Chrome, Nickel or copy chrome?

[dwthomas]

I have a '69 Norton Commando S Motorcycle I would like to restore. I can get plenty of stainless hardware for it, but was wondering if the Nickel plating would be a good alternative after I polished the nuts and bolts, there are so many it would be expensive to replace all the nuts and bolts, plus they are a exotic size (Whitworth). I don't have a good feel for the color differences in the chrome, stainless and nickel, I do have a nickel plated handgun and some polished stainless equipment, and am trying to compare the differences in color. The nickel looks to be more yellow and the stainless is closer to the chrome in color. Can you help me here? Also, is the electroplated nickel a harder or more durable finish than the chrome? Do you have a comparison chart of the different plusses and minuses of nickel and chrome plating and the copy chrome? Can the electroplating of the nickel be built up or is that not recommended? I'm just trying to get a feel for what I want to do.

thanks,
Dave

[mcaswell]

Nickel will have a yellowish hue, chrome a bluish hue.

Chrome is slightly harder than nickel.

Built up in what way? Commonly hard chrome is used to build up on parts, to do things like rebuild shafts etc. But this is an industrial application, not done for decorative parts.