LOL @ BlitsyOne. I am having the same problem. I have my grandmother's 1907 model 28 treadle, and I know for a fact that she has many, many miles on her. All of the chrome, or whatever it was, is worn off of the wheel, as well as the throat plates. I've cleaned, scrubbed, polished and anything else I can do to make them shiny. I've reached one conclusion-it is not going to happen. I think the original finish is worn off. I can either replace them with new parts or use it as is, and remember how my grandmother looked, sitting there, treadling away with her latest creation. The machine is just not going to be shiny. After all, she's 105-which is about the age my DGKs think I am!