Thread: flash plating

I would like too learn more about the gold plating done too the Goldedge by Vlad. I am a shaver first and a collector second, but would love to restore the gold on my Goldedge razor. Is this something that we all can do or would it be cheaper too send our razors out?

Thanks,
Glen

Go to www.riogrande.com and get a catalog. They have everything you need. Some people... can make their own plating machines. You and I have to buy them from someone else.

You would still have to buy the plating solutions. That's at least a $50 bill, maybe more.

I got my plating kit from Caswell look under their plug'n'plate kits.

I only bought the solutions, there is information on the caswell site how to make your own pens/swabs. Caswell solutions looked simpler to use than riogrande but cannot plate a thick layer. The roiogrande catalog has some nice plating setups but they'll cost you. The caswell copper, nickel and gold solutions will run you about $50.


For the powersupply I use a Radioshack wall-wart powersupply (the wall plug adapter) this model has switch selectable voltages: 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9 and 12v. Positive end goes on the pen, negative on the piece to be plated.

You need to plate copper, then on top of copper you plate nickel then on top of nickel you plate gold. I use 4.5v for copper and 3v for nickel and gold. At first I was using too high a voltage and the plating was depositing oxide instead of clean metal. Lower voltages go slower but work.

For plating pens I used those liquid filled highlighters. I emptied out the liquid ink and washed out the nib. Afterwards drilled a 1/16" hole from the back into the ink well and inserted a rod all the way to the nib. The nib I also drilled 1/16" so the rod goes all the way to about 1/8" from the tip. Make sure you don't drill all the way through the nib, you can't have the rod touching the piece to be plated. Used plumbers goop to seal the back end where the rod goes into the ink well. Copper rod used for copper plating pen and stainless steel used for nickel and gold.

To fill the pen I just pull out the nib assembly and fill with plating solution and reclose. Works ok, not really great.