Summary for artificial aging of nickel Discussion
Artificial aging of nickel plating comes up in the context of old guitar hardware and other vintage parts. Addison Babinski asked how to age new nickel-plated parts with household items and safe, common procedures. In response, Ted Mooney noted that electroplating is not ideal for this kind of artistic aging and suggested that PVD coatings or black chrome might create darker looks, though both could be impractical or difficult. He added that nickel and chrome are not truly white, and said silver plating, then sulfiding it to different degrees, would likely be the best route if a truly white base is needed, though long-term clear coating would be the hard part. Later, Adam Burger shared a practical shop method: he had good luck tarnishing nickel with red wine vinegar in an airtight container, after thoroughly cleaning the parts to remove oils. The thread therefore mixes a technical plating suggestion with a simple household-aging trick.
Usually available on
eBay; sometimes on AbeBooks
or
Amazon
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,
Victoria Reynolds
– 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,
RAAFAT ALBENDARY
NATIONAL PLASTICS ELECTROPLATING – CAIRO, EGYPT
Multiple threads merged: please forgive chronology errors and repetition 🙂
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,
Paolo Cividino
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.
A. Moses
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
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
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
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link] . Does anyone have experience of this process and the pros and cons.
Simon
Simon Honner
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
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
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
or
Amazon [affil link] within an air tight container.
Make sure you clean the parts before to remove any oils.
Adam Burger
– 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
Bonna Weinstein
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
⇦ on
or
Amazon [affil link]
0,5 gms
sulfuric acid 5 gms
hydrogen peroxide (30%) 25 cc
water 1 lit / pH 1-2
Hope it helps and good luck!
Goran Budija
– 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 murphy
revomotors – san francisco, California
August 31, 2018