Rhodium

Discussion in 'The Chatterbox' started by IAmTheJody, Jun 25, 2021.

  1. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    It's a shame we may never see any of our small replaters offer rhodium plating again.

    Today the price is hovering around $20,000 an ounce, with a high of $27,000 over the last 2 months. 5 years ago it recorded a low of $575 an ounce. And the lowest within the last year was $5,800 an ounce. With South Africa being the major source followed by Russia, until there is new investment in new mines, the price per ounce will stay around $20,000 or higher as demand increases from auto makers, airplane engine manufacturers and even jewelers. Which incidentally also means the prices of those things increase as well. Automakers use rhodium in their exhaust systems so you can imagine every ounce they use, every $20,000, they aren't just going to eat that cost. It's passed along to the car buyers.
     
    gorgo2, brit and Enrico like this.
  2. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Time to switch back to Silver Plating. If High gloss is what is desired, then Bright Nickel, is close. Or, good old fashioned Chrome Plating.
     
    gorgo2, brit and jmudrick like this.
  3. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    I have a 1921 Gillette New Standard I was going to replate in rhodium, but looks like it may be silver or nickel.

    :eatdrink013:
     
    gorgo2 and brit like this.
  4. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    I'm thinking that the whole reason to replate in rhodium is for the durability more than high gloss. Several years ago I had a 1934 Gillette Aristocrat replated in rhodium exactly for that reason. Otherwise besides the durability, there's no difference between nickel, silver and rhodium to me.
     
    brit and Enrico like this.
  5. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    Same. If I were to use one daily, for years on end, Rhodium might make sense. But, since I mainly use a Straight edge, or occasionally use another(usually Fatboy), the Rhodium doesnt make sense. For the price of replating in rhodium, now that the prices are high, you could buy another Aristocrat looking NOS or darn close.
     
    brit, IAmTheJody and Enrico like this.
  6. brit

    brit in a box

    there is a large market and premium prices for used cat converters these days..lots of thieves stealing exhaust components from people's cars and trucks..this won't help..
     
    jay_gatz, Enrico and IAmTheJody like this.
  7. stingraysrock

    stingraysrock PIF'd away his custom title

    I manage a fleet of 293 vehicles. We have had 27 cats stolen this year. Around 2K to replace each one.
     
    IAmTheJody, Enrico and brit like this.
  8. brit

    brit in a box

    ouch.:angry019:..hopefully insurence covers the initial cost,at the peril of upped premium payments..:(
     
    IAmTheJody and Enrico like this.
  9. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Ouch. :scared001:
     
    brit likes this.
  10. gorgo2

    gorgo2 geezerhood

    Has your firm considered shooting on sight?

    The rhodium plated Senator I got from Primo a few years ago, which is pretty much my driver recently, has a cleaner, whiter tone than any nickel I've had, even new nickel plate. Nickel can be close but it's not quite the same. Rhodium to me looks almost a cross between bright nickel and polished silver.
     
  11. poppi

    poppi Well-Known Member

    That's outrageous!! I had thought to replate my Gillette New with that high priced stuff. Not no more. Nickel or chrome for me.
     
    brit and Enrico like this.
  12. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    Replaters have switched to Platinum as a substitute for rhodium. It's very slightly softer, but visually nearly identical.
     
    IAmTheJody, Enrico and brit like this.
  13. gwsmallwood

    gwsmallwood Well-Known Member

    I've seen a few Fatboys offered in Platinum. I'm waiting for it to catch on with more razor plating companies.
     
    IAmTheJody likes this.
  14. jay_gatz

    jay_gatz Well-Known Member

    I don't think anyone is replating Rhodium right now. It is the whitest and what they use as a final coating in "white" gold. It's so thinly plated though, it wears off quickly. My white gold wedding band has a yellowish tone now.
     
    Herm2502 likes this.
  15. jay_gatz

    jay_gatz Well-Known Member

    Oh, and chlorine is murder on it. Learned pretty quickly to take it off before jumping in the pool.
     
  16. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Yeah, Razor Emporium is the only place I've found still doing rhodium plating. My 1936 USA Gillette Aristocrat arrived back from them last week. Such a fantastic, beautiful razor in rhodium.
     
    brit likes this.
  17. gwsmallwood

    gwsmallwood Well-Known Member

    Yep, as far as I know only Razor Emporium right now. I just showed off my newly replated Fatboy during a YouTube live stream today. It looks fantastic in Rhodium.
    IMG_20210813_160545317.jpg
     
    Ron R, Herm2502, BigMike and 5 others like this.
  18. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Yes! Gorgeous! It's a bit pricey at $154 but when they have a 20% off coupon going on, it's reasonable considering the cost of rhodium these days. On the market side, rhodium is coming down in price. It is now at $16,650 per ounce compared to $20,000 per ounce back when I originally posted this thread June 25 - almost 2 months ago - and $29,000 an ounce back in April.
     
    brit likes this.
  19. gwsmallwood

    gwsmallwood Well-Known Member

    Agreed. I actually did a favor for Matt recently, and he thanked me by giving me a slightly better discount on my replate. Probably the only reason I pulled the trigger on the Rhodium. It's really shiny...
     
    brit and IAmTheJody like this.
  20. brit

    brit in a box

    hint..;)any of the the factory rhodium plated gillettes will always hold their value.:)
     

Share This Page