How to remove nickel plating from old razors ?

[Winblows]

... now, my SS is taking a second 30% HCl (hydrochloric acid) bath.
I'll let it enjoy the bath until saturday (maybe sunday).
If this won't remove the plating, I made some black polishing compound for my Dremel

 

[77TransAm]

Snap a few pics of the finished polished product I'd love to see a brass, polished, SS or Fatboy!

 

[Winblows]

Of course I will

 

[Winblows]

... so, here is my acid bathing Superspeed

 

[77TransAm]

... so, here is my acid bathing Superspeed

That's awesome! Where do you get such acidic acid? Vinegar isn't cutting it for me.

 

[Winblows]

^ In Denmark, you can buy hydrochloric acid in any color trade or DIY

 

[TAM340R]

It came out of the vinegar boil after exactly 60 minutes and was black. Once I rubbed the razor with a towel the black came right off like wet charcoal. I would say 95% of the plating came off perfectly it was a very dull crystallized gold color. I took it to the buffing wheel with a medium and then a fine compound and it came out mirror finish almost looks gold plated now. The first FB I buffed alone a week ago without stripping the plate first had massive pitting this one has a very fine finish. The razor still functions perfectly but the black ring is no longer black and I do not think my hand is steady enough to re paint it.
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hi Gary,

did is you let the vinegar on the fire place boiling for 60 with the razor in?

thanks

tam

 

[bunBpimpC]

Fascinating thread! I have a few experimental razors I've got some ideas for...

 

[Rory1262]

Spray the brass with a light coat of Testers wet look enamel. Use a wooden chopstick stuck in the base of the handle to hold it while spraying, then put the stick and razor in a tall glass to hold it. Put it in oven at 200 for an hour to cure it. Won't tarnish, and should survive a lot of shaves. It won't quite pass as gold, but will instead remind you of a sax or tuba.

Reviving this thread. I have an extra SuperSpeed that I'd like to try this with. Having a razor that looks like a brass musical instrument would be a great outcome!

 

[BeardedDad92]

I know this is an old post, but I have found a cheap diy way of stripping off nickel plating. I used 100% white vinegar with a tablespoon of salt and a laptop charger used as a reverse electro plate. Took about 5 mins give or take. Id advise taking the razor apart as I did not and it didn't get in every nook and cranny. Just a cheap diy deplate and replate for anyone interested!

 

[Shave Souffle]

Hope this isn't too off topic, but does anyone currently manufacture a solid brass razor, handle AND head? I bought a brass razor from WCS and i guess i had overlooked that the head wasn't brass, but it's chrome. I want all brass, and would love to see it age with its patina. The upside bonus is brass is anti-microbial and anti-bacterial. Why has something like this fallen out of favor? I play saxophone and not until recently have people been looking for unfinished brass. It sounds and looks better imo.

 

[Shave Souffle]

I know this is an old post, but I have found a cheap diy way of stripping off nickel plating. I used 100% white vinegar with a tablespoon of salt and a laptop charger used as a reverse electro plate. Took about 5 mins give or take. Id advise taking the razor apart as I did not and it didn't get in every nook and cranny. Just a cheap diy deplate and replate for anyone interested!

Can you explain step by step how you did this? I'm intrigued by the diy reverse electroplate. How does this work? Thanks.

 

[miguel]

Hope this isn't too off topic, but does anyone currently manufacture a solid brass razor, handle AND head? I bought a brass razor from WCS and i guess i had overlooked that the head wasn't brass, but it's chrome. I want all brass, and would love to see it age with its patina. The upside bonus is brass is anti-microbial and anti-bacterial. Why has something like this fallen out of favor? I play saxophone and not until recently have people been looking for unfinished brass. It sounds and looks better imo.

Fatip and Schone razors are all brass.

 

[Shave Souffle]

Fatip and Schone razors are all brass.

I'm specifically asking for unplated brass. I don't know Schone but the Fattip all look plated.

 

[JaxRadiant]

I know this is an old post, but I have found a cheap diy way of stripping off nickel plating. I used 100% white vinegar with a tablespoon of salt and a laptop charger used as a reverse electro plate. Took about 5 mins give or take. Id advise taking the razor apart as I did not and it didn't get in every nook and cranny. Just a cheap diy deplate and replate for anyone interested!

I' am interested, but will probably blow up the house if I try it. :S

 

[Haiku]

Hope this isn't too off topic, but does anyone currently manufacture a solid brass razor, handle AND head? I bought a brass razor from WCS and i guess i had overlooked that the head wasn't brass, but it's chrome. I want all brass, and would love to see it age with its patina. The upside bonus is brass is anti-microbial and anti-bacterial. Why has something like this fallen out of favor? I play saxophone and not until recently have people been looking for unfinished brass. It sounds and looks better imo.

Karve. All brass. Fabulous razor.

 

[Old School TSD]

Can you explain step by step how you did this? I'm intrigued by the diy reverse electroplate. How does this work? Thanks.

I'd like to know this as well.
@BeardedDad92 what's the process with the laptop charger? I don't have a pot or a glass with a charger port lol.
I've got a few i want to replate, I've heard oven cleaner will strip the plating... may give that a go today...

 

[Shave Souffle]

Karve. All brass. Fabulous razor.

Didn't revisit this thread since my comment back in 2019, but I have since bought a Karve set and a couple of Timeless brass razors as well as a pair of brass Blackland Blackbirds. What else is out there in brass?

 

[CaerMooman]

Stripping nickel from brass is quite easy.

1.Pour white vinegar with a teaspoon of salt into a saucepan and bring to boil.
2. Pour into a glass jar.
3. Connect the black and red cables from an old phone charger to little crocodile clips.
4. Cut length of titanium/or copper wire long enough to hang a piece of lead into the solution - and the other end out of jar.
5. Connect one clip to the titanium/ or copper wire.
6. Cut another length of titanium/or copper wire long enough to hang the razor on - and the other end out of the jar.
7. Connect the other clip to the wire.
8. Turn on the electric ... one wire will start having bubbles coming off it ... this is the one you want connected to the piece of lead.

Keep checking it every 3-5 minutes and washing it in water to ensure it doesnt cause the razor to pit.

 

[Old School TSD]

Stripping nickel from brass is quite easy.

1.Pour white vinegar with a teaspoon of salt into a saucepan and bring to boil.
2. Pour into a glass jar.
3. Connect the black and red cables from an old phone charger to little crocodile clips.
4. Cut length of titanium/or copper wire long enough to hang a piece of lead into the solution - and the other end out of jar.
5. Connect one clip to the titanium/ or copper wire.
6. Cut another length of titanium/or copper wire long enough to hang the razor on - and the other end out of the jar.
7. Connect the other clip to the wire.
8. Turn on the electric ... one wire will start having bubbles coming off it ... this is the one you want connected to the piece of lead.

Keep checking it every 3-5 minutes and washing it in water to ensure it doesnt cause the razor to pit.

Thanks, I'll give this a go... have to source some lead, perhaps i can use lead pellets somehow.
It's late, I'll have to read your instructions again carefully. A pic of a schematic on a napkin would sure help