Inner fork tubes pitted

[Hillbilly]

Hello again everyone, I am in the process of changing the oil and oil seals on my forks. I noticed that they have some pitting on the inner tubes. I wanted to know if any of you have an idea how to possibly remove or at least make it a little more tolerable. My concern is that it will chew up the new seals in a short amount of time. I've tried 2000 grit sand paper and steel wool, It's made it a little better . I didn't know if there might be something I could fill them with.
Thank you.

[VoyKimmer]

I’ve had nicks on a fork tube. Never could get it cleaned up enough to not damage the seal. Had to get a new fork tube . I found one on eBay NOS but good luck getting an original.
May have to go here to get one https://franksforks.com/

[Nails]

I had my forks rebuilt because the old seals had leaked all over the brakes and I switched to Progressives. The shop warned me that one of my forks has a scratch (I didn't even notice it) that they cleaned up but "might leak". The PO apparently cowboyed on the fork -- I don't know why he was in there. But after 20K, the new seal is still fine.

Thanks for that source -- I might need it. I asked for a quote but haven't heard back yet.

[Hillbilly]

Thanks guys, I think I'll probably run them for a bit until I can find replacements.

[Nails]

Still no response from Franks Forks.

[Van Voyager]

One of the other forms I visit regularly had a post several years ago about a kind of soldering that could be used to fix fork divots, i.e. grind out the rust fill with solder, then finish surface flush with the tube. Frankly I was then, and remain, a bit bit skeptical but there was a video showing a guy filling and finishing a fork tube. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Alternatively, I've used epoxy to fill small clean divots, then file smooth and polish and that seems to work.

Edit: found this video while searching for the one I mentioned above: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYapCo9ao2Y

Edit 2. The soldier I mentioned above is apparently Cronabraze 92C. Here's a demonstration video (not the fork tube video I was looking for) Cronabraze 92C CW1020

[madmax]

Hi, my forks had bad pitting, so I got them hard chrome plated. It wasn’t expensive.
If I remember right it was around ₤80 ($105) the pair over here in the UK.
They informed me that one fork had a very slight bend in it. They straightened for free. They told me that they grind the old chrome off then re-chrome them to the correct diameter.
I shipped them one week & got them back the following week.
I’ve had to do the same on an old 1970 Kawasaki Triple, an H1 Mach III 500. That was years ago & I’ve been informed they still like new.
It's probably cheaper to get re chromed than buying a second hand pair, if you can find any. Good luck.