When I worked in a chrome shop (70's), after reverse current alkaline cleaning, there was rinse, then a dip in muriatic acid, then another rinse, then copper, nickel and chrome plating, with rinsing in between each step. Maybe the copper strike works instead of the muriatic acid dip, but I never applied any type of plating without the acid dip and rinse, before the first plating tank, whether it be copper, zinc or cadmium. Also never used more than one nickel plating step. Within nickel, at least you can pull a part out of the tank to check for adequate brilliance, then put it right back in, without a problem. No so with chrome. It's a one shot deal. It either comes out OK, or not.