refinishing cleats and leads

[Terry arnold]

In working over the deck of my 1979 H33, I would like to do something about the black (once upon a time) aluminum cleats and leads. Any suggestions for refinishing?

 

[Ed Schenck]

Maybe Carl?

I was on Carl Wood's H37C last Fall and commented on how nice his toerails looked. He used something to put that nice black look back on them. And he said it wore well. Maybe he will see this or you could e-mail him because I don't remember what he used.

 

[Tom FitzGibbon]

2 Thoughts

Last time I was in my local gun shop, they had a liquid to "re-blue" a gun. I think it was also available in black. Not sure if this would stand up to weather exposure or abrasion, though.I also saw a liquid used to "renew the color and shine" of black aluminum gas grills. (This was not a high-temp spray paint, but something else. In the end, it may very well be a paint, but I don't recall the label positioning it that way.) That should certainly stand up to exposure, but I have the same concerns about abrasion.When you get a solution, please post it as I bet lots of us have this problem.Tom FitzGibbonPlan B

 

[Howard]

Low Tech Solution

Sam problem on my 1978 H-27. On the cleats I carefully chipped of all of the black finish, cleaned the cleat with stel wool and pain thinner. masked the areas around the cleats with good tape. Then I used rustoleum alum. primer and finished with 2 coats of flat black rustoleum. 2 seasons and they still look good. I know it's low tech but is seemed to work for me.