Whats better Chrome or Nickel plating????
I just got my hands on a Star b at a gun show that has been reblued. Parkerized.I would like to customize it by either chrome or nickel plating it. What is more durable and who can I send it into for such a job. No one around here does either.
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A buddy of mine has taken my Beretta 9 mm to a guy in Indianapolis to be Nickel plated. My buddy had a 1911 done and it looks GREAT. I will try to follow up on how it looks when I get it back. It is costing me $50 to have it done.
"Shoot Straight and Shoot often."0 -
The new Hard Chrome process is really tuff and you can give it a brush look so that it doesn't shine so much. It makes it look like stainless steel.
Down Zero0 -
Mike,
I'm in the Indy area. Please keep us posted on how your 9 turns out. I have a couple that I would like to have plated.
cbxjeff<P>It's too late for me, save yourself. <br>0 -
The Problem with CHROME is that if it Peels it can cut you like a razor blade...Nickel will wear down from usage over the years...can be touched up with a Plating Kit, and I never heard of anyone complaining about getting a cut...We've all seen Chrome flaking and or peeling off of Car Bumpers...Choice is gonna be yours.....but...just think about it for a few minutes...
Captain Kirk, Tech Staff0 -
Harley shops do a lot of chrome plating you could try one of them in your area and they will know a plating company.. Usually chrome platers do nickle too
Dave0 -
NICKEL! 0 -
When I had an FFL Lic. I sent a few guns to Rebel Refinishing in Wildwood Florida. Always did a quality job. They do nickel, blue and hard chrome.
Bob
Keep Your Powder Dry
The only criminal class that is native to the United States is congress.
MARK TWAIN0 -
There's a difference between decorative chrome(bumpers etc)and industrial (hard chrome). For technical reasons, if you want wear resistance, chrome should be plated in a 3 step process: first copper, then nickel, then chrome. The latter approach is expensive. 0 -
Hard chrome is the toughest ,yes if it ever does peel it turn to crap,but any care at all will prevent this, it is common for older guns to peel, due to mostly neglect that would have destroyed any other firearm
roboguard has a very good chrome0 -
First, I would like to dispel a few misunderstandings about "plating".
Both nickel and chrome are plating. If done improperly both will flake off.
"Bumper" plating or more specifically "triple chrome plating" does not belong in firearms. During the triple chrome plating first the gun is plated with copper, then with nickel and finally with a thin layer of chrome. Polishing is done between each plating coat to improve the mirror finish effect and fill-in small imperfections. As you have "disimilar" metals the tend to react/contratct/expand at different rates during cold and heat changes, making this "flaking" a surety.
"Hard chrome industrial grade" plating is what belongs in firearms. It is a totally different process, and the chrome gets deposited/bonded directly into the metal. There are no softer metal layers of copper and nickel. Metal preparations is important and a shop specializing in firearms is recommended.
The main difference between nickel and chrome is hardness. Nickel is a soft metal and can scratch very easily. On the other hand chrome is harder than the average "steel hardened file", and much more durable. Nickel will tarnish, and chrome will not. Hard chrome is actually used over "stainless steel" to eliminate metal galling, and to build up worn parts like frames and slides fit.
Blue and parkerizing are nice durable finishes but they will not stop a gun from rusting from fingerprints, etc.
The best way is to find a local shop in your state that specializes in gun refinishing and discussing with them your requirements. If you can not locate a local shop, you can contact my friend Tom at T&A Gun Refinishing, Inc. in Hialeah Florida at (305) 681-1684. He has over thirty years of experience doing exclusively firearms. He specializes in hot blueing, parkerizing, hard chrome plating, nickel plating, gold plating,silver plating, and other fine finishes for firearms. And yes, you can ship your guns to him directly for refinishing, and he can ship them back to you directly, without having to go to a local dealer to act as intermediary.
Give Tom a call and tell him that Venry, from Radical Precision sent you, and you are from "GB's". He will give you all the information about the different finishes and work you a great deal for a quality finish.
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"If it ain't broke, fix it anyway... make it better!" (RadCat)0 -
Very well put RadCat. I am in the Aviation Repair business and we use industrial Chrome Plating the(QQ-C-320)process on all hydraulic actuating components.
My 1911A1 frame and slide was done using this process over 20 years ago and it looks fine, no wear or galling or pitting or peeling.0
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