How to Restore Chrome Drum Hardware

[@ChaseOfBass_]

I'm pretty sure I've said this before on your channel but you really need to try putting chrome hardware in a bath of water and dawn dish soap. Leave it soaking overnight and it comes out like new. Tin foil and steel wool can leave tiny scratches on the surface. The Dawn method is used by vintage drum restorers and can remove even the worst cases of rust.

[@foxytv4896]

Is Dawn a brand of dish soap ? Or is any 'heavy duty' dish soap gonna make it??

[@tendingtropic7778]

@@foxytv4896 i'd like to know that too

[@adderon]

Dawn method usually works but not on 62 year old rusted af tension rods

[@goodwolfproject6850]

@@tendingtropic7778 ​ @foxy TV Yes, Dawn is a brand of liquid dish detergent/soap here in the US.

[@goodwolfproject6850]

@@foxytv4896 Yes, Dawn is a brand of liquid dish soap. It's heavy duty for breaking up cooked on bits and oil that's on a pan. Cheers

[@ScorpionRlz]

For screws that are the most difficult to clean: keep them under vinegar and lemon 24h. Then just rub them with a cloth and that's it

[@michaeldebrier1705]

I ended up shining my kit with some car wax and cloths, hardware looked brand new afterwards and kept the shine for a while.

[@chiphammond1623]

That looks great! I like to use Flitz (or something similar) because it will actually polish bare steel to an almost chrome-like shine, so if you do have chrome missing, it's hard to see. Also the Flitz has come kind of sealer in it, which protects the metal. Thanks for posting.

[@adderon]

Flitz has a tiny bit of an abrasive component in it but I find it's worth using it to polish chrome and NS12 alloy. Less scratching than aluminum foil too

[@JoshOB21]

Game changer! I have tracked down and recovered my father in law's childhood 1960s pearl drum kit and am about to start restoring it to surprise him when he is allowed to visit again after this covid stuff f***s off! This is going to save me A LOT of time and money tracking down parts

[@adderon]

Didja do it?

[@ramilopez6921]

I have a acoustic drum kit that I’ve been storing my my garage for the past 15yrs I want to get it in ready to play for an event. I don’t know the condition it’s in the drums are in in cases the hardware is not. Besides cleaning the hardware and the cymbals should invest in replacing all heads as well? I ask because I’m not a very experienced drummer so I don’t know. I currently practice on an electronic drum kit but I want to get my organic drums in good working order.

[@TanwarTechnicalMusic]

What was you use to clean drum hardware

[@wep5906]

I know you said that you don't like to use water, but citric acid powder baths are the best and easiest way to clean chrome parts and shells I have found. .75 of a cup per gallon of water left over night and the crap and rust wipes off. no scrubbing.

[@keithszczesniak2054]

Yup I would throw that whole stand in a bath. It would have probably taken care of that clutch

[@alanvelasquez837]

You should have been invited to NAMM

[@DuaneBenjaminDrums]

I hope he has been within the last three years

[@stevepate7516]

For small chipping of chrome,clean then use what is called liquid chrome mirror effect by moltow let it dry, don't touch it. It works!!

[@anthonyguillen2564]

Just use steel wool 0000 perfect for chrome any chrom

[@fernandogarros]

Does it works also in snare and tons rusty hoops?

[@DoblyTufnell]

I did the same thing with a very badly rusted drum kit I got for free. I used aluminum foil with cola. I used diet Coke but word is any cola will do. Something about the phosphoric acid in the cola. It worked amazingly well with surprisingly little elbow grease. But looking at this video above seems the foil key to this working.

[@bertweyeb]

Really? It's that simple? Wish I knew this earlier when I was cleaning old stuff from my dad! Thx Dave!!

[@Chris-vr8cd]

Yea, it's pretty simple. Just ask yourself "what can't WD40 do?".

[@remotexpolde]

OK - You are officially my Hero. (there may have been slight tearing up..) SO, My mum, bless her, gifted me with a 1970's Slingerland 6.5' x 14" Gene Krupa model Snare Drum, Chrome over Brass. It is beautiful, However, (as these amazing sounding shells are prone to being a bit on the soft side) there's some minor denting and the chrome is Decent, but could benefit from polishing compound etc. Your Chrome Snare w/polishing compound, refinishing video was AmazinG and gave me hope .. Then I see this. O.O ...my jaw be layin' round here somewhere... I know you must get tons of emails., but as I will be stripping the shell to give it the business, I wondered if you had any tips for Chrome that is over Brass, rather than Steel (or if it matters). There is some deep scratches and a bit of rust pitting on the shell and lugs. Aluminum Foil and WD40.?. or Brasso, Polishing Compound and some whiskey for courage? Thanks man. Cheers! This was seriously amazing.

[@griefinandcreepin]

Amazingly helpful, I've been trying so many different cleaning methods for my hardware and nothing has lasted yet, can't wait to try this out :)

[@michaelennis5887]

I'm starting a project making a set out of some old shells I have, but I'm confused about the hoops and lugs... are there any that are the best? Or is it just all style based? Maybe content for a video....?

[@ralphdurgaram7641]

I was wondering if you could give me some advice, been looking at your video's, you some DIY guru, I found a completely rusted stainless steel ludwig drumkit from the 70ties in my neighbour's backyard, can you believe that. They didn't seem to know it was such a great drumkit. I was wondering if i could repair it I'm pretty handy myself, but the whole kit is completely rusted and the wood inside is completely eaten by termites. Are the drums reparable in you opinion?

[@emersonmullane1243]

old snare drum head bass beater? Love your videos

[@noearmendariz]

Loving the backround music, and the angles you shot are really clean! keep up the great work, always love your content

[@MicahPounders]

0000 steel wool works wonders as well without scratching. You do get the small wool dust on the hardware so I use my air compressor and blow it off intermittently

[@MrChasalopolis]

Awesome! I'm going to try this on a chrome snare I just grabbed out of the garbage. I'm rebuilding it for a young man who is thinking about starting to play.

[@renatosousa1281]

I want to restore my iron cobras and want to respray them. Do you think if I apply an anti-slip with grit spray on the foot board will work and give the effect the plate originally has? Cheers, love your videos!

[@leonardodipippo1663]

Really good job man!!!I wanted to ask you if it's possible to repeat this restore on a kick drum and on a floor tom

[@jaylotz5901]

Any advice on how to clean up the pitting on an old Ludalloy supraphonic?

[@willican13]

by the way guys, this also works for drum hoops as well! Thanks so much man for this man! love this channel

[@danielryanswain1]

This is going to sound crazy... but I recently helped a friend find a drum set for her son (on a budget) and we ended up getting a great deal but the hardware was super dirty and when we set out to clean it, I joked that we should put it in the dishwasher. ...and then we did. ...and the results were amazing. Of course we only washed the metal parts (for the most part) and we made sure it was completely dry before reassembling but It looked like brand new. I did this again with an old snare drum that I bought on craigslist. I put all the lugs and rims and strainer, etc in the dishwasher and it was like magic.

[@rdavidr]

ha! ill have to try that when I get the chance

[@robinsievers2756]

why- how- this is literally a miracle product. Top 10 Things Drum companies don't want you to know

[@MrFliffi]

does it work the same with stainless steel?

[@elijahnice8312]

Is that one of your beats? It sounds pretty sweet.

[@CBRansom]

Bought a cheap off-brand practice kit. Shells are nice and tune well, but hardware is weak, as expected. I've cranked the tom wing nut about as tight as I feel comfortable with, (without breaking nut), but tom still vibrates loose on arm. It's a polished smooth arm, otherwise I would try the old soda can aluminum wrapped around tom arm to give clamp a better bite like we use to do on stripped bicycle handlebars hack, but I think this surface is too smooth for that. Any suggestions? I really appreciate all your hacks! THANK YOU!

[@ko-kc6ls]

could you make a video on a custom pedal

[@dallingardner6303]

Can you do a vid on restoring cymbal logos? My schools have some new A customs and when we cleaned them we scrubbed the logos a little too hard. any tips?

[@zhongxina8426]

Dallin Gardner that logo’s gone dude

[@barkingmad7407]

Welcome to the club. Most of us have done the same thing. At least you didn't learn that lesson on your own stuff.

[@mattewiegand9896]

What about a video on bass drum pedals. I've got a couple of cheap noisy pedals, maybe a way to stiffen them up too! Loved this one!

[@dirkayala5812]

I've been playing on that exact stand for years...great vid!

[@joelbouska5664]

What is it called?

[@dirkayala5812]

Agreed what was named below. Tama Iron Cobra 2- Leg Stand,(Strap Drive to be exact). Have replaced nylon strap on mine once in Several Years...Good product!

[@joaonagamichi949]

Good job, man!!! I'm a Brazilian drummer. I see and I really like your videos

[@proteuswave]

Nice! I’m definitely going to give this a try. Hey, I’m also an RVA’r.

[@tronque]

Id really like you to make some acrylic shells (or readymade) and to rope tune them! Then you could put sound reactive led lights inside. Totally rad, right!

[@JacobHalfman]

can I use this method for chrome snares? I know you have a seperate video for those but I don't have the ability to pick any of that stuff up and I have WD 40 and aluminum foil and the snare is pretty bad.

[@sethdavis459]

Hey David, you should try making a Cajon

[@zack150]

Can you please make a cajon drum

[@Tom-ct9bz]

Isaac Stevenson he's already done that

[@jasonlee3481]

Tom no?

[@RedstoneManiac13]

But he hasn't though?

[@nathanaldrich1395]

Are you going to make a video about the hi hat stand you made with a lawn mower wire.

[@ponTVuso]

does this works to remove rust from a chrome snare?? or should I do the Braso method?

[@juanqarlos94]

Would it also work to use steel wool instead of aluminum foil to clean the rust away with the WD-40????

[@Papa_John757]

Thanks for the video... I was out of Wd-40 so I used PB Blaster and foil which worked just as good but left a strong smell... chrome hardware looks brand new again... thanks again bro!

[@rdavidr]

ughhh i hate the smell of pb

[@Papa_John757]

Yeah man... that's all I had and I didn't feel like going to the store!

[@tillrichterdrums]

Great method. Would you do the same to restore a pitting supraphonic shell?

[@adderon]

Hell no. Wipe it down gently with a microfiber towel then don't clean it anymore. The chrome will flake if it's plated onto aluminum which is probably what you have

[@ryandudlicek6086]

Hey David, can u please do a video on cheep cymbal felts, maybe $1 store drummer, or how to make one out of foam....etc.

[@RodrigoVegaHurtado]

How can repair a stripped screw/wingnut of a cymbal stand? Thank you!

[@oldowl4290]

Old man tip here boys: Hands down the absolute best thing you can do after cleaning up drum hardware is liberally coat it with SC Johnson's Paste wax and lightly buff off. It's a miracle. I use it on all my tool restorations and for example I cleaned up an old rusty drill press post around 10 years ago back to shiny steel and it still looks as good as the day I refinished it. No oxidation or rust anywhere. If you also put it over the chrome, it'll have the same effect and will greatly reduce future pitting.

[@andreyhilario8376]

do you know if that is abrasive to the chrome layer?

[@jdsgotninelives]

How did you make the leap to Al Foil? My approach (I'm kinda slow) would have been to use a rag, a steelo pad and some Silvo or other metal polish. Yet, here, an unlikely material such as foil seems to just work!! Is there some kind of reaction with the metal going on or does it just have the 'right' level of abrasiveness? Thankyou for sharing, by the way

[@mpk6664]

John Maguire It's softer than chrome so it doesn't scratch it, but it's abrasive enough to get gunk off.

[@bladimirgonzalez2279]

Como se llama el liquido que le aplicas al hi hat

[@hansg6336]

Is the aluminum causing some chemical reaction with steel that removes rust or is it simply an abrasive?

[@jackholston34]

This was uploaded at such a perfect time, I was going to clean up all of my chrome hardware tomorrow on a used drum set I recently got, I have brasso and steel wool and wd40, would you recommend this technique for tension rods and rims?

[@eklepto28]

Don't use steel wool it will leave fine scratch marks on the chrome. brasso or Autosol meatal polish is by far a better result. Remember chrome is applied in a dipping bath, it is not as hard a substance as raw metal so it will always come off second best against steel wool or tin foil. even hard scourers will leave fine scratch marks detectable with light coming of at the right angle

[@adderon]

If it's just dirty and/or slightly pitted wipe the dirt off with a microfiber towel then use Flitz, Simichrome or Mother's Mag cleaner for the detailing

[@paulpioch7776]

I do a basic clean with wet microfiber cloths, hit the hardware with some Nevr Dull and polish it afterwards

[@Kenzie_goblin]

Do you think you could use steel wire it speed it up?

[@drumminggouda]

can you do this with a snaredrum shell?

[@zacharyRULES]

Would this work for brass plated hardware?

[@TimdogQ]

How about a video of u cutting up some drum loops on that turntable?

[@garryraines2028]

I have done some restoration in the past with fair results. You had mentioned chrome buffing compound and buffing pads. Can't you elaborate? Thanks

[@adderon]

Use Mother's mag cleaner and a buffing pad on a power drill to shine them up

[@JohnGigante0214]

Brilliant! Tried it and its the best way by far to clean drum hardware! Cheers!

[@drumdoug8083]

Silly question, if the stand is the same as the one you have, and you have taken the time to clean it up, why swap out the internal spring with your old one? Why not just use the new stand? I have two of this Tama lever glide stands and they are great hihat stands. Thanks for the clean up tips. My older stand could use this treatment.

[@adderon]

His other Tama stand's probably in better shape than this one even after the cleaning

[@iZenZation]

Will this work on cymbals as well?

[@idrummerboy13]

need to do this on a few old stands. Thanks for all the vids man!

[@AustinWestbro]

How do you straighten out a bent hi hat rod?

[@caspercotton]

how does the foil interact with the metal?

[@arjb2009]

Can this work on cymbals as well?

[@parkermurray7435]

Yo Dave. For your 100k Q&A. Question. For filling drum holes you use bondo, but you mention you only use that because it’s what you have already. If you had to choose something to fill drum holes. What it be? Thanks. You’re the best.

[@stickdrumsnrocknroll]

Thanks ! I will try this on my rack !

[@papameech176]

Is that a roots inspired song playing in the background

[@thefordchannel985]

How do you remove sticker residue from a cymbal? I got some used at a pawn shop and I can't get the price tag residue off.

[@musikman43204]

Eli Borrego VM&P Naphtha

[@drummattk]

Would like to see a video on how-to-fix broken cymbal stands. Like tightening piece won't stay on shaft, stripped screws, bend-dented shafts, broken top pieces, etc

[@garykane7354]

how do you clean a Tama bass drum pedal aluminum?

[@robertcroix]

Thanks for this!!! All the best from the Netherlands!

[@edgartrejos7226]

Don't you sell what you work on? I'm in love with the snare you hammered!

[@saulhudson302]

Nice work , I've also tried a few things .Ended up with using 0000 steel wool after trying foil both give good results. ✌

[@Defensive_Wounds]

All I do is take it ALL apart and use 0000 grade steel wool and buff the chrome to a perfect shine - it removes the rust and leaves NO SCRATCHES! Then spray some clear enamel onto the surface to seal out the oxygen to stop the rust or if you have access to a decent chrome spray paint use that first.

[@komedias]

Any tips on what to do if the chrome plating is off in some parts of the hardware?

[@adderon]

Leave it alone, get it replated or get an "almost" chrome paint pen from Molotow for touch ups. Their brand is the closest thing to chrome out there but will still dull a bit if you scuff it.

[@theopinson3851]

Is that pure WD 40 or did you mix it with something?

[@joelbouska5664]

What is that stand called?

[@vkiperman]

what are the best bass drum spurs?

[@Law0086]

When you hear of someone buying a whole hi hat stand to buy just a single screw for their own personal stand, you know they know what they're talking.

[@chrissmith3668]

About

[@dextay87]

I noticed that you used a different method from the video that you did called "how to remove rust from tension rods.". Which way did you find was better?

[@kiltymacbagpipe]

Is the foil working as an abrasive like steel wool?

[@maprow]

I've used this same technique when restoring drums. The aluminum (or aluminium if you're from across the pond) foil is much softer than the chromed steel so it will not scratch or otherwise damage chromed surfaces. Do not use steel wool for a project like this. Once you have removed the rust, you can use a little bit of car wax (I like the spray on kind) to prevent future rust build up.

[@felipegirotto]

Yeah, I knew that trick with steel wool. It works

[@Defensive_Wounds]

If you use 0000 or even finer grade steel wool it leaves no marks on the chrome at all. :) I have used it to restore my 1980s Pearl steel snare and it looks (and sounds) amazing!

[@MrBobodrum]

Yes, 0000 grade steel wool is the way to go. Just make sure to NOT use any coarser grade. Only the Superfine 0000 grade. Very easy to use and no liquids needed.

[@MichaelDBauer]

0000 grade steel wool is what I use as well, but I'd like to try his method, too, just to possibly expand my options. I do add one thing to the 0000 steel wool though. 3M makes a product called Imperial Hand Glaze. The product number is 05990. It's mainly made for automotive paint use, but it has been a miracle product for me with my drum restorations. Not only do I use it on chrome parts, but it works great on vinyl wraps that have faded - without the steel wool, of course. Just use it with a terry towel and wipe it off with a microfiber towel and you are good to go.

[@stefanmarkov5472]

hey, have you tried cleaning cybmals with kerosine? It removes most of the junk by disolving it, i think it might work well

[@adderon]

Don't do it. You're better off with Dawn dish soap and a little elbow grease. If you want a deep clean use Flitz but it has abrasive so use a little bit of Carnauba wax after cleaning to protect the cymbals from oxidizing. Don't forget to use electrical tape to cover the logos when you're cleaning if you want to preserve them

[@garberwarren]

I use soft steel wool it works well but makes a mess. Thanks for the tip.

[@benjledrummer]

Hi ! Thanks for this video, I have an old snare stand I will try your tips on it :)

[@MatthewRBenavides]

how much did you end up paying for the stand?

[@baorozzo]

A friend of mine (a skilled drum builder btw) suggested to use only steel wool #0000. No wd40 or other products. If you have to clean dirty hardware you move with fiber of steel wool that are turned90° from your movements (for example if you move your hand up and down the fiber must be on the right or on the left, not straight to the movement you are making). The rust will be smoothed and less noticeable and the pitting nearly gone. This steel wool can be also used to clean the inside of the wood shells, (for example when the shells have seen some humidity and are kind of rough) so the shells can resonate more and sound better. But to clean the wood in this case the fibers must be straight to the movement you make. Hope it's all clear LOL Otherwise feel free to ask further explanations ;)

[@darkdrift0r124]

baorozzo my hi hat stand rusted in a year! Would steel wool or aluminium foil be better?

[@adderon]

Flitz and a microfiber towel

[@zulumagoo1]

Injeanyus idea. I wish i had thought of or suggested it. but of course i would have mentioned how the Foil is a softer metal than the Chrome finish, so it shouldn't do damage to the Chrome.

[@henryb5263]

Me after buying $100 worth of cleaning stuff: "nonono, this is forbidden"

[@MegaAnimal1969]

When does the restoration start?All I saw is how to shine chrome,there is no restoration,the damage is still there.

[@mariapazayalahammerslag5601]

Hola,he seguido con atención cada video y haciendo pruevas de eliminación de oxido sobre los cromos encontré un producto que se utiliza en limpieza doméstica que en nuestro país se llama CIF y se puede encontrar en cualquier tienda o supermercados,hice la prueva con el aluminio y noté que desgasta el brillo de las piezas cromadas...saludos desde Santiago de Chile...

[@joren4700]

what material is hardware made of? steel?

[@rdavidr]

chrome plated steel

[@tdrum21]

Dope ass beat on the before & after section. That yours?

[@rdavidr]

yup

[@romanxaround]

I'd suggest using 00 grade steel wool. Wont scratch up stuff.

[@henrybiltz5281]

Do a video like your snare muffling review but test different bass drum muffling methods!

[@brandonaegerter]

I second that, and while you're at it I'd really like to know what venting the kick batter side would sound like.

[@G-zero07]

I want some new drum stuff but I don't have the money lol hey David oh nvm you just wandered my question about the rust and littinf

[@bryeap]

any other options besides WD40?

[@drew-cf9bm]

yessss I actually was needing a fixing video for my hihats

[@DeadKoby]

I have the best luck using chrome cleaner from the auto part store... and a cloth.

[@al3xi1]

What if you have "golden" hardware? How that can be cleaned?