Gold plating on Victor hardware

[bobbye49]

Hello...Could I have your ideas on the most effective way to clean up gold plating on Victor machines...cranks, knobs, tonearms, etc...without stripping away the thin gold plating? I ruined a tone arm several years ago and I don't want to do that again..thanks much

afraid to buff them and really don't know what's best to use if they are really discolored and dirty. Thanks

[gramophone78]

This is very dangerous territory as I think you discovered what happen to you tone arm. Because the Vic 6 has both mate & shinny gold finishes applied, there is no real way to safely polish the parts. I have found using a mild acidic cleaner like "Fantastic" with the metal parts removed.....will give you the best results you can expect. Once that is done, the gold will be as clean as you can ever get it. There is no one(I know of)that plates like this anymore. Therefore re-plating will leave all the parts with a very bright 24K gold finish.

[bobbye49]

thanks for your input...I did use some denatured alcohol and mineral spirits lightly on a crank and it did clean up some without taking off any gold...but I stopped just in case. I've heard that the Kotton Kleanser metal cleaner has worked for a friend but I'm a bit leery about using anything at this point that's not proven. i'll try Fantastic

[FloridaClay]

I found a company on-line some time back that does an antique gold plating that I thought I would try as my budget allowed, but haven't useed them yet. Maybe (?) send them some small bit for a test?

http://www.nashvilleplatingservice.com/plating.html

Clay

[bobbye49]

thanks for your input. I'll check them out. i'll also try the Fantastic.

[Jerry B.]

I've cleaned with ammonia, rinsed, and dried. Jerry Blais

[FloridaClay]

I've cleaned with ammonia, rinsed, and dried. Jerry Blais

I've had good luck cleaning gold with ammonia too. A side benefit I discovered when cleaning gold parts on my A250 Diamond Disk is that the ammonia also loosened the by then super grungy lacquer top coating that Edison used over the gold plating so that it then peeled right off.

Clay

[a12548]

Clay, thanks for the Replating company referral. I emailed them for a quote. Does anyone else know of a reputable replating company??

[gramophone78]

[quote="a12548"]Clay, thanks for the Replating company referral. I emailed them for a quote. Does anyone else know of a reputable replating company??[/quote

It would be best to check your local phone book and or ask antique dealers in your area who they use. As far as I know.....there is no one that is able to re-plate in the same way any longer. Victor was using mercury to apply the gold finish you see on a Vic 6.

[Jerry B.]

If you decide to re-plate, be sure to take an example of an existing piece, like a good original gold tone arm, so they can match the finish. I don't know how many finishes are available, but I suppose they range from dull to satin to gloss gold. Jerry Blais