Lead plating of umbrella wires: bad idea, smart zinc option

Summary for lead plating of umbrella wires Discussion

Lead plating of umbrella wires/tubes is discussed as a question of why steel wire would ever be coated with lead and whether it could lower the cost of nickel plating umbrella tubes. Vedant Kothari asked if lead coating might help reduce expenses. The reply from Muralidhara says steel wire is lead plated only when lead’s special properties are needed, not as a cost-reduction measure. He warns that deliberately plating a consumer item with lead would be a big mistake. For a lower-cost alternative to nickel, he suggests that some people use bright zinc plating, optionally followed by a clear coat. The thread therefore points away from lead and toward zinc-based finishes if the goal is to reduce plating cost while keeping a consumer product practical.