Torque and Chrome

Can you use sandpaper to get chrome off wheels?

I have an opportunity to get some nice rims very cheap on account of they are in bad condition with chrome flaking off. I want to take off the chrome and repaint them (probably with wheel paint from a can). I've read you can sandblast the chrome off or remove it chemically but I'm wondering if you can just get some wet sandpaper and rub it off by hand gradually increasing the grain till smooth. I know it doesn't sound easy but it does sound simple (not to mention cheap). Is this possible? Can I get good results this way?

Public Comments

1. yes u can but will take a hell of a long time it would b easier to sandblast them its not that expensive
2. For painting you can get by with just sanding down the chrome to give it a rougher finish that the paint will stick to rather than sanding it completely off. And yes, you can sand it clear off, but you are correct, it won't be easy
3. r u sure u want to do it? maybe in the half wy u'll be exauhsted. u better offf pay someone to do that
4. why not take them in and get re-chromed ,see if there is a plating company near you that could strip off old chrome and re-plate your rims.there is about a 64th of an inch of chrome on your rims and to sand off will take a while and hard to get into the corners with sand paper,could sand blast if not wanting to get re-chromed.but again it is your arm very hard work a good job for power tools.
5. that would take a lot of sanding. your better off to take them somewhere and have them to dip them into acid.