Cleaning black chrome bridge/hardware

[Dave in LB]

Well I pulled out my 6 string bass last night to restring it for the first time in a long while. Strings were garbage and getting rusty from embedded sweat. I noticed that the bridge saddles were starting to get a light corosive look to them. Obviously from the title of the thread I have Black Chrome hardware. Anyone know if it's ok to use and anti ox spray like Ez Ox or rusthunter on this finish without destoying it? If figure thouse products work on firearms they should be ok for bass hardware too. Also will 0000 steel wool take off any color. Thanks for the help.

This kids is why we clean our gear and check on it every so often when not in use.

[Dave in LB]

No thoughts on this? I guess I'll try a bit of Ez- Ox and see...

[SurferJoe46]

Ibanez? If it is - just keep it clean and realize that you've already broken the surface of the coating and it will continue to be destroyed.

An abrasive cleaner, no matter how gentle will cause instant destruction to an Ibanez black or smoky chrome finish.

A cleaner that creates a galvanic reaction (like a piece of aluminum foil on a tooth filling) will also eat the base metal out from under the coating - either way it isn't repairable once it starts to happen.

An alkali cleaner will make the transition to no coating at all, a lot faster.

[Dave in LB]

Thanks Joe. The piece is actually a Wilkinson bridge off a Carvin LB76. It may be the same result though.