Ugly Fender Braces...now what?

[Buster1]

After soaking the fenders in oxalic acid, the rust is certainly gone. But now I'm left with dark gray, pitted steel fender braces. They look pretty sorry.

What should I do to make them clean up? The braces in a lot of nice bike pictures look almost chrome. I'm pretty sure the gray steel won't polish up with just metal polish.

Any good techniques?

 

[scrumblero]

even if you polish them they still look funny.. the "chrome" spray paint is real close to the original plated look, i see alot of em repainted..

 

[udallcustombikes]

A coat of bondo to cover the pits and then paint them. I think aluminum rattle can gives you a closer approximation of the original look of the fender braces if after it has dried completely you knock the gloss off with some 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper.

 

[B607]

My method is to remove them from the fenders, then take a file to them and file out the pits. It takes a while but you can get it done. (Labor of love!) Once they are pit free, bead blast them with glass beads and then clear coat them with rattle can satin clear. Buy some threaded rivets from Memory Lane and put them back on. No one will ever notice they aren't original.
You can only see a little of the brace in this pic, but that's how it was done...15 yrs ago and they still look pretty good. Gary