Plating removal

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Birdie, Nov 25, 2018.

  1. Birdie

    Birdie Active Member

    Has anyone out there ever removed the old plating from aGillette NEW? I have a couple of razors I want to try and electroplate but I need to get the old plating off first.
     
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  2. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    Lacquer and gold wash? Lacquer thinner is effective at softening and dissolving even old lacquer. The gold wash is the very thinnest of coats Gillette could use and still give the look of gold. I'd think a very mild metal polish would rub it away without scratching the brass underneath.

    I'm just pulling ideas out of past experience. Someone else may have done this in a more correct way.
     
  3. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

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  4. Linuxguile

    Linuxguile dating an unusual aristocrat

    Scrubbing bubbles will remove the lacquer if there is any left and I buffed out the remaining gold plating on one of mine with Mothers Mag and Aluminum polish.
     
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  5. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    Common for vintage Gillettes;

    Clear (yellowed) lacquer / thin gold wash / nickle plating / solid brass?
     
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  6. Linuxguile

    Linuxguile dating an unusual aristocrat

    Mine were all gold wash on brass, there was no nickel plating.
     
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  7. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    Cool. Maybe I'm remembering modern electroplating layers.
     
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  8. BBS

    BBS Well-Known Member

    Starting with the TTO razors I am pretty sure they only gold washed the Sheraton and Milords and finished with a lacquer seal where as the Aristocrats all were thicker plated or used a base plate of nickel without any lacquer seal.

    FTC far as I know makes a distinction between gold wash, electroplate or gold plating depending upon the thickness of coating. To be classified as jewellery it has to be gold plate thickness. I don't know if the FTC used the same designations or any back then. Either way there is marketing reasons to plate both differently. The Aristocrat was marketed to higher end customers so by plating it to jewellery standards of the day it could be retailed at a higher end retailer like Tiffanys or at a jewellery shop. The gold washed stuff was the high priced version of the same lower end razors for the lower end less affluent customers. The Aristocrats for the affluent and Milords for the effluent.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2018
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  9. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    That makes sense. Makes me think older Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac. The first two were the same chassis, but the mid-grade had nicer seats. Top of the line was a different motor, maybe a whole separate assembly line.
     
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  10. brit

    brit in a box

    yes sir..in order i think ,chevrolet, pontiac,oldsmobile ,buick cadillac..all had their luxury models but one was usually a step up as the brands climbed up. a 1966 buick gran sport was a bankers version of a 66 chevelle ss396..
     
  11. cmorris357

    cmorris357 catching flies.........

    1B45366E-6B8B-4D29-B094-9FD4CD0A66BA.jpeg
     
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  12. brit

    brit in a box

    i watched a few you tube vids from back roads gold.. ,worth a look..
     
  13. brit

    brit in a box

    i was an olds fan ,i have owned a 66 cutlass 2dr ht, a 65 cutlass 2dr ht,and a 72 cutlass supreme convertible, all i various stages of fast and fun..
     
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  14. cmorris357

    cmorris357 catching flies.........

    My dad really was an Olds man. My first car was a hand me down ‘75 Cutlass Supreme.
     
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  15. brit

    brit in a box

    very cool, 2dr, swivel buckets?
     
  16. cmorris357

    cmorris357 catching flies.........

    Yep. Silver with burgundy interior.
     
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  17. brit

    brit in a box

    very cool, a friend had one like that , red with a white interior,rallye wheels, 455 engine..i was big into them in the nineties and had many gms, then got into 60s gmc trucks , which i had a few of..mechanic by trade, lots of resto work....what do you drive now chris? i putter around in a 09 mustang gt ..white glassroof..not into fixing up old ones anymore,sold my shop so no facilities at present.
     
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  18. cmorris357

    cmorris357 catching flies.........

    I currently drive an 07 Dodge Ram 1500 crew cab. I have a bad hip, and it’s much easier to climb up into a vehicle than it is to climb up out of one.
     
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  19. brit

    brit in a box

    i like trucks for the same reason,don t really fit into small cars..l may restore a 60s vintage truck with modern running gear in the future, my last hot rod truck per se, or a decent simple 4x4.not sure yet..looks like we hijacked a thread..has been a pleasure to talk cars, thanks chris..
     
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