HMV 145 handle question:

[vansteem78]

Is there some easy way to make my handle on the HMV 145 look like it did back when new? Also what did it look like? Any examples to see? I say easy way because someone on facebook mentioned some very complicated procedure which I could not follow or understand! Neil

[Inigo]

I don't have neither facilities to re-nickel metalwork, although I've read at the forum that there are some plating kits in amazon and the like which are easy to use at home for replating metalwork.
In my particular case, I should clean the corroded surfaces with magic cotton or a suitable metal cleanser, polish it with 0000 steel wool and leave it as it is. Age patina doesn't disturb.

[Marco Gilardetti]

I don't know why but for some reason (possibly the metal alloy with which they were made) handles always look worse than other nickeled parts of gramophones. Yours is in absolutely average condition and personally I would also just polish it with fine steel wool and leave it as is. I re-nickel them only when they look like an awful piece of rust.

If you anyway want to have it re-nickeled, I personally suggest to find a shop in your area that does galvanics (they ususally chrome motorbike parts and alike) and let the professionals do the work. Unscrew or pull off the wooden knob and carry to them the metal shaft.

[epigramophone]

I owned a 145 for over 40 years. The winding handle should have a dark bronzed finish which you might be able to replicate with a suitable varnish stain.

[Inigo]

Ah.. if externals were oxidized bronze, not pleated, then it is easier, for the rusted parts can be cleansed and polished to remove the oxide dust, leaving the polished rusted steel in its original dark rusted colour. This is very similar to bronze oxidized, and doesn't look very obtrusive aside the original finished sections. Anyway, after cleaning and polishing, you can see how it looks, then decide yourself what to do (or not).
I personally prefer the non-refinished machines, only cleaned and waxed, so the age patina and war wounds are visible, but the machine has an overall aspect of a 100 year old thing that has been cared for, but no more. This has no merit whatsoever, as it is the easiest solution for someone that has not the skills and tooling to do a proper full restoration.... simply my case