Yes you can have a professional refinish the entire tub. Spot fixing would not be a good option. The prep for refinishing a tub is much like doing bodywork on an automobile, with some of the same tools. The re-coating should last another decade or so. Having the tub fully exposed (no walls) ensures a better outcome, and, if you can take it to the finisher's shop, then they won't be trying to complete the job within 2-4 hours. Refinish is a cost/benefit analysis for your project goals.

You can never equal the kiln-fired cast irons of the past, but a refinish can easily match the durability of the finish on modern steel tubs you would buy today. I think Verbo is mixing up buying a Rustoleum kit of paint done by a DIYer - that would not last.

Sure it's repairable but you may not like the price. I don't see anything unique or special about the tub so replacement might be a better option. Just because something is old doesn't make it valuable or worth restoring.

Can you, yes. Should you, no.

I appreciate all the thoughts. I'm somewhat surprised to hear that pessimistic of views on reglazing.

One consideration is that this tub is an abnormal length (64 - 65"). So I would have to do some framing to fit in a new tub of standard size (60", which isn't the end of the world, but annoying), or find a tub this length somehow.

There's a highly reputable reglazer in my metro area that charges $495/tub. Part of the desire to keep the tub is functionality (big, deep, etc.), another is wanting to preserve as many original features of the house that I can. I agree that old =/= valuable necessarily.

Ed, FWIW, my parents had their tub reglazed in place, or in situ, if you want to be fancy with words. Their tub was original to the 1940 house & wasn’t damaged but the finish was just worn off the bottom of tub so badly it looked dirty. They didn’t want to replace the hard to find size in the arched alcove for tub so opted to try the reglaze. They used it mostly for showers but my mom did love a bath. It looked still pretty great @ 15 years later when house was sold. This house had plaster walls & a built in vanity under the bathroom window, On one side of vanity a door opened to a laundry drop contained in a closet in the basement right next to washer & dryer. Old houses can be very cool!

We had a cast iron tub reglazed. It's okay after 5 years, just starting to fail --- but it's failing where there was a problem and where there's heavy use. If you have good enamel inside the tub and just the spot on the outisde with a problem, you should be good. You don't want to use a tub mat if the tub has been reglazed. And you'd be better off cleaning regularly so you never had to scrub hard.

Another option I've seen is people who will put a liner in/on your tub. It's made of fiberglass or some kind of plastic. It's not the most elegant of solutions, but should work.

The last comment is that cast iron tends to be brittle. If you decide to replace the tub, smashing it into chunks you can carry more easily is not hard. You don't have to struggle to get a huge, ten-ton tub down your stairs and to the dump.

Update:

I ended up finding one of these tubs for $300 new on FB marketplace:

KOHLER | K-847 | Bellwether 5.5-Foot Cast Iron Bath with Left Drain

I had to drive 3 hours to get it, but worth it. I haven't used it yet as I am still remodeling, but so far love the design and sturdiness. It does have some of the "waviness" that reviewers mention online but I don't mind it at all. It's about 2" less deep than the original tubs in the house, so overall pretty comparable. This appears to be the only 66" cast iron alcove tub on the market, and overall is pretty affordable IMO.

I plan on buying a second one new for my 2nd bathroom (same exact footprint). Net-net it will be about $1600 vs $1000 total for reglazing. While I love the idea of keeping the original fixtures/tubs . . . you just need to reset sometimes. Feeling pretty good about the decision overall. Now I just need to get these behemoths out of my house...

Thank you everyone for your input!