I found at my parent’s house an old (1930 ?) Campanelclax bicycle bell made of brass. It’s really beautiful and it makes a very loud and annoying sound, like a giant frog.
I decided to restore it and started cleaning the top cover with hot vinegar and salt, a trick found searching on Google.
Unfortunately the bottom of the bell have been painted so now I’ll need to remove the painting and then remove brass oxide.
Check out the photos after the break.
First restoring results
do you want to sell it?
No, I’ll not sell it… it’s too beautiful: I’ll put it on my vintage bike :-)
Can you inform me or forward me the trick to clean it, so i could restore mine as well?
Really appreciate if u could do that.
Thx b4.
Well, it’s very simple: just use some hot vinegar mixed with salt and a lot of manual work.
I’ll try it then.
Thx for your info.
Appreciate it!.
Hi
I just bought one too. Bloody marvellous and so sturdy. Love the cut-outs in the metal. Like your clean up job. Did you use a toothbrush at any stage to clean around the brand name?
Do you know what the bell is made from?
Was your bell originally chromed do you know?
Can the bell be disassembled further – I’d like to get the grille chromed.
Steve
Hi Steve,
the bell is made of brass and I think it was originally chromed. At least this is what my father said.
I think it’s not possible to disassemble further the bell because there’s no screw.
Mine is made of steel. It appears to have been chromed. Yes, I took mine apart as far as I was able to. I may get a watchmaker to give it a clean-up and regrease.
Happy travels Alessandro.