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Originally Posted by HowdeeDoodee
I have small chromed pieces with the chrome having been plated over brass. The pieces are from a vintage drum set made over 40 years ago. The chrome was gray with large pits showing. I used Turtle Wax Rust Remover and Chrome Polish to see what I was dealing with. The chrome polish brought out a true mirror shine but under a magnifying glass I can see tiny pits. I also see what look like a brownish material sort of appearing beneath the current sine on the plating. A magnifying glass also shows zillions of little indentations or pits in on the surface. I cannot tell by looking at the piece whether the brownish stuff is rust or brass. The color of the brownish stuff is somewhere in between brown and brass in color.
Is the brownish stuff rust, brass, or something else?
Is there a way to polish out the brownish stuff and leave the shiny mirror finish untouched by the removal of the brown stuff?
What do I do if I want to brush plate over the piece?
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If it's truly plated brass, you're not seeing rust, you're seeing brass. Either that or dirt. I would try running an inconspicuous spot over a buffing wheel to see what happens. If it is brass showing thru, you'll need to polish the piece smooth then re-plate. For plating info go to the plating foum on this site.