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cleaning gold plateing

uncle milo
what is good for cleaning gold plateing, Winchester 66 centenial needs a good cleaning.
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • perry shooter
    I would leave it as is The gold plating is VERY SOFT and VERY THIN. If it is cleaned yout might wear through the plating[xx(][:(] These rifles will lose 1/2 their value if even shot one time[:0]. However if you use the rifle then use silver polish but be CAREFUL.
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  • mark christian
    Either leave it alone or have it cleaned by a professional. The worst thing that can be imagined is after cleaning the finish it is left spotted with varying shades, some light and some dark. If the entire finish is uniformly tarnished then leave it be.
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  • nmyers
    Gold is relatively non-reactive, & does not oxidize when exposed to either air or water. It's possible that the manufacturer sprayed it with clear lacquer, & the lacquer is flaking off. Without seeing it, we can only guess as to the problem.

    I doubt that it can be restored. Many commemorative firearms can't be cleaned, oiled, wiped, or even handled. Sorry, your rifle is now a "shooter".

    Neal
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  • team roper ozzy
    i cleaned up a U.S. Calvary officer Spur i found detecting with q-tips and very light application of lemon juice followed up with fresh water rinse on a soft cloth.....gun.....i wouldn't try this method...but it worked fine for a civil war relic and brought out the gilt real nice. Ozzy
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  • beantownshootah
    I agree with Nmyers.

    Gold is a non-reactive non-corrosive metal. That's partly why its used in jewellery and for high-end electronics applications. . .because it doesn't rust or tarnish.

    If the gold is simply dirty (ie has dirt or grease on it), then any GENTLE cleaning method should work. Ordinary gun solvents won't affect the gold metal, but since these gold finishes are usually EXTREMELY thin, any RUBBING or WIPING could damage the gold plating.

    If the gold itself looks tarnished, then I'd conclude one of the following:

    a. The gold itself has been worn away. This is a depressingly likely possibility given how soft gold is, and how thin these platings are.

    b. The gold was covered by some lacquer which is now dirty or flaking, or

    c. (Least likely) it isn't actually gold at all but brass or gold-colored paint.
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