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I've got a couple of old Hope brakes I want to put to use but the calipers and one of the lever bodies has started to oxidise. Does anyone have any tips on the best way to clean them up for use again?
Which brake is it in particular ?
Either way, I'd suggest 0000 wire wool and autosol. Not really much else you can do. Far as im aware though silver(I take it its silver) seems to have a coating on it. Not sure if its ano'd silver or has a lacquer coating, but polishing the oxide off will mean it will dull down again quite quickly and the only real way to preserve that is to give it a coat of polished metal lacquer (Rustins metal lacquer About 4 quid for a small bottle that will last you for decades- Handy too for hinges and the like)
I suggest have a look on YouTube for aluminium cleaning, restoring or detailing. Be careful though, restoring videos can be a worm hole. (why am I watching a Russian guy restore a Soviet air compressor to showroom standards??!)
Mine have alu oxide behind the caliper seal. I used a wire brush Dremel bit to get most of it out, but not all. Seems to work ok still. Haven't had the need to do anything cosmetic though.