Removing the black (anodised) coating on alloy components

[Fab Foodie]

I'm building a fixed wheeler and line all my bikes I can't abide black components; stems bars seat posts and the like. Trouble is I have quite a few in the spares box. :-(

So, is there a way to remove the black coating?
Gentle abrasion, chemicals, buffing wheels etc?

Cheers FF

 

[slowmotion]

There's lots about it on Youtube. Just search "Removing anodising from aluminium". One of the clips recommends de-greasing the part then heating it up with a blowtorch. That seems a bit risky to me given the temperature at which aluminium starts to lose its strength.

 

[classic33]

Oven cleaner?

But the risk of damage is there.

 

[slowmotion]

Oven cleaner?

But the risk of damage is there.

Sodium hydroxide and aluminium do not make good bedfellows. You get surface pitting really quickly on bare aluminium but I've never tried it on anodised stuff.

 

[Cubist]

Fine abrasion. Anodising soon wears off from heel rub, so it stands to reason that a scourer or other abrasive will remove it. Bloody laborious process though. Be cheaper and easier to pay a shrink to make you love black anodising

 

[Stantheman]

You could try a very fine wet and dry sandpaper, it's used on car body's so should be fine.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Fine abrasion. Anodising soon wears off from heel rub, so it stands to reason that a scourer or other abrasive will remove it. Bloody laborious process though. Be cheaper and easier to pay a shrink to make you love black anodising

The shrink's too busy with my other 'issues' ....

 

[Profpointy]

If determined to do it, I'd use a polishing mop with suitable metal polish / jewellers' rouge / very mild abrasive.
I'd not use anything with caustic soda in it (eg oven cleaner) as that will react badly with aluminium

That said, never done it, but as others have said, it does wear off in normal use, and gets shiny on the high-spots anyway

 

[Profpointy]

Sell the black bits on ebay and buy replacements that aren't black?

By far the most sensible suggestion thus far

 

[Pale Rider]

You could try a very fine wet and dry sandpaper, it's used on car body's so should be fine.

If you go this route, don't forget why it's called wet and dry emery paper.

Use it dry first to remove most of the anodizing, then wet to get a fine finish.

A bit of soap in the water for the wet stage will do an even better job.

Any soap will do, a quick wash of your hands in a bucket of water with bar soap is a good way to create your soap solution.

Messy job, so it's one for outside.

At least the weather is mild, not much fun in the winter dipping your hands in and out of freezing cold soapy water.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Sell the black bits on ebay and buy replacements that aren't black?

I'd thought about that .... but apart from not 'doing' ebay, I'd get bugger all for the black bits compared to the price of comparable shiny bits which are generally more expensive that their black counterparts in te first place.

In the Planet-X sale I got some black handlebars for £10 but in sliver they were £25. Same with stems, £25 new in Silver and half that price in black.
So I figure that as I have a stem and some cheap black bars I could spend precious shoot-telly watching time with something er ... more therapeutic!
If I could borrow a Dremel of a mate and a small polishing wheel I reckon it wouldn't take long. Most of the bars will be covered in tape so I dount have to do them all.

 

[goody]

Only done it once to a pair of gold m/cycle footrests but a caustic soda solution removed the anodising quite quickly. They were knurled so abrasive methods wouldn't have worked.

 

[Fab Foodie]

What dimensions are you wanting on the stem?

Don't know yet .... but I have several to try.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver.Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver. Black is the new silver.


Once you've removed the black by whatever means, you will be left with naked aluminium that will polish up nice and shiny and within hours lose its lustre. It has to be anodized again to get that chrome finish.

 

[Smokin Joe]

By far the most sensible suggestion thus far

This forum is no place for sensible suggestions.