What kind of plating

[ilikevelos]

I have a number of fastners from the 40-50s that need the plating freshened. How do I tell what kind of plating is presently on them? Is there an easy way to determined if the plating is cadmium?

[mcaswell]

Cadmium or zinc will fizz vigourously if you apply a drop of acid to it.

[ilikevelos]

I will try that tonight. Is there an easy way to tell the difference between zinc and cadmium? Also, can you replate over either surface with a zinc or cad simulated plating?

[mcaswell]

Is there an easy way to tell the difference between zinc and cadmium?

Not really - especially if they're older parts. New zinc plate will look bright, while new cadmium will be duller, but they both age the same way.

You can plate directly over zinc or cadmium with new zinc or cadmium.

[ilikevelos]

Amazingly enough, I dropped undiluted battery acid on clean plating and did not get a reaction. Is there another form of plating that looks similar and which might have been used on british motorcycles of the early 50s?
It does not look like nickel plating to me but I don't know how ot tell for sure.

Basically, I am restoring a british bike and want to freshen up the fastners while using as many original fasteners as possible. I thought the Caswell cad simulation kit might be a good way to go.

Any help would be appreciated.

[mcaswell]

Fasteners from that era on British Bikes are almost certainly cadmium. It could be that the cadmium has completely sacrificed to the steel below, and therefore there is nothing left to react with the acid.

Copy Cad would be the way to go to replate these back to their original finish.