Electroplating nickel, silver, gold, etc.

[Bill DeShivs]

Instead of "patinating" your carbon steel blades, you can easily nickel plate them to protect them from rust. Your edge will still be bare steel. You can do decorative and protective plating to other parts as well.
I have been doing plating for many years, and the easiest, most fool-proof method is still the old Texas Platers Supply brush plating outfit. These are relatively inexpensive and perfect for occasional knife maker's use. Some of you old guys will remember the ads in "Shotgun News" from the 1960s and 1970s.
They are simple to use and consist of a wall-plug DC power supply, 2 wires and a brush.
They still do mail-order business (no Internet) and I believe they may do telephone orders.
I have no affiliation with the company. I just wanted to pass this information on to other craftsmen.
Here is there address:
Texas Platers Supply Co.
2453 W. Five-Mile Pkwy.
Dallas, TX 75233

If anyone is interested, I can probably provide a phone number for orders.

 

[fast14riot]

Brush plating is a good method for either small jobs or really large ones. I worked in a technical plating lab and we did some brush plating. I was most interested in the Nickel Teflon for pivots, it is very hard and when lapped is wicked slick.

Also, for those that dont know, plating will not fill voids or divots or scratches. It perfectly replicates the surface under it, so surface prep is important.

Thanx for the info Bill, I'll bookmark that address for later.


-Xander