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Black Chrome Rims

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Black chrome rims are somewhat of a misnomer. Chrome rims are actually stainless steel wheels which are then chrome plated. The chrome plating process is highly involved, and results in the shiny finish that we associate with chrome today. The material is stripped, imperfections are ground out, the piece is acid bathed, refinished, before finally beginning the plating process.

Oftentimes layers of copper and nickel plating go on to a rim before it is chrome plated. The end result is the distinctive shimmer of chrome. In order to achieve a black chrome rim, a black aluminum alloy can be used as a base instead of stainless steel, and the chrome plating applied needs to be very thin, to allow the black to show through.

While this process is not unheard of, when people shop for black chrome rims they are not usually seeing these products. They instead see simple painted black rims, or black aluminum alloy rims. The chrome variety is rare and expensive, but for some they are well worth the expense of tracking them down.