Nickel polishing - Flitz, Maas, plain ole 0000, other?

[Uncle Vanya]

Of course if the coating is worn or corroded through to the brass, then the piece is cleaned and polished and thrown in the nickel bath. For small parts, I generally use Rhoplate EN-M, an economical electroless solution. Large parts wait until I have enough plating to do to make up a full tank of Watts Bath.

The little "brush-plating" kits available from several suppliers can do excellent work if they are used with care.
. . . . .

Of course re-plating, however well done is but a poor substitute for a fine original surface.

I presently have three Watt's baths ready to go at the flip of a switch: Nickel, Copper and Gold. I played with those "brush plating" kits years and years ago and they just can't lay down the quality of a well seasoned Watt's bath. But I have to admit that those 3 baths take up a chunk of real estate to have up full time.

My plating is faithful to Victor's processes. I would agree that re-plated parts may be a poor psychological substitute for a fine original, but as far as the actual quality of the plating goes, it's right on the money.

W

Tell that to the fellow who insisted upon a discount on my Nickel-Plated Home because the accessory carriage) for a Diamond B reproducer did not bear factory nickel! (The original carriage was yet present, in the bottom of the cabinet of the machine).

[Uncle Vanya]

Solvent-free Brasso? I wouldn't know (yet). The stuff I have been using is the old traditional stuff with the ammonia. Is this going to be banned soon? Should I use it sparingly?

The old formula contained a bit of benzene, and was put up in cans. The new formula, which is solvent (and polish) free is put up in plastic bottles.

The old formula was discontinued here in the 'states a couple years ago, although it was available in Canada until last summer, I believe.

[Tinkerbell]

Solvent-free Brasso? I wouldn't know (yet). The stuff I have been using is the old traditional stuff with the ammonia. Is this going to be banned soon? Should I use it sparingly?

The old formula contained a bit of benzene, and was put up in cans. The new formula, which is solvent (and polish) free is put up in plastic bottles.

The old formula was discontinued here in the 'states a couple years ago, although it was available in Canada until last summer, I believe.

Yikes! Benzene... when I think of the massive amounts of Brasso we had to use when I was in the military in the early seventies, it's amazing I haven't wound up with cancer!!

[SignatureSeriesOwner]

Stock up on as much old Brasso as you can. The new stuff does a horrible job. I bought about a dozen of them from a friend when he took a trip up to Canada. They still have the old stuff here. They haven't made to "old style" of it here in several months, if not longer.

[Steve]

Thanks for the tip. I have a big drum of the 'old stuff' and I'm off out to stock up on some more! Why do the powers that be always insist on ruining everything? Isn't my beloved Brasso sacred anymore?

[SignatureSeriesOwner]

Brasso didn't want to change it. IIRC, the EPA made them.