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History of Nickel Plate question

I am restoring a 1931 Model A Ford.

I know Ford used a dull nickel plate (AKA the Watts process) on all the parts and then buffed the visible parts. Then in some cases chromed over this.

I am curious what year brighteners in the nickel bath became common place for automotive restoration?


Thanks,

Kevin Fehr
hobbyist - Atlantic City, NJ
2005

I believe that wide spread use of brighteners for rack plating applications began in the early 1960's. Some not highly effective methods were used in the mid to late 1950's.

Gene Packman
process supplier - Great Neck, New York
2005

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I worked in a plating shop at the age of 14, in 1954. We were plating bright nickel then. I believe that the use of nickel brighteners started in the late 1920's but can't find a positive source of information.

My father applied for a chrome plating license from the company that held the patent in the 1930's, and he was plating with nickel brighteners at that time.

Daryl Spindler, CEF
decorative nickel-chrome plating - Greenbrier, Tennessee
2005

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I stand corrected. I was thinking only of organic brighteners from the acetelinic family.
Obviously, metallic brighteners and "home remedies" were used at all times. However, it is generally accepted that through the fifties work had to be highly polished to make up for the lack of leveling in the nickel process.

Gene Packman
process supplier - Great Neck, New York
2005

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You can find very good article about organic brighteners at nickelinstitute.org website!

Good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
2005