Not much to it really. I pull the knobs and soak them in Simple Green (to wash away the old grime from dirty fingers, etc...yuck) then rinse and wipe.
That usually takes care of the rest of the plating. :-)
After that, most are stripped to pure white plastic. I found some modeling paint at Crafts Mart that looked like a gold/chrome finish (according to the cap) but it is more of a satin metallic. I use three coats of flat black primer, two or three coats of the gold (allowing to dry in between) then two or three coats of 'truck and auto' detailing clear to finish. It looks pretty good, considering it's from a bomb can, and hopefully the clear will lend a bit of extra durability. Paint the knobs face down to protect the inside lettering and color, plus the leading edge finish which isn’t usually worn away.
