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Artificial aging of nickel plated hardware
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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, ie take the shine off a little and yellow. I am advised to do this with etching solution - ferric chloride. Does anyone have experience of this process and the pros and cons.
Simon
musician - London, United Kingdom
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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.
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 Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
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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
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Hi there, Interesting question here. I'm a guitar enthusiast. I have an old guitar that has nickel plated parts from 1963. The nickel has not tarnished yet, but I would like to make it tarnish. (Patina, makes it look older/vintage). Would any of you guys know a concoction of some sort (not acid) that would tarnish the plating using things found at home? If so, How about a list? w/o brand names? And how about common safety procedures/instructions.
Thanks, Addison
Hobbyist - Huntington Beach, California, USA
January 26, 2011
I have had good luck tarnishing nickel with red wine vinegar fumes. I simply suspend the parts over a small amount of vinegar within an air tight container.
Make sure you clean the parts before to remove any oils.
- Sydney, NSW, Australia