The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a humpback Victor II that is mostly complete with original parts and the old patina on the nickel plating. It was only missing the bullet brake and now the replaced new bullet brake looks out of place. Is there some method whereby I can age a new reproduction nickel plated part to look old again? Something quicker than waiting another 100 years.

Many thanks, I really enjoy learning from the experts on this forum.

Blain

Blain,
For what it's worth' I don't think anyone can exactly match the old plating. I had a Jewler friend that used to do small stuff for me that was close. He said he had to mix the chemicals to get it that close. Rod does a pretty good job. Here's his web site.
http://www.victrolarepairservice.com/sp ... rvice.html

Blain, I too have had to deal with this kind of mismatch. There are two things I have done. One is to buff all the old parts to remove the oxidization and staining. This will bring the color match closer together, but it may be offensive to you if you are a purist. Another is to use a chemical oxidizer. There are several available. I use a brand called Novacan, which is used to stain the lead and zinc caming on stained glass windows. It is available at stained glass supply stores. It must be diluted to slow down its action so you can control the amount of patina it adds. I strongly recommend testing on a spare piece to see how it works. Since it adds patina only to the surface, it can be buffed off. Cheers, Russie

Or you simply bury it for a week or two.