Mikey recommended using phosphoric acid (available at Lowes/H. Depot) to remove old finishes in prep for the new plating. Each metal and its finish respond to the acid differently so they have to be monitored. Some items take only a few hours of soaking others may take a day or so. Mikey tip: after you remove the item from the phosphoric and rinse it in hot water while scrubbing it with a stiff brush , use a heat gun or hair dryer to dry it as quickly as possible to avoid flash rusting. I didn't think I would need it out here in the dry old desert - but I sure did. Make sure you use rubber gloves and don't splash that acid on any fabric - it will turn it immediately blue! Here are all of the prepped items (some non-shifter stuff too) I was going to have plated...
