Lever Cap Replating

[Vann]

Hi. Has anybody had experience with having lever caps rechromed? I have two "doer-uppers" that have shot chrome plating. One has been de-rusted (in citric acid) and has about 5% chrome remaining on the face (while the back has 100% coverage in good condition). The other has around 75% chrome remaining but it is flaking with rust under the exposed edge.

So, first question: can these be rechromed without disassembling? Or do I need to separate the components (cap, lever, pivot pin & spring plate) and reassemble after plating?

Second question: Has anybody attempted to build or rebuild the bottom corners of the lever cap with braze? Every lever cap I have (except the 95% bare one above) has one or other corner deformed or broken - just a 1/16" or 1/8" off the corner at most. I'm tempted to try to build up the corner and file/sand it back to the correct profile before sending it away to be rechromed.

A final query. Is chroming appropriate, or should they be just nickel plated? One is a solid frog Record (probably just before or just after WW2), the other is a later British Stanley with two piece Y lever (1970s?). I feel the Stanley would have been chromed, but I'm not so sure of the Record.

Of course, I could just ask the platers, but if I'm going to ask dumb questions, I'd rather do it here on the forum.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[tnimble]

Hi. Has anybody had experience with having lever caps rechromed?

I do my own plating once in a while.

I have two "doer-uppers" that have shot chrome plating. One has been de-rusted (in citric acid) and has about 5% chrome remaining on the face (while the back has 100% coverage in good condition). The other has around 75% chrome remaining but it is flaking with rust under the exposed edge.

So, first question: can these be rechromed without disassembling? Or do I need to separate the components (cap, lever, pivot pin & spring plate) and reassemble after plating?

Yes and no. The parts not to be plated (like the spring, rivet and pin on which the lever pivots) can be coated first with something easily chemically dissolved (in a thinner like Acetone). All remaining plating must be removed first (can be done best and most easily through electrolyses). For some parts its best to disassemble. Lever caps are to hard to assemble once disassembled to be worth the trouble.

Second question: Has anybody attempted to build or rebuild the bottom corners of the lever cap with braze? Every lever cap I have (except the 95% bare one above) has one or other corner deformed or broken - just a 1/16" or 1/8" off the corner at most. I'm tempted to try to build up the corner and file/sand it back to the correct profile before sending it away to be rechromed.

Could be done by welding new metal back in place. However from the point of restoration this would be considered not a preferred action. Also replating can be more difficult due to the barrier between the two types of metal.

A final query. Is chroming appropriate, or should they be just nickel plated? One is a solid frog Record (probably just before or just after WW2), the other is a later British Stanley with two piece Y lever (1970s?). I feel the Stanley would have been chromed, but I'm not so sure of the Record.

Of course, I could just ask the platers, but if I'm going to ask dumb questions, I'd rather do it here on the forum.

Cheers, Vann.

They should be nickel plated with brigthner additive and without a copper pre plate. However when having them plated the costs can be more then substantial.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

You will be able to get them re-chromed with out dissembling them, they are chromed assembled. It should be possible to build up the corners with braze and reshape them, but I don't know how strong it would be it might end up deforming and chipping the new chrome.

I just sand off the chrome and polish them, after all its just looks it doesn't help the performance.

The solid frog Record would have been nickle of cadmium plated if it says "War Finish" on the lateral lever.


Pete

 

[tnimble]

The solid frog Record would have been nickle of cadmium plated if it says "War Finish" on the lateral lever.

War finish are either unplated, painted or cadnium plated, never seen any that where tin or zinc plated. Non war era are nickel plated.

 

[bugbear]

Hi. Has anybody had experience with having lever caps rechromed?

I've had some items to do with vintage bicycles rechromed.

Unless your tool is very rare, or precious to you for sentimental reasons, it's not worth doing.

it would be cheaper to buy a whole new tool than get rechroming done.

BugBear

 

[woodbloke]

Hi,

I just sand off the chrome and polish them, after all its just looks it doesn't help the performance.

Pete

This is what I did a while back and it's fairly easy to do. The recess where is says 'Record' or 'Stanley' is cleaned with some meths or acetone and then flooded with red paint before the cap is sanded so that when it's all done the wording has been revealed, surrounded by shiny metal - Rob

 

[Vann]

Hmmm. Okay, so I don't need to disassemble the lever cap (I had wondered if the chrome might "weld" the whole assembly together - but I guess not).

And nickel plating, with brigthener added, but without copper pre-plate, is what I should be looking towards rather than chromium plating. Although generally, the consensus is that replating isn't worth the cost. I might get a quote before I abandon that one.

I guess brazing the corners is out if I'm not going to re-plate.

The solid frog Record would have been nickle of cadmium plated if it says "War Finish" on the lateral lever.

War finish are either unplated, painted or cadnium plated, never seen any that where tin or zinc plated. Non war era are nickel plated.

I have a "warfinish' Record also awaiting 'doing up'. It has a blue painted lever cap. The blue appears considerably lighter than the dark 'Record' blue on the body of the plane. It's even lighter than the newer lighter blue used on the current Record Irwin range - almost a 'sky blue'. I have no idea if that is original, or some previous owner's fancy.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[tnimble]

Hmmm. Okay, so I don't need to disassemble the lever cap (I had wondered if the chrome might "weld" the whole assembly together - but I guess not).

I does if just cleaned, decreased, etched and thrown in the plating tank. The levercap level will get stuck and the plating on the spring and rivet will start to flake soon at the inside and along the edges where the parts meet. Thats where the coating comes into play.

And nickel plating, with brigthener added, but without copper pre-plate, is what I should be looking towards rather than chromium plating. Although generally, the consensus is that replating isn't worth the cost. I might get a quote before I abandon that one.

The original plating is nickel not chrome. People probaly think its chrome because they associate nickel plated parts with the matte finish as found on modern furnature and some door knobs etcetera. There are gennerally four types of nickel plating; matte nickel plating (sometimes etched or blasted after plating to get a more matte look en more matte finish), leveled nickel plating (this is the most common sub plating before chrome 3 plating), bright nickel plating (the one used for a shiny look on parts) and black nickel plating (also a final plating finish to have parts look like black metal)

The differences between the plating types are chemicals and organic substances added to the nickel salt solution.

I guess brazing the corners is out if I'm not going to re-plate.

Acetylene welded on iron (not the bronze alloy types sometimes used) is done would be hardly visible when done correctly (without pockets in the seem) other types like electro welds remain visible. With most brazing methods a line will remain visible where the brazing metal such as nickel is.

I have a "warfinish' Record also awaiting 'doing up'. It has a blue painted lever cap. The blue appears considerably lighter than the dark 'Record' blue on the body of the plane. It's even lighter than the newer lighter blue used on the current Record Irwin range - almost a 'sky blue'. I have no idea if that is original, or some previous owner's fancy.

I've seen various blues, reds, oranges, greens etc.

 

[DigitalM]

The parts not to be plated (like the spring, rivet and pin on which the lever pivots) can be coated first with something easily chemically dissolved (in a thinner like Acetone).

Sorry to unearth this, but I was wondering what the best thing to use would be, that would resist the elecro-plating bath and stop plating from taking place, but would then be easily removed as suggested. Are we talking something like, erm, humbrol enamel paint?!

 

[tnimble]

Nail polish; any decent color will do. To be removed with acetone a.k.a. nail polish remover.

 

[DigitalM]

Thanks!