There are many ways you might go about polishing chrome on a vintage drum set, but choosing the right technique and polishing product can be quite an adventure. While you do not need to be a skilled drummer to polish your drums, it does require a certain amount of elbow grease and a love for the instrument itself. And let's face it, spit and a rag is not enough! Bringing your favorite set of vintage drums back to their former splendor is a matter of choosing the right type of polish and applying the right technique.
Choosing the Perfect Product
There is nothing like a set of vintage drums. The only problem is that many great "finds" sat for years in attics or damp cellars, causing dirt and tarnish to mar their chrome rims and shells.
You need a heavy-duty cleaner that will cut through even the toughest buildup. Two of the best products for this purpose are Flitz Metal Polish (for shells) and Never Dull Metal Polish (for the rims and hardware). These products seem to leave less residue than more popular polishing products such as Brasso. Besides your polishing agent, you also will need some soft 100 percent cotton rags, high-quality buffing rags, soft gloves, a few cotton swabs, some WD-40, and some standard household detergent or spray such as Windex.
You should use metal polish only on the chrome itself. Don't allow it to touch the drum heads or wood surfaces, as it can damage those areas.
Disassembly
Remove all drums from their mounting hardware and spread them out across a floor where you have plenty of space. Pull any additional mounts out of the base drum and set them aside. Next, unscrew the lugs and remove the rims. Also, remove any mounting hardware and set it aside.
If your shells are all wooden, then set them out of the way to avoid getting metal polish on them. Ideally, you will want to place your drums and heads out of the way but in a semicircular fashion, so that you can place the mounting hardware near its respective drum, avoiding confusion when you put the kit back together.
Once you have everything apart, put on your favorite music---preferably drum-oriented---and get ready to polish.
Polishing Technique
Mix some mild detergent with water---or your Windex cleaner---applied to a paper towel, in order to remove any surface dirt.
Starting with the rims, use a sparing amount of polishing agent (as directed) and apply it to the surface with the wad provided or a simple cotton rag. Allow the agent to sit for the length of time specified and then use another rag to wipe the surface clean. Wipe hard, as needed, in order to remove rust spots and other tacked-on dirt. After the rims are complete, repeat the process with the rest of the hardware and chrome shells.
Many times the polishing agent will leave a residue or have a dull look. You can remedy this by using the buffing rags to polish the surface until you achieve your desired level of shine.
Reassembly
Now that your vintage drums look brand new, it is time to put them back together. Put on soft gloves before handling any of the hardware. You do not want them spotted with fingerprints after you just went through the trouble of cleaning them.
Use a cotton rag and some soapy water to remove any grime on the lugs. Use a cotton swab dipped in WD-40 to coat the lug threads so that they screw in easily when you put your rims back on. This will help keep the lugs from stripping and make your drums easier to tune.
Enjoy playing your buffed up vintage skins.
