newbie plating questions

[monkfunk]

Hi,

I am going to plate some old antique keys, I wanted to know the best kit to start with. I was thinking about a plug and play kit for silver.

Also, what is the difference between silver plating and chrome plating?, is one shinier or more durable than the other?

Thanks,

Eric

[ashcroft01]

Eric,

First of all, what finish are you trying to achieve?

Are the keys that you want to re-finish made of brass or steel?

Silver plating is the deposition of pure Silver onto a base metal and will look just like one of your grandmothers silver serving dishes.

Chrome plating is the deposition of Nickel, usually over a Copper strike first, with a thin Chromium plate on top of it.

The Nickel is actually what you see in a chrome plated piece. The Chromium is there for added protection and to help prevent the Nickel base from tarnishing.

Both types of plate are quite durable and look excellent when applied correctly and polished to a mirror shine.

A Plug-n-Plate kit would be a great start for your small projects, but you will not achieve the Chrome process with one.

You really need to determine your base metal and use the Pick-a-Kit Helper to guide you through the correct purchasing options.

Best of luck,