You put in on backwards.....
I always wondered how they got the gold color on those chains as well, Regina Oro and Shimano Uniglide chains too.
Always thought that because brass is an alloy of copper and zinc it wouldn't plate. Not so. It can be done and that's probably the way the chain side plates are "gold plated". FW sprockets too.
You're probably right about a protective coating which was probably dissolved by the solvent in WD40.
verktyg
