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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
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• Topic #28011 "Nickel Plating Appearance in the Late 19th Century"
• Topic #31847 "Get the Look of Aged (antique) Nickel Plating"
• Topic #43684 "How to dull a shiny nickel finish?"
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Patina on nickel, Artificial aging
sometimes on
AbeBooks or Amazon
(affil links)
free pdf is currently available from academia.edu
Q. Hello,
Does anyone know of a tarnish or oxidation technique for nickel plate. I am looking for something very subtle to grey it or in other words darken the value. It would be over matte nickel.
Thanks to any and all,
- Healdsburg California
2001
A. DEAR VICTORIA,
THE ACETATE SOLUTION THAT IS USED IN PATINATION OF COPPER WITH BLUE COLOR IS USED ALSO FOR NICKEL. THE FORMULA YOU CAN GET FROM METAL FINISHING GUIDEBOOK UNDER THE TITLE OF METAL COLORING .
GOOD LUCK,
NATIONAL PLASTICS ELECTROPLATING - CAIRO, EGYPT
Multiple threads merged: please forgive chronology errors :-)
Patina on nickel plating
Q. Hello, I have a question about how to patina a nickel plated piece of steel. I am staring with a sand blasted piece of 1 inch square stock, and had them nickel plated with no polish. I'm trying to distress the finish if possible. Does anyone have any ideas; i.e. a chemical wash, heat, etc.
Thank you,
Tutto Ferro, furniture builder - Reno, Nevada, USA
2005
Q. Does anyone know how to create a "grayscale" using metal finishing techniques.
I want the following outcomes:
1) White = nickel
2) 25% gray = ?
3) 50% gray = ?
4) 75% gray = ?
5) Black = Black Oxide
I am starting with either Brass or nickel pieces and I am open to any suggestions on how to achieve a "grayscale".
Thanks.
artist - St. Louis
2007
A. Electroplating applies only metal, so it may not be ideally suited to this requirement. I believe it could be achieved with PVD coatings where various carbides, nitrides, etc., can be deposited -- but PVD may be impractical for an artwork. Another possibility would be black chrome, which I have seen in almost every shade of gray. But it sounds difficult.
Neither nickel nor chrome is truly white though. I think the best solution, therefore, would be silver plating (which is truly white), sulfided to various degrees, and I don't think it would be difficult. The hard part would perhaps be a clear coat that maintains the silver in that state over the long term. Good luck!
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I have a vintage guitar which has had to have some metal parts replaced with new nickel plated ones. Some of them (the pickups) have been chemically "aged", so the plate is a little satinised, with some areas worn through.
Some of the parts need a similar treatment, i.e., take the shine off a little and yellow. I am advised to do this with etching solution - ferric chloride
⇦this on
eBay or
Amazon [affil links] . Does anyone have experience of this process and the pros and cons.
Simon
musician - London, United Kingdom
2007
A. I suspect that the brighter, less yellow, non tarnished items have chrome plating on top of the nickel. Although it's a hazardous material, it is possible to put the chrome plated parts in muriatic acid for a minute to remove the chrome and leave the nickel.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. Hi there, Just wondering how I should age my Nickel plating on an old guitar with new(er) parts. I have read the (very few) articles on this and was wondering, how to do it with household items.(If possible) Could you give a list? without brand names? and common procedures for safety. Thanks, Addison
Addison Babinski- California
2007
A. I have had good luck tarnishing nickel with red wine vinegar
⇦in bulk on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil links] within an air tight container.
Make sure you clean the parts before to remove any oils.
- Sydney, NSW, Australia
January 26, 2011
How to further patina or rust door handle in the vintage nickel finish ?
Q. We are replacing 16 privacy door knobs with door handles in a manufacture vintage nickel finish. The manufacture's finish looks too perfect for the rustic theme that runs throughout our shore house. Please share your your advice.
Thank you ! Bonna
Home owner - Rydal, Pennsylvania USA
May 25, 2016
A. According to David Fishlock's book Metal Colouring (Teddington 1963), barium sulphide solution can be used as nickel coloring solution.
Golden bronze for nickel
barium sulphide 1,5 - 4,5 gms
water 1 lit/ 40-70 °C temp.
Black color
potassium thiocyanate
⇦this on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil links]
0,5 gms
sulfuric acid 5 gms
hydrogen peroxide (30%) 25 cc
water 1 lit / pH 1-2
Hope it helps and good luck!
- Zagreb,Croatia
September 3, 2018
Q. I've been just setting my nickel plated parts on a gas grill and they get a nice matte grey finish that hides a lot as opposed to its original shine. Is this damaging to the metal? Is it a durable finish? it seems to be.
John murphyrevomotors - san francisco, California
August 31, 2018
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