Best way to polish chrome plated heads?

[hogan64]

I am going to clean up a set of Hogan Producers and I would like to get a nice mirror shine. I have a bench grinder with a buffing wheel but I don't know much about the proper compounds and I really don't want to mess these up. Would I be better off with some type of polish (semi-chrome or similar), or is the wheel the way to go?

[jaskanski]

It depends on the condition of the clubs in the first place. In order to get a 'mirror shine' as you put it, the suface which you are polishing would need to be blemish free with no nicks or dents whatsover. You could get rid of the flaws, but this would only be at the expense of [i]removing[/i] the original chrome finish to get an unmarked raw head. A re-chrome would restore them to showroom condition.
If this seems a little excessive, maybe using an automotive product like Miracle Chrome or similar would be the answer. I would avoid using the buffing wheel though - over use with what is essentially a cutting paste will wear down the chrome and give a satin-like finish. Good old elbow grease is the answer; just rub on with a cloth and wipe off with a soft clean cloth. They will look pretty shiny, but you won't get rid on any surface damage or nicks - which ruin a 'mirror finish'.
Ultimately, you'll have to weigh up the expense/effort to get the sort of finish you're looking for. In the case of the Hogan Producers, they may well be precious to your eye, but not really one the brands classic clubs.

[hogan64]

[quote name='jaskanski' post='2122514' date='Dec 13 2009, 01:52 PM']It depends on the condition of the clubs in the first place. In order to get a 'mirror shine' as you put it, the suface which you are polishing would need to be blemish free with no nicks or dents whatsover. You could get rid of the flaws, but this would only be at the expense of [i]removing[/i] the original chrome finish to get an unmarked raw head. A re-chrome would restore them to showroom condition.
If this seems a little excessive, maybe using an automotive product like Miracle Chrome or similar would be the answer. I would avoid using the buffing wheel though - over use with what is essentially a cutting paste will wear down the chrome and give a satin-like finish. Good old elbow grease is the answer; just rub on with a cloth and wipe off with a soft clean cloth. They will look pretty shiny, but you won't get rid on any surface damage or nicks - which ruin a 'mirror finish'.
Ultimately, you'll have to weigh up the expense/effort to get the sort of finish you're looking for. In the case of the Hogan Producers, they may well be precious to your eye, but not really one the brands classic clubs.[/quote]

I may have overstated my intentions. Mirror shine is a bit of an exaggeration, I really just want to bring out the best in these and a few other older forged sets that I have. None are museum quality and obviously not rare or priceless, but I like to collect old Hogans for their asthetics as much as the pleasure of playing them. I had a feeling the buffing wheel would be a bit much. I'm just looking for the best way to go about the job.
Thanks