I have been following the discussion on cleaning cadmium plated components. I have cleaned a badly rusted chassis from about 1927, to the point where there are many bare spots due to the length of time the rust was eating away at the shiny finish. Will metal polish have some effect even on these bare spots to make it look somewhat acceptable? I was fully prepared to use aluminum paint but now I am less inclined to do so.

Try a little pumice and soft damp cloth. Won't harm anything, but may brighten up the spots a little. Keep at it until all the pitting is gone. It's still show, but you will have arrested the rusting.

:I have been following the discussion on cleaning cadmium plated components. I have cleaned a badly rusted chassis from about 1927, to the point where there are many bare spots due to the length of time the rust was eating away at the shiny finish. Will metal polish have some effect even on these bare spots to make it look somewhat acceptable? I was fully prepared to use aluminum paint but now I am less inclined to do so.
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Just a suggestion....

When I run into the problem of a severely rusted/discolored chassis I sometimes also decide that paint is the answer. After trying several "silver" or "chrome" paints I found that my best results were with paint that dries to a "hammered" finish.

Here's chassis that was painted with Rustoleum Hammered Finish (light gray) spraybomb:

I mask the larger non-removable objects with tape, and mask small objects such as rivet heads, grommets, etc with rubber cement (peels of easily).

:I have been following the discussion on cleaning cadmium plated components. I have cleaned a badly rusted chassis from about 1927, to the point where there are many bare spots due to the length of time the rust was eating away at the shiny finish. Will metal polish have some effect even on these bare spots to make it look somewhat acceptable? I was fully prepared to use aluminum paint but now I am less inclined to do so.
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I use sometime Autosol metal polish. Do a good job, but do not expect miracles. I polished the aluminum plate of a Stark tube tester that was really tarnished and the finish is almost mirror now.