I like a mix of black and "silver" parts. I have machined aluminum cranks that the clear is going on... I have been thinking about etching and polishing them instead of replacing them. I need some new handle bars for next season, think I am gonna do the same...get some "silver" aluminum bars and etch and polish them.
I do this with lye (sodium hydroxide or Potassium hydroxide) for long time. But be careful, it can damage threads on alu, because it reacts and create hydrogen gas as by-product. I often do some restoration projects or neo-retro stuff. For example, i deanodise and mirror polish 33mm deep alu fratteli rims, than build wheels with polished silver hubs and tripple butted silver spokes. It looks so nice on vintage Bianchi. Someone in comments mentioned clearcoating it. It will not adhere well, fall off and it also leave dull finish. Just polish it with polishing compound from time to time. It also can be preserved with wax, but on rim brakes.. don't apply it on brake track.
Autosol aluminum/metal polish is the one you want. It'll polish up to a mirror finish but it'll need a re-buffing with time. Spray-on clear makes the finish cloudy instead of polished in my eperience.
I've been doing this with concentrated Zep as well. I've done a RedShift stem, disc brake adapters, derailleur hanger, thru-axle heads...I even disassembled some Shimano T8000 pedals and stripped the cages. I similarly gave everything a good polish, and then finished it with a metal sealant. It hasn't been long enough to see how the polished finish will hold up, but it looks good for now. The next step for me is my rear derailleur. Happy to see that you had such good results!
Ooh this would be perfect. I'm planning a retroey steel bike build, and I want to use Hunt's deep section aluminum rims. This method will be perfect for getting them to match the other silver components I have planned
I only buy industrial grade degreaser for my shop and mix it in with water myself. It's super cheap and the best degreaser you'll ever use, I get a 5L bottle for £13 here in the UK and it lasts months. Also being able to choose how concentrated you want it is quite useful. 1/9 degreaser to water ratio for general use, quick transition cleans on the bike and etc is plenty good, but can get it more concentrated if I'm submerging parts overnight or to tackle thick grease. Keep that stuff around!
This is exactly what I was looking for! Wanted to de-anodize my acera rear derailleur for a while. Just to be double cautious, is there any caution we should take when doing this? Like any potential change in the integrity of the metal or finisher or sealant we should use?
I stripped and polished my Ritchey Beacon handlebar (just the middle, left the drops alone since they’re under tape). It turned out awesome but I wish I had known Zep would do the trick, it would’ve saved me a lot of time.
I’ve made myself sick by soaking engine parts in degreaser in a closed garage. Be careful with that part. I didn’t know it would also remove anodizing. I just got a GRX Limited groupset yesterday because I love the look. I’ll have to see about trying the degreaser on some of my old anodized parts. I really want some modern bare aluminum wheels. Maybe I’ll try degreasing a cheap wheelset to see how well it works.
I finally had to do a de-anodisation project. I googled what the active ingredient was and it was sodium hydroxide AKA Caustic Soda. So I bought a tub of it and diluted it in water and added my chainrings to it. It took 20 mins for 1.75L of water + two teaspoons of this stuff to completely strip off the anodising. Caustic Soda, use it. It’s effective and comes as solid pellets, not a liquid. Oven cleaner, drain cleaners are a waste of time.
Your diy videos are the best!!! Keep those coming! The Ritchey build ist really something special. I would love to See some content from the Journey you are taking together, hopefully a long one!😊
Anodizing in an electrolytic process, which creates pores in the material, Die is used during the sealing process, to add colour. You are removing colour, not anodizing with the chemicals. sanding will abrade some of the anodizing. I would recommend clear coating to protect the polished components from corrosion
Once again you’ve reached into my brain and answered a question I’ve had about bikes. This time: removing ano from bike parts. Seriously considering this for a build for my wife.
That's great! Thanks for sharing the method. BTW, does it alter the dimensions of critical machined surfaces? I would like to try it on a crankset and hubs. Thx
Do you believe it would be safe to use this method to remove the anodizing on a chainring? I would love my Wolftooth chainring to have a more "classic" appearance.
@@TheBikeSauce I can't remember how long it took exactly I think it was under an hour but I used it to remove the black finish from a gun barrel, now that I think about it that may have been blueing on steel that it removed but I was very surprised at how well it did, white vinegar is powerful stuff given time and a lot less harsh than the industrial cleaners. The cage looks amazing though!
Yeah, that degreaser is better than drain-o. Draino has sodium hydroxide. That crap eats aluminum. I use sodium hydroxide to remove aluminum seatposts from steal frames.
"Harsh" is not very descriptive. Different chemicals react differently. For example, some solvents will react with plastics but not with metals and vice versa. The DEET in your bug spray will destroy plastics but not your skin.
Just like project farm's recent "degreaser" test you stuck to your American ignorance and didn't even research what degreaser is. Detergent, solvent, acid or base/caustic. What do you think those gas bubbles you were breathing were? You need to neutralise the part with salt after use
Loving the short format as well. Great info as always!
Very cool, as always. Personally i prefer silver components over the black version usually. I hope they come back in fashion.
I think we’re seeing that already with lots of companies
I like a mix of black and "silver" parts. I have machined aluminum cranks that the clear is going on... I have been thinking about etching and polishing them instead of replacing them. I need some new handle bars for next season, think I am gonna do the same...get some "silver" aluminum bars and etch and polish them.
Bruh I just got new wheels, silver spokes, hubs and decals, shit's PIMPIN'!
That looks great, both brushed and polished. Thank you for the tips.
I do this with lye (sodium hydroxide or Potassium hydroxide) for long time.
But be careful, it can damage threads on alu, because it reacts and create hydrogen gas as by-product.
I often do some restoration projects or neo-retro stuff.
For example, i deanodise and mirror polish 33mm deep alu fratteli rims, than build wheels with polished silver hubs and tripple butted silver spokes.
It looks so nice on vintage Bianchi.
Someone in comments mentioned clearcoating it.
It will not adhere well, fall off and it also leave dull finish.
Just polish it with polishing compound from time to time.
It also can be preserved with wax, but on rim brakes.. don't apply it on brake track.
Autosol aluminum/metal polish is the one you want. It'll polish up to a mirror finish but it'll need a re-buffing with time. Spray-on clear makes the finish cloudy instead of polished in my eperience.
I've been doing this with concentrated Zep as well. I've done a RedShift stem, disc brake adapters, derailleur hanger, thru-axle heads...I even disassembled some Shimano T8000 pedals and stripped the cages.
I similarly gave everything a good polish, and then finished it with a metal sealant. It hasn't been long enough to see how the polished finish will hold up, but it looks good for now.
The next step for me is my rear derailleur. Happy to see that you had such good results!
oh that's awesome. Would love to see the classic redshift
Dang dude. That looks great. Good job brother..
I had no idea that you can DIY anodized parts. Very cool
Ooh this would be perfect. I'm planning a retroey steel bike build, and I want to use Hunt's deep section aluminum rims. This method will be perfect for getting them to match the other silver components I have planned
I only buy industrial grade degreaser for my shop and mix it in with water myself.
It's super cheap and the best degreaser you'll ever use, I get a 5L bottle for £13 here in the UK and it lasts months.
Also being able to choose how concentrated you want it is quite useful. 1/9 degreaser to water ratio for general use, quick transition cleans on the bike and etc is plenty good, but can get it more concentrated if I'm submerging parts overnight or to tackle thick grease. Keep that stuff around!
And what is this degreaser. Detergent, solvent, acid or base/caustic?
Screwfix no nonsense 5l is the ticket
This is exactly what I was looking for! Wanted to de-anodize my acera rear derailleur for a while.
Just to be double cautious, is there any caution we should take when doing this? Like any potential change in the integrity of the metal or finisher or sealant we should use?
I am going to embark on a similar project, so thank you!
How much material was removed in the process? Looks great btw
Nice! What a great lil hack!
I stripped and polished my Ritchey Beacon handlebar (just the middle, left the drops alone since they’re under tape). It turned out awesome but I wish I had known Zep would do the trick, it would’ve saved me a lot of time.
That’s awesome. I was thinking some polished Corraito bars would look nice too @ritcheylogic
I’ve made myself sick by soaking engine parts in degreaser in a closed garage. Be careful with that part. I didn’t know it would also remove anodizing. I just got a GRX Limited groupset yesterday because I love the look. I’ll have to see about trying the degreaser on some of my old anodized parts. I really want some modern bare aluminum wheels. Maybe I’ll try degreasing a cheap wheelset to see how well it works.
I finally had to do a de-anodisation project. I googled what the active ingredient was and it was sodium hydroxide AKA Caustic Soda. So I bought a tub of it and diluted it in water and added my chainrings to it. It took 20 mins for 1.75L of water + two teaspoons of this stuff to completely strip off the anodising. Caustic Soda, use it. It’s effective and comes as solid pellets, not a liquid. Oven cleaner, drain cleaners are a waste of time.
Nice! Will try it
Your diy videos are the best!!! Keep those coming! The Ritchey build ist really something special. I would love to See some content from the Journey you are taking together, hopefully a long one!😊
Damn, looks great!
Anodizing in an electrolytic process, which creates pores in the material, Die is used during the sealing process, to add colour. You are removing colour, not anodizing with the chemicals. sanding will abrade some of the anodizing. I would recommend clear coating to protect the polished components from corrosion
Once again you’ve reached into my brain and answered a question I’ve had about bikes. This time: removing ano from bike parts. Seriously considering this for a build for my wife.
That's great! Thanks for sharing the method. BTW, does it alter the dimensions of critical machined surfaces? I would like to try it on a crankset and hubs. Thx
Nothing that's out of tolerance for any cosmetic bike part.
Damn.. you did an excellent job. You kinda make me want to do my front chain ring from black to silver… 🤔
This is SICK
I’m professional polisher -1use the yellow can of oven cleaner to brake down the anodize 2 . 220/ 320 da 3 yellow disk buff with white compound .
I like all polish parts, but I love parts that are black and polished liked old Suntour
Nice,super job👌🏻.Are those KCNC pulley wheel,if they are good choice.I think I've done 30000km on my pair.
Garbaruk
Good to know
Do you believe it would be safe to use this method to remove the anodizing on a chainring? I would love my Wolftooth chainring to have a more "classic" appearance.
Definitely. There's a video of a guy who did his wolftooth chainring with this same stuff
@334 sanding down screws lol, tiny details that matter!
Good old fashioned white vinegar works great.
no way. In the same time?
@@TheBikeSauce I can't remember how long it took exactly I think it was under an hour but I used it to remove the black finish from a gun barrel, now that I think about it that may have been blueing on steel that it removed but I was very surprised at how well it did, white vinegar is powerful stuff given time and a lot less harsh than the industrial cleaners. The cage looks amazing though!
Nice hack!
Sweeeet 😻
Not bad.
Silver over black every time for bike parts!
Yeah, that degreaser is better than drain-o. Draino has sodium hydroxide. That crap eats aluminum. I use sodium hydroxide to remove aluminum seatposts from steal frames.
🎉
Yeah, Drano is like 10x as harsh as that purple degreaser you used. Just sayin.
yea weird. It didn't do much.
"Harsh" is not very descriptive. Different chemicals react differently. For example, some solvents will react with plastics but not with metals and vice versa. The DEET in your bug spray will destroy plastics but not your skin.
Just like project farm's recent "degreaser" test you stuck to your American ignorance and didn't even research what degreaser is. Detergent, solvent, acid or base/caustic.
What do you think those gas bubbles you were breathing were? You need to neutralise the part with salt after use
So what are the bubbles?
@@TheBikeSaucemy guess would be hygroden gass
Ketchup will do the same job so will bicarbonate
no way