was a project that wanted to do for such a long time now.... It pained me to see them loosing their color but then it now pains me (a bit) not to see the marks I made on them as a child!!!
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Giorginetto on May 14, 2010, 12:45:53
Thank you Giorginetto!!! It was a project that wanted to do for such a long time now.... It pained me to see them loosing their color but then it now pains me (a bit) not to see the marks I made on them as a child!!!

I have come to a conclusion about this specific silver plated colour .. The root cause for making it fade away is direct sunlight . I have a large number of silver painted items orginal , candlesticks, plates, crowns etc and they have been in treasure chests since i bought them in the late 70s and early 80s. Guess what .. They are mint.. Also most of my nuremberg knights which 95% of their time since they were opened were in the dark ( i always set my sets in rooms with no direct sunlight etc , lights on onl;y when i physically set or play with them ) , they are in very good condition . A couple of them that were on display are very very faded. I blame the sun for it .. Lovely work Sir Wolf , this , the church etc etc are surely impressive  0)
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 14, 2010, 13:01:42
I have come to a conclusion about this specific silver plated colour .. The root cause for making it fade away is direct sunlight . I have a large number of silver painted items orginal , candlesticks, plates, crowns etc and they have been in treasure chests since i bought them in the late 70s and early 80s. Guess what .. They are mint.. Also most of my nuremberg knights which 95% of their time since they were opened were in the dark ( i always set my sets in rooms with no direct sunlight etc , lights on onl;y when i physically set or play with them ) , they are in very good condition . A couple of them that were on display are very very faded. I blame the sun for it .. Lovely work Sir Wolf , this , the church etc etc are surely impressive  0)

There are more at works Giorginetto!!! The original chrome is also a rusult of finger touching and playware...Don'd forget skin oil can be very damaging for these parts...
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Giorginetto on May 14, 2010, 13:30:45
I am sure there is Sir Wolf !!! But i know for a fact than sunlight is a big enemy of playmobil colours !!!! And thast one big reason i keep them in the dark and when they are set its done in places where there is no direct sunlight.. Watch out for the sun !!! I bet these new dragon sets with tehir plastic quality of the rocks expecially , can be affected big time  :(
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on May 14, 2010, 14:01:40
High heat can turn the light plastics into golden or yellowish colors also! If you store any Playmobil in attics, commercial storage buildings, garden sheds, etc., especially the older vintage type, make sure to do as much as possible to make the atmosphere as climatically controlled with systems such as thermostatically controlled ventilation fans, air conditioning, etc. as possible.
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 14, 2010, 14:22:19
I am sure there is Sir Wolf !!! But i know for a fact than sunlight is a big enemy of playmobil colours !!!! And thast one big reason i keep them in the dark and when they are set its done in places where there is no direct sunlight.. Watch out for the sun !!! I bet these new dragon sets with tehir plastic quality of the rocks expecially , can be affected big time  :(

Yes i've thought of that and it is a good precaution...i have set Dragonland in the livingroom...Although high enough fo nor direct sunlight but still...
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 14, 2010, 14:24:10
High heat can turn the light plastics into golden or yellowish colors also! If you store any Playmobil in attics, commercial storage buildings, garden sheds, etc., especially the older vintage type, make sure to do as much as possible to make the atmosphere as climatically controlled with systems such as thermostatically controlled ventilation fans, air conditioning, etc. as possible.

More money spend in maintaining a collection in mint or good condition rather than the collection itself...but, its an investment!!!!
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: playmo1989 on May 14, 2010, 19:41:25
High heat can turn the light plastics into golden or yellowish colors also! If you store any Playmobil in attics, commercial storage buildings, garden sheds, etc., especially the older vintage type, make sure to do as much as possible to make the atmosphere as climatically controlled with systems such as thermostatically controlled ventilation fans, air conditioning, etc. as possible.

 are you sure it's the heat the proplem or the dust ?? i think the dust is the problem because this is making them dirty and so changes the colour 
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Giorginetto on May 15, 2010, 11:51:02
More money spend in maintaining a collection in mint or good condition rather than the collection itself...but, its an investment!!!!
Absolutely, all my playmos are in a 45m2 srorage room and shelves all round and also a few hundered books .. There is zero dust , no sunlight and the air is refreshed daily and tempreature is maintained at room temp at all times. no humidity . Thje books , boxes, magazines, klickies, other toys are stored in good condition this way. i have the storage room next door another 30m2 , separated by a a thin non supporitng wall, might destroy that wall to creat more continuous space and more surface area for klickies !!!!!! :love: :love: :love: :love:
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on May 15, 2010, 13:31:50

 are you sure it's the heat the proplem or the dust ?? i think the dust is the problem because this is making them dirty and so changes the colour 

High heat is the problem! I had a 3525 that I acquired MIB , cleaned it from dust after displaying & returned it to storage later,concealed in a 2 gallon zip lock bag, in its original box to discover the dreaded yellowing of the light grey parts later :o!
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 15, 2010, 17:09:42
Absolutely, all my playmos are in a 45m2 srorage room and shelves all round and also a few hundered books .. There is zero dust , no sunlight and the air is refreshed daily and tempreature is maintained at room temp at all times. no humidity . Thje books , boxes, magazines, klickies, other toys are stored in good condition this way. i have the storage room next door another 30m2 , separated by a a thin non supporitng wall, might destroy that wall to creat more continuous space and more surface area for klickies !!!!!! :love: :love: :love: :love:

I really have space problems...So my collection (not only playmobil, comicbooks, action figures, other toys) is separated between my current small appartment and my two rooms in my parents house... Hope one day i'll manage to get them all together in a new house or appartment...
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 15, 2010, 17:10:53
High heat is the problem! I had a 3525 that I acquired MIB , cleaned it from dust after displaying & returned it to storage later,concealed in a 2 gallon zip lock bag, in its original box to discover the dreaded yellowing of the light grey parts later :o!

Good to know that the problem might be present even after a collection is safely packed and stored...this way i can avoid trouble....
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: playmo1989 on May 16, 2010, 11:51:35
High heat is the problem! I had a 3525 that I acquired MIB , cleaned it from dust after displaying & returned it to storage later,concealed in a 2 gallon zip lock bag, in its original box to discover the dreaded yellowing of the light grey parts later :o!

 i bought one new castle the one with the blue ,white ,yellow colours wich is on the market.i bought it  two years ago i have it in cool room withought sun but it's never cleaned and the plasticks have changed colour a little bit.
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: larryman on May 19, 2010, 06:11:30
These Nuremburg guards look very nice!!!
I have some myself which I'm about to restore to after seeing your results!
Mine have all the older unmoveable red hands.
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on May 19, 2010, 06:53:25
These Nuremburg guards look very nice!!!
I have some myself which I'm about to restore to after seeing your results!
Mine have all the older unmoveable red hands.

Ah yes, mine did too, I change them (kept the original unmovable hands in storage) all to movable...
Glad to know you'll begin a restoration project larryman!!! :wave: :wave:
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: playmovictorian on September 30, 2010, 02:53:56
Very inspiring Masterclass Panos  :wave:

Karim :)
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: tonguello on September 30, 2010, 03:33:35
Cool! I have to catch up with this thread!
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Giorginetto on September 30, 2010, 07:25:52

 i bought one new castle the one with the blue ,white ,yellow colours wich is on the market.i bought it  two years ago i have it in cool room withought sun but it's never cleaned and the plasticks have changed colour a little bit.

Any luck for pictures Sir Alex ,  really want to see that discolouration actually so i decide if i get it or not ....
Title: Re: Restoring chrome plated armor
Post by: Wolf Knight on September 30, 2010, 14:21:18
Very inspiring Masterclass Panos  :wave:

Karim :)

Thank you Karim!! Its a really fun and fullfilling process!! Especially if the armor and klickies restored are your childhood playmobil!