Originally Posted by Bikedued
It's got, a "Captain Kirk" kind of, "quality". JT, you must be the "bicycle plater" you commonly refer too, correct?
Just noticed the part where mentioned not being in the business. Older bike parts were done with the process you speak of, and they still rusted. Copper/nickel/chrome is not the end all be all of plating. Lack of care will make any steel rust, Chromed or not.,,,,BD
YES , ' BIKEDUDE ' , YOU ARE CORRECT ; THE WHOLE IDEA , IS TO PROTECT ( WAX , OR SOME
OTHER SEALER ) THE FINISH THAT YOU HAVE , RATHER THAN ABRAIDING IT WITH A POLISH .
FINISHED PLATING NEVER GETS , ' BETTER ' , WITH TIME , ONLY , ' WORSE ' , AS THE SURFACE
DETERIORATES , OR THE PARENT METAL CORRODES . PLATING , AS IT IS , IS NOT SIMILAR TO A
PAINT - A COATING THAT CAN BE , ' FLATTED OUT ' , & POLISHED , AFTER THE FACT .
THE , ' ACID TREATMENT ' , ( DECK CLEANER ? BY ZEP CHEM ) HITS AT THE RUST WHICH WAS
FORMED BENEATH THE PLATED SURFACE , AND DEPOSITED ON THE , ' FINISH ' . OXODIZE THE RUST
& SEAL THE SURFACE ; IT CANNOT GET ANY , ' BETTER ' . IF ONE IS LUCKY ENOUGH , THE ,
' PIN HOLES ' , IN THE SURFACE , WILL BE SMALL , & UNOBTRUSIVE .
' PLATING ' , IS AN , ' ART ' , AS IS , ' PAINTING ' , BUT TO A LESSER DEGREE ; I SAY THIS BECAUSE
' PLATING ' , IS SOMETHING THAT WE CANNOT , ' IMPROVE UPON ' , ONCE IT HAS BEEN COMPLETED , AS OPPOSED TO A PAINT COATING WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO , ' CUT DOWN ' , THROUGH POLISHING .
REGARDS ,
J T