24359. Barber Chair Restoration [California]

Letter 24359

Barber Chair Restoration [California]

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Does anyone know the best way to refinish the metal parts of an antique barber chair? Also, if plating is the solution what would be the appropriate finish?

Chuck Holman
hobbyist - Walnut Creek, California, USA

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I replated parts of barber chairs at my shop in Berkeley. If its an real old it's Nickel plated, If late 40's and on, Chrome. If the plating isn't completly shot you can use a chrome rouge.

Jon Diamond
silver plater
Berkeley, CA

November 3, 2006

I am restoring a barber chair and have had all the metal chrome parts replated. However, now some of the parts don't fit; the new plating is too thick. What's the best way to remove some of the plating. File, wet sandpaper, or ?

Thanks.

Brian Lamb
- Pullman, WA, USA

I think you'll find the chrome plating to be harder than a file, Brian, in which case a file won't work, of course. Sandpaper on a power tool will probably work. But the chrome plating is millionths of an inch thick, the nickel plating under it is what is thousandths of an inch thick -- so you will lose corrosion resistance and there will be an appearance difference. Hopefully the sanded areas are not visable. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey

March 22, 2008

I have a Koken Barber Chair form the 1890s to 1930s. It's in many pieces and I have full intent to restore it in time. I need some metal parts for the chair and I am having difficulty locating them (can't understand that, it's only around a hundred years old!!) I do have some pictures of my dismantled chair and would appreciate any help anyone out there can provide. What I'm looking for are the metal parts from the wooden leg rest down. I don't need all the parts but I am willing to buy the complete bottom part of the chair if necessary.

I desperately need help with this project. Any help or references you can provide will be very much appreciated.

Norman Stephenson
Norman's Barber Shop - Raytown, MO USA

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Ed. note: Threads about barber chairs include Letters 7610, 15234, 15607, 24359, 26677, 40093.

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