[STAINER88]

I am having some problems with chrome stripping. What happend was few weeks ago I stripped the chrome off a zippo and gold plated it. Came out nice and shiney but I notived I had let a small bit of chrome on it. So today I tryed to strip the rest of the chrome off. It looked ok so I went to gold plate it. When plating the part would turn black as if it was burt for a few seconds then it disapeared.

i had a look but I could still see the chrome so I tryed stripping it again. The gold was a right mess but by the look of things the chrome was gone.
So I tryed nickel plating it that went ok then I went straight to gold. Parts of it that were gold before the nickel wouldnt take so I tryed activating it. Still no luck. So I tryed a SS activater still no luck the gold wouldnt take.

So I tryed copper plating it. Took a while but I finaly got a nice even shiney copper plate. then I tryed nickel again and it looked like ****. There was a lot of black smudges I couldnt buff out then I noticed some blisters.

Now I tryed stripping another zippo. went to gold again it looked as if it was burning then disappered, and once again there was still chrome. stripped again and I am now left with a part that has three differnt tones. Ive got orange looking gold some chrome and what I think is nickel.

Does anyone know whats happing, And please I do know I should get it right first time but I am left with two lighters that are useless now or does anyone have any ideas what I can do to save them.
I really need help fast as I have some expensive items coming in the next few days that I need to strip the chrome off and gold plate. Any help would be very apreachated. Parts a aluminium with a small amount of chrome on it.