Got a call today from Reliable. It's done and should be back to me sometime next week (UPS doesn't deliver on weekends). Was quite surprised by the $45 cost for rhodium since that's how much they charged me for black nickel. I thought rhodium cost more... guess not. Stay tuned... pictures shall be had!
Looking forward to these pics. Did it end up being 45 total to have it shipped and plated and back in your hands?
I too have used Reliable Electroplating for a few replatings. They specialize is plating machine parts & guns -- so if you have any gun projects -- talk to Dale Broadbent. Dale is a very knowledgeable guy & is not usually available by email. You can often reach him by phone & he is informative regarding all ideas about plating and what's possible. By the way, they do not plate with chrome. You can ask prices & shipping costs when you talk to him -- he prefers UPS due to its trackability and reliability -- although I have rarely had issues shipping items via USPS priority. With or without tracking. A replated razor can really change your experience of using a vintage razor. My 1st was a very brassed Aristocrat Jr. that I found for a very low price. Getting it replated in nickel added to its beauty and enjoyment in using it and displaying it in my bathroom. As long as you reveal this change in the event your replated items are sold, I think it can be a vast improvement on your razors. My black nickel & rhodium 2-tone/2-color Aristocrat Popular is a real beauty. It is the original plating but not what it looked like when I got it. I will search for a photo -- but don't want to hijack this thread so will post it elsewhere. Meanwhile I too look forward to seeing the photos of the rhodium-plated razor that Jody is receiving soon.
It was $55 total - $10 for the UPS shipping. Glad to see you here Jake. Just yesterday I told a fellow TSD member that I wish you'd be active here at TSD. I've been watching you share all of your beauties at that other forum and wish you'd share them here as well as many of us don't use that other forum for different reasons. Your knowledge and pictures would be a great resource to everyone. Here's the thread for my 1927/28 New Standard I had replated by Reliable in black nickel. Before and After pictures there. That black nickel replate was also $45/$55-shipped - which is why I don't understand why this rhodium replate is the same price. Mind you I'm not complaining that the rhodium is much cheaper than I had read and expected...
I did see your photos of your newly plated black nickel razor -- very nice job. You know a clear lacquer spray will actually make the black blacker. Apparently rhodium is so expensive due to the widespread use of it in catalytic converters in modern autos. And it was either named from or gave the name to the country of its primary origin: Rhodesia. But you probably already know that. I think the rhodium or nickel is applied in such a small amount that our use of it is not really the cost -- the labor is far more the issue than the cost of the materials. And it is hard to know how Reliable makes any money plating razors for $35-$55/piece since it must take some time and they do have to pay their staff. But their efficiencies allow us to indulge. Good deal. By the way, the new tapatalk TSD connection offers a much better experience than the alternative. Glad to see this has been achieved so smoothly.
First Jody, then Achim and Oldguy, and finally Jake have visited and taken part in this Forum. We now have most of my favorite people and the posts that I learn from and enjoy. Thanks guys for sharing your knowledge and passion for our hobby. :happy088
