Chrome!

[Blob of Nothingness]

Has anyone else found that parts produced in chrome gold/silver tend to lose their luster very quickly? I recently purchased the set Shelob Attacks. In the set, three chrome gold rings are included. After a couple of days, the gold finish on the rings began to wear off. The same thing happened with the bars in the set Isla de la Muerta from the POTC line. Is anybody else a bit annoyed by this?

[Big Cam]

Have you been "playing" with them? I have chrome pieces from the late 80's that are still chrome. Back then I did play with them, all my new chrome is pretty babied so it doesn't get scratched. As for loosing its luster, I have not experienced that with my PotC sets.

[davee123]

Yeah, I don't think I've *EVER* had any of my chrome elements lose any aspect of their shine, color, or chrome. I *have* purchased elements whose chrome has worn off in places, however, which I assume have been played with and handled excessively by children.

The elements in question, however, I don't own yet, and MIGHT be chromed through a different process. So I suppose there could be a problem with "modern chrome", but I haven't seen any evidence of that to date.

DaveE

[sharky]

It could be a bad chrome job that has me worried that they are defective. Sometimes variation in the plastic material or issues during the molding process might make the chrome plating not adhere as it should. This story reminds me of the minifigures in the Superheroes sets that were cracking. I'll need to pay attention to my parts and see if they will suffer the same fate.

Edited June 6, 2012 by sharky

[CMP]

My rings are still good despite reenacting scenes with them for god knows how long but my old Fantasy Era stuff is beginning to wear. Most of it's not even chrome, but the dwarven helmets and axes and one of the tattoos on the elite trolls has been peeling awful quick.

[Lyichir]

My chrome elements like swords used to lose their chroming, but that was only because I would put them in my mouth when I was younger.

I've never heard of chrome elements losing their surface finish over time. Where do you keep them? Perhaps something atmospheric is at play here? Or, as others have suggested, there could have been a bad batch of chromed parts. I haven't bought many sets with chrome parts in some time, so I have nothing to compare your issue with.

[happymark]

my Chrome sword is partly off. should I email TLG to get a replacement? or this would be considered as normal wear?

My chrome elements like swords used to lose their chroming, but that was only because I would put them in my mouth when I was younger.

I've never heard of chrome elements losing their surface finish over time. Where do you keep them? Perhaps something atmospheric is at play here? Or, as others have suggested, there could have been a bad batch of chromed parts. I haven't bought many sets with chrome parts in some time, so I have nothing to compare your issue with.

[Faefrost]

The oils in some people's skin will cause some chrome to discolor. It's quite common. The typical place you see it is in eyeglass frames, but any skin contact and handling can cause it.

[brickmack]

My rings are still good despite reenacting scenes with them for god knows how long but my old Fantasy Era stuff is beginning to wear. Most of it's not even chrome, but the dwarven helmets and axes and one of the tattoos on the elite trolls has been peeling awful quick.

Ugh, I have that with the helmets and other metallic silver parts, particularly from Fantasy Castle and Kingdoms. It would be nice if LEGO could find a good way to make stuff shiny without it having to be applied externally, rather than as a part of the plastic itself like a normal color.

[CMP]

Ugh, I have that with the helmets and other metallic silver parts, particularly from Fantasy Castle and Kingdoms. It would be nice if LEGO could find a good way to make stuff shiny without it having to be applied externally, rather than as a part of the plastic itself like a normal color.

They did. In Helm's Deep, Gimli's axe is a swirled pearl dark gray color - no printing. Thinking about it, I don't believe they've printed many parts in this way since Fantasy Era.

[SirBlake]

I've got a part or two where the finish has gotten scratched off in a very specific area, but never had chrome wear off or discolor.

[Lyichir]

They did. In Helm's Deep, Gimli's axe is a swirled pearl dark gray color - no printing. Thinking about it, I don't believe they've printed many parts in this way since Fantasy Era.

That's Titanium Metallic, one of the three current metallic plastic colors in LEGO. Unfortunately, while it and Silver Metallic look like they could really be made of metal, the only non-treated gold color in LEGO remains the Warm Gold introduced in 2006. And the issue with early shipments of Pirates of the Caribbean sets showed that AFOLs aren't about to take Warm Gold as a valid replacement for the chromed parts they desire.

Personally, I prefer non-chromed colors such as Lacquered Silver or Silver Metallic any day. But many AFOLs can't get enough chrome, so I often feel like I'm in the minority.

[Blob of Nothingness]

That's Titanium Metallic, one of the three current metallic plastic colors in LEGO. Unfortunately, while it and Silver Metallic look like they could really be made of metal, the only non-treated gold color in LEGO remains the Warm Gold introduced in 2006. And the issue with early shipments of Pirates of the Caribbean sets showed that AFOLs aren't about to take Warm Gold as a valid replacement for the chromed parts they desire.

Personally, I prefer non-chromed colors such as Lacquered Silver or Silver Metallic any day. But many AFOLs can't get enough chrome, so I often feel like I'm in the minority.

While I do enjoy chrome parts, I also prefer Metallic over chrome. Chrome may be shinier, but it scratches so easily. Especially the ring in LOTR. It isn't so precious now.

[JimBee]

I have some chrome lightsaber hilts where the chrome has worn off from gripping/ungripping them from minifigure hands. But other than that, all of my chrome pieces are shiny, and they're always exposed to sunlight in my room.

[Faefrost]

That's Titanium Metallic, one of the three current metallic plastic colors in LEGO. Unfortunately, while it and Silver Metallic look like they could really be made of metal, the only non-treated gold color in LEGO remains the Warm Gold introduced in 2006. And the issue with early shipments of Pirates of the Caribbean sets showed that AFOLs aren't about to take Warm Gold as a valid replacement for the chromed parts they desire.

Personally, I prefer non-chromed colors such as Lacquered Silver or Silver Metallic any day. But many AFOLs can't get enough chrome, so I often feel like I'm in the minority.

I thought there was a metalic non chrome gold used at some point? I have an Agents set that has a pallet of gold bars made from these matte metalic gold tiles that I have never seen before or since? Not as shiny as the gold chromed stuff, but much better looking that the plasticky warm gold? What are they? are they some sort of paint or treatment?

[fyrmedhatt]

I thought there was a metalic non chrome gold used at some point? I have an Agents set that has a pallet of gold bars made from these matte metalic gold tiles that I have never seen before or since? Not as shiny as the gold chromed stuff, but much better looking that the plasticky warm gold? What are they? are they some sort of paint or treatment?

That is Bricklink's metallic gold color (here are the items appearing in that color). I'm not sure exactly what process is used to create the color, but I think it must be some sort of dye in the ABS plastic. I have to say that the quality of Metallic gold is infinitely better than the Pearl Gold color which is really prone to marbling, so it's a shame Lego doesn't use the color more.

[Aanchir]

That is Bricklink's metallic gold color (here are the items appearing in that color). I'm not sure exactly what process is used to create the color, but I think it must be some sort of dye in the ABS plastic. I have to say that the quality of Metallic gold is infinitely better than the Pearl Gold color which is really prone to marbling, so it's a shame Lego doesn't use the color more.

Actually that color (officially called 299 Warm Gold, Drum Lacquered) is indeed a surface treatment, much like Chrome Gold (310 Metalized Gold). It is still in use in sets today (for instance, 4204 The Mine, 4437 Police Pursuit, and 4440 Forest Police Station in the City theme), but chances are one of the reasons it's used so sparsely is that like Chrome Gold, it is more expensive than colors like Pearl Gold (297 Warm Gold) that only require ABS and metallic-colored dye to produce.