Remove plating

Can any one tell me how to remove gold and chrome plating, I think it is nickel under it.
David

for chrome plating...stick it in a dishwasher :rolleyes:
apparently thats how I stuffed up a (ridiculously expensive) designer kitchen utensil :(

Google removing chrome plating and it comes up with some ideas.

Mechanical abrasion is the easiest solution - if you are trying to remove gold plate with a chemical method, the chemicals involved are a little on the nasty side.

Aqua regia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chrome can apparently be stripped with a 6% caustic soda solution and a car battery charger. The part is suspended (not touching the sides) by a wire in the tank (a large cheap stainless steel saucepan is ideal) of caustic and is connected to the positive side of the battery charger, while the saucepan is connected to the negative side.

More details here: old chrome stripping - Help for your Chevy - Community Forums

Note that this is only good for chrome plated steel...I'd worry about using it on other plated metals!

Thanks for the help.
David

Nickel is often used as a base plate for chrome, as chrome does not take well to steel. The other common base coat is copper, but very expensive at the present time. When stripping chrome off steel with a nickel base coat, the stripping process rips through the nickel at a far greater rate than it goes through the chrome or the steel.

If the base material is nickel, I would take it to a plater to be stripped. This would be safer than experimenting.

Thanks malb.
David

I custom a few model diecast cars. Always to remove chrome plating from the metal parts stick peices in plastic bag of appropriate size spray liberal amounts of caustic oven cleaner into bag and seal (just fold over as long as air/fumes cant escape) leave several hours.

Do in well ventilated area.Sometimes need to scratch plating before and wear gloves when handlinng. Remove from bag, rub with old toothbrush and then wash in warm soapy water several times. May need to do again.

Thanks Tony I will try this on the week end.
David