Help, please: Gold plating on stainless?

pilkguns

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 14, 2006
Messages
1,874
Location
in the land of Scrolls,
Anybody with any experience with this? Or knowledge of a practical online resource ?

I assuming there will need to be a copper base flashed on first. But it's been twenty years since I last did any plating.
 

Mike_Morgan

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2016
Messages
359
Location
Spencerport, NY
To properly gold plate stainless steel, You'll need to first plate with copper, then nickel before finally putting on the gold plating. There are "brush plating" kits available from Caswell Plating that can be used to directly gold plate stainless, but it is a thin decorative coating with no durability at all.

http://www.caswellplating.com
 

dlilazteca

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
May 10, 2013
Messages
2,659
Location
Laredo, Texas
There is a new method, caswell plating has a chemical, you dip it there first then strait to gold. Check them out, ive tried it and it works.

GunEngraver.com Custom Guns Knives and More PAYMENT PLANS Available
 

Mike_Morgan

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2016
Messages
359
Location
Spencerport, NY
There is a new method, caswell plating has a chemical, you dip it there first then strait to gold. Check them out, ive tried it and it works.

I've used the stainless activator as well, the triple plating method works MUCH better. The gold plating after using the activator is a really fragile finish, and I ended up having to replate a bunch of stuff properly after using it. Hobby products produce hobby results.
 

dlilazteca

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
May 10, 2013
Messages
2,659
Location
Laredo, Texas
I've used the stainless activator as well, the triple plating method works MUCH better. The gold plating after using the activator is a really fragile finish, and I ended up having to replate a bunch of stuff properly after using it. Hobby products produce hobby results.
No complaints as of yet, been using it for a year, but i guess time will tell.

GunEngraver.com Custom Guns Knives and More PAYMENT PLANS Available
 

BLW

Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
40
Location
NSW Australia
Chemical vapour deposition and physical vapour deposition are a better finish process, do some googling
 

dlilazteca

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
May 10, 2013
Messages
2,659
Location
Laredo, Texas
Where do you buy your nickle strike solution from?

GunEngraver.com Custom Guns Knives and More PAYMENT PLANS Available
 

Sponsors

Top