Electroplating

[Alex]

Anybody here ever do any electroplating for their blades (electronically bond a metal to the outside - aka galvinization). None of the metal I work with is stainless, and though I generally oil it frequently and take good care of it, it'd be nice to coat it in something less corrisive like silver.

Has anyone ever done this? Does the metal rub off easily? Anyone know where to get some Silver Nitrate? Thanks,

Alex

[Rich Waugh]

In order to electroplate steel, you must first plate it with copper, then with nickel, finally with the silver. The silver will still tarnish to some degree. The solutions needed are toxic as all get out, some explosive, and hazardous waste, so the cost has gone through the roof compared to thirty or so years ago. If you're going to do it, you might as well use gold, since it won't tarnish.

Actually, a thin rhodium plate over nickel is pretty durable and won't tarnish. Chrome is pretty free of tarnish if you keep it scratch-free. But - all of this is dangerous and expensive. It would be easier and cheaper to just start out working with stainless steel. By the way, galvanizing is NOT necessarily electroplated. Most commonly, it is hot-dipped. A few select materials use electro-galvanizing, or electroless galvanizing.

You can get silver nitrate at a medical supply, a photographic supply, a forensic crime scene supply house like Serchie or Lynn-Peavey, or at VanWaters and Rogers Chemical Supply. It is ferociously corrosive to human tissue, (doctors us it for chemical cautery) so wear gloves and don't inhale or ingest it if you wish to continue among the living. Handlin it leaves a very long-lasting blue-black stain on your skin, and it will sear your flesh if you get it on raw tissue. Nasty stuff, so why use it?

[Alex]

Thanks for the info, shows how little I really know about it. I just remembered doing some if it a while back in chemistry class. The difference was I suppose that we electroplated copper with more copper, and as you suggest it's a lot more difficult with steel because you have to electroplate in those various layers (not to mention the inherent dangers). Well, I suppose I'll just work with stainless or take really good care of my blades for now, perhaps as a project in the future. Thanks.

Alex

[irnsrgn]

I had some knifes chrome plated when I was a kid, took them to a tool mfg and they did them.

[cheftjcook]

Alex this may or may not relate to the subject of electroplating at hand
...but...
For protection on certain metal parts, two of my brothers who are mechanics,
use powdercoating, Which is highly effective but not very pretty. And they also have pieces anodized in cool colors, very nice looking. I am sure this does not relate to blades, but maybe for other work that needs extra protection they are very neat and positive ways to go.
TIM

[one_rod]

Originally Posted by Alex

Thanks for the info, shows how little I really know about it. I just remembered doing some if it a while back in chemistry class. The difference was I suppose that we electroplated copper with more copper, and as you suggest it's a lot more difficult with steel........

Alex

A little tip.

Steel can be plated with copper using relatively safe chemicals (copper sulphate and very dilute sulphuric acid) and an old car battery as a current source.

We used to do this to arc-welding jigs as weld spatter will not stick to copper plate. Extends the life of the screws on G-clamps and similar items.

Might be useful if you do a lot of welding.




one_rod.