chrome to nickel

[glenn in camino]

I have a reproduction chrome part that I want to be nickel. Is there a way I can I chrome strip it without going to a plating shop?

 

['29wagon]

Glen, I work in part with a sign shop where they do just that only over polished aluminum. They do an amazing job turning brushed aluminum to appear as if it were stainless steel as well. It's a three to one enamel/catalyst plus something else for temperature but guessing at it would be wrong . I'll check into that unless someone else can help out. But it is doable.

 

[Doug in NJ]

Do you want some chemical treatment that would strip off the chrome and leave the nickel beneath it unaffected? I have not idea if there is such a thing, but it would sure be handy. Of course, it would also have to be safe for pot metal...

Doug

 

[MikeK]

Chromium can be removed from a Nickel substrate with concentrated HCl (Muriatic acid, a commercial impure form of Hydrochloric acid). BUT the underlying Nickel will only remain intact if it was laid down during plating to a thickness sufficient to completely cover the substrate and to a density that is not too brittle to create microfractures. That rules out any "cheap" plating job. The part must be squeaky clean (detergent scrub, H2O Rinse) and everything must be at 20-30 Celcius. It is extremely difficult to see any change, as the underlying nickel is actually the shine or polish, the chromium provides only a blue tinted oxygen seal to protect the Nickel. You may, or may not see some initial formation of fine milky bubbles on the surface as the acid reacts with the Chromium. It should be done in 3 minutes or less. You might want to withdraw the part, rinse, and check at 1 minute increments. If the part has any scratches through the Nickel or post plating holes or threads the acid will attack the substrate. If it's Zinc or potmetal, the plating will lift at the breaks in the plating. After a thorough rinse, neutralize the part with a baking soda and water solution for a minute, then a final detergent and water rinse.

WARNING This is best done in a chemical splash and fume hood! Concentrated muriatic acid is way worse than sulfuric (battery) acid. If you splash it on your skin, you will be scarred for life. One drop in your eye will blind you, even if you instantly rinse. Accidentally inhaling the fumes may cause lung hemorrhage and death. So, with that said, Have fun!

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

I striped the chrome off an oval speedometer bezel and muriatic acid worked great. I brushed it on the bezel and waited 2 or 3 minutes. I saw black appearing and feared the worst, so I quickly rinsed it in hot water and wiped it off. The bezel was a beautiful shiney nickel.

My only mistake hear was doing it in the basement bathroom. FOR SURE, you want to do this outside!!!

A couple years ago I tried the same process to strip the chrome from some repro window cranks. The muriatic acid ate the setscrew holes out to a large size, plus there was no unlerlying nickel. I just ruined 4 new window cranks.

 

[Mike V. Florida]

If it's Zinc or potmetal, the plating will lift at the breaks in the plating. After a thorough rinse, neutralize the part with a baking soda and water solution for a minute, then a final detergent and water rinse.

and if it's repro it most likley is

 

[Ron in Quincy]

Glenn,

I suggest you take the item to AAA Plating in Sacramento; I had a couple of items that had chrome over nickel, Vic Dorrity the owner of AAA dipped the items in one of his tanks and it removed the chrome and didn't damage the nickel.

Muriatic Acid must be used outside as if you have any other bare metal around it will rust from the fumes. As said before you can neutralize with baking soda.

Good luck on your decision,

Ron

 

[Craig Lewis]

Mike K. ... that was a great warning you finished up with...thanks.

I actually find it odd that muriatic acid is available to the general public. I mean with all the attention focused on toxins, asbestos, solar radiation & sunblock creams
...gosh even used motor oil on your hands is a nono...
Anybody who has poured muriatic into a bucket of rusty bolts and seen the results, or has got a wiff of the fumes ... should have gained an instant respect. I believe a lungfull of that stuff could kill you.
It's seriously nasty stuff ... I stay downwind and away from the bucket, use full eye protection & even break out the gyno gloves.

*Traces of muriatic on a hand tool turns it into a rusty mess. Place the same contaminated tool into a drawer of other tools overnight and EVERYTHING, including the inside of the drawer, will have a layer of rust burnt into it.

Nevertheless... it's good we can still get the stuff cuz it occassionally does come in handy!
Protect your eyes...protect your eyes...protect your eyes.

 

[J Franklin]

I doubt the nickel underlying the chrome is any more than a flash and it will not last very long. It is done for the color and the chrome for hardness and stability. It would be best to have the part nickel plated properly for long service.

 

[RockHillWill]

If you have been able to get your parts from an established nickel / chrome plater it will be very easy to get them to remove the chrome and leave the nickel. It has been my experience, that if you have the same people that did the chrome plating, remove it, they have never charged me for it, and no hesitation as to the quality of the nickel underneath the chrome.

 

[mrtexas]

I second the return to the plater. Platers can add the metal or take it off with reversing polarity in the correct plating tank as plating is an electrolytic process.