This one is only 6 years old - installed when we built our house. Not sure why it looks so bad. Looks to me like the pipe fittings weren't done properly and minerals and other stuff from the water leaked out onto the fixture.

Any ideas for how to get it looking great again?




It's the mixing valve for a thermostatic shower. Here's what the whole thing looks like:

That kind of looks like some of the nickel plating has flaked/pitted. If that's the case, there's no getting it back. I'd try Brasso on a soft rag and see what happens. My expectations would be low.

It's hard to tell for sure from the photo, but it looks pitted to me. If that's the case the only fix is to take it all apart, strip its existing finish, and then have it polished and plated again.

That's etched as hell, that's not cleaning up.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
It's hard to tell for sure from the photo, but it looks pitted to me. If that's the case the only fix is to take it all apart, strip its existing finish, and then have it polished and plated again.

Buying a new one would be much cheaper.

Well, damn. That's not supposed to happen. Could it have been a faulty installation?

^^^^^

I'd think more like faulty plating application.

^^^
Yes, I'd say it looks like poor quality plating.
Do you know where that fixture was manufactured? I can guess.

Yikes, I just looked up the manufacturer and saw the price. I'd contact them and show them the photos. That stuff is way too pricey to look like that after a few years unless you are running battery acid through those pipes.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
^^^
Yes, I'd say it looks like poor quality plating.
Do you know where that fixture was manufactured? I can guess.

It was manufactured and purchased from Lefroy Brooks, a quite reputable British manufacturer of kitchen and bath hardware. Expensive enough that I'm embarrassed to disclose the price.Faulty plating would surprise me. Maybe it's a bad picture...in person, it looks to me like mineral deposits that are dripping down from the various connections.

Makes one wonder about your water quality as well....doesn’t appear to be any installation problem so that leaves ya with plating problem or water quality...or a combo

quote:

Originally posted by ChicagoSigMan:

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
^^^
Yes, I'd say it looks like poor quality plating.
Do you know where that fixture was manufactured? I can guess.

It was manufactured and purchased from Lefroy Brooks, a quite reputable British manufacturer of kitchen and bath hardware. Expensive enough that I'm embarrassed to disclose the price.Faulty plating would surprise me. Maybe it's a bad picture...in person, it looks to me like mineral deposits that are dripping down from the various connections.

"Lefroy Brooks is a line of English-style faucets, fixtures, and accessories for the kitchen and bath. They were originally manufactured in the U.K. but today they are made in China. Distribution in the U.S. and Canada is through Lefroy Brooks Plumbing Fixtures, Inc. founded by Warren Pearl in 2009. Mr. Pearl is also the owner of Cooper & Graham, a luxury bath brand launched in 2014 that caters primarily to the hospitality industry."


It's a real shame when a great company goes cheap on manufacture, but still charges a premium price.

I could ask my plater, as he does this every day, but it's my understanding that when you see something like this it is typically a reaction with the metal beneath the plating.

In my line of work we are mostly nickel plating steel (sometimes brass). If the steel is not properly handled prior to plating, or if the plating is not done correctly, rust begins to develop. If allowed to continue unchecked, this pits the steel.

I suspect what you're seeing here is a reaction between the metal the valve is made from and whatever is in your water as opposed to the nickle itself. If this is something out of China then the problem could originate from several areas. Could be something wrong with the nickel, the plating process, the valve material, etc.

I think bleach or a bleach based product was used on that finish.

quote:

Originally posted by sunburn:
I think bleach or a bleach based product was used on that finish.

That should be expected in a shower or sink and the materials should stand up to harsher chemicals.
Careful those flakes of plating don't cut somebody. The will easily cause an infection.

try some Flitz polish and elbow grease on it.

quote:

Originally posted by BigWhup:
try some Flitz polish and elbow grease on it.

^^^^^Exactly what I was going to recommend. Flitz works great if the surface is fixable. I even used it on the plastic lens covers of my light bar.

Possibly bad plating.

Flitz, Blue Magic or something similar. Possibly 0000 steel wool.

Maybe get it replated?
Cost of that vs a new one.

Are the black areas in the photo places where the surface plating has flaked away, or just surface reflections of something black behind the camera?

They look like plating has flaked off in several areas. If that's not the case, it might help to have pictures with more diffuse lighting taken from different angles.

Those pic's tell me you need to scrap and replace with a better product.China is not known to produce products that aren't disposable in a few years.

NEVRDULL, polish it with that. It is great at removing tarnish and corrosion on metals and leaves a protective coating on it. Wipe off with a microfiber. It is non abrasive, unlike some of the other methods mentioned. Also never use OOOO steel wool on anything, it leaves steel residue that then rusts and is a touch too abrasive. Use OOOO BRONZE wool instead.

OK, ChicagoSigMan, what did you use and how did the result look??