What's new

Fatboy replating

Hello,

I am talking to one of the local electroplating company regarding replating my Fatboy. My questions are,

1. Is it good idea to disassemble the fatboy and get it replated or replate it as is?
2. How easy it is to disassemble and reassemble Fatboy and what are the chances that it will work same way as is now?
 
Most reliable places that do razor plating (Dave, Reliable Electroplating, BRW) don't take it apart. You can, but it can be tricky putting it back together. I've gotten a couple Super Speeds and a Slim replated and I didn't have to take it apart. If you're going to a place that is not familiar with replating razors, make sure to prep your razor (buff out scratches, etc.). They will probably put the razor through a nickel strip solution before replating it. Also, don't let them hang the razor by the top of the neck handle, it will leave a plating blemish. They need to hang it from the bar between the silo doors. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/283444-Re-plating-PART-II?highlight=
 
+1 ! Even companies that normally do a good job and are recommended on this forum makes mistakes. I seen a thread awhile back were Reliable had buffed too hard on the handle of a fat boy and buffed alot of the knurling on the handle smooth. Make sure you buff out any imperfections on silo doors, etc...they will look just more intensified with a re-plate if it isn't prepped well.

For the cost difference, I would almost just go with bright nickel....looks almost as good as Rhodium, and most replaters are in the $35 range..I also think that on a fat boy or slim, the extra plating with rhodium or gold seems to "round out" the numbers some, and takes away from the numbers, even after you repaint them.
 
+1 ! Even companies that normally do a good job and are recommended on this forum makes mistakes. I seen a thread awhile back were Reliable had buffed too hard on the handle of a fat boy and buffed alot of the knurling on the handle smooth. Make sure you buff out any imperfections on silo doors, etc...they will look just more intensified with a re-plate if it isn't prepped well.

For the cost difference, I would almost just go with bright nickel....looks almost as good as Rhodium, and most replaters are in the $35 range..I also think that on a fat boy or slim, the extra plating with rhodium or gold seems to "round out" the numbers some, and takes away from the numbers, even after you repaint them.

THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^x10
 
Most reliable places that do razor plating (Dave, Reliable Electroplating, BRW) don't take it apart. You can, but it can be tricky putting it back together. I've gotten a couple Super Speeds and a Slim replated and I didn't have to take it apart. If you're going to a place that is not familiar with replating razors, make sure to prep your razor (buff out scratches, etc.). They will probably put the razor through a nickel strip solution before replating it. Also, don't let them hang the razor by the top of the neck handle, it will leave a plating blemish. They need to hang it from the bar between the silo doors. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/283444-Re-plating-PART-II?highlight=

Just to make this clear, Bob does not do replating himself. He sends it out to have it done.

I do not and never have offered a replating service.
I take my parts to a local brass shop and they take them along with their to a plating shop in Oakland, CA.
I've never had any direct contact with the plating shop.
You can contact them yourselves, but I'm in the custom razor business not the replating business and this topic has caused me to get e-mails for plating jobs which I have to answer and decline.
http://www.goldsealplating.com/information.html
 
Just send it in one piece, they will replate it. Tearing a Fatboy down could be the end of the razor. You have to really know what your doing to but it back together correctly and have it work.
 
I would never recommend taking an adjustable apart for replating (unless there were mechanical problems that needed sorting) taking the razor apart can cause more problems than it solves and it would also treble the cost of the job - probably making the replate not worth the effort.

I remove old plating using a chemical process that removes plating and soap deposits etc from inside as well as outside the razor before light polishing and replating.

The only warning that I'd give with regards the Fatboy is that once replated, the black ring below the adjuster ring will be nickel coated. This ring was originally anodised black and can be painted black but the paint will eventually flake off. For me though, the Fatboy looks better without the black ring - which in many cases has worn to the brass anyway.

Rhodium looks great, but I would only recommend for a very good example that is maybe a birth-year or sentimental value razor.

Hope this helps explain things a bit.
 
Top Bottom