Nickle Plating

[PistolPete75]

Anyone has any experience with nickle plating?

Wondering how much it costs, and if it will chip or rub off.

Any suggestions and referrals would be great!

[LCAZES]

Why not go with hard chrome? It is MUCH more durable than nickle and if it is done right, it will never chip or peel like nickle has a tendancy to.

[CAT_101]

Why not go with hard chrome? It is MUCH more durable than nickle and if it is done right, it will never chip or peel like nickle has a tendancy to.

he is correct

[Overkill]

Another thing to consider is that Nickel plating will tarnish if you are using solvents such as Hoppes.

Another +1 for Chrome Plating

For some prices check here:

http://www.trippresearch.com/

http://www.originalmetaloy.com/

http://www.apwcogan.com/

http://www.mahovskysmetalife.com/

[M1A Rifleman]

My experience with it is that it is soft and will scratch easy, but worse, Hoppes #9 will eat it away and cause staining.

[PistolPete75]

thanks guys! appreciate it!

[naimad]

agree with posts above also check out www.robarguns.com great finish with benefits

[dw1784]

suggest you call Tech Plating in Anaheim. The problems others have refer to may be of cosmetic nickel plating instead of functional hard corrosion and wear nickel plating.

a quick check in my ASTM material handbook shows nickle plating can be superior to chrome plating. According to the handbook, though it is true pure Cr is the hardest(above 1000HV) out of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rh, Sn, etc., Ni-P (nickle phosphorus) and Ni-B(nickle boron) is superior to Cr after percipation hardening. Pratt and Whitney nickle plate the vane inlets on the F119 jet engines.

[CaliTheKid]

x1 for Tripp or Robar-- both do excellent work.

[elsolo]

TechPlate hardchromed a bare pistol frame of mine, I couldn't be happier with it.
I would trust them for any plating or surface finishing, they know their stuff and serve several indestries, not just firearms.
Nickel plating can be great, what do you think Robar NP3 is? Electroless nickel composie coating with PTFE solids impregnmated into it. There a few other types of electroless nickel also, with their own specific properties

[elsolo]

TechPlate hardchromed a bare pistol frame of mine, I couldn't be happier with it.
I would trust them for any plating or surface finishing, they know their stuff and serve several indestries, not just firearms.
Nickel plating can be great, what do you think Robar NP3 is? Electroless nickel composite coating with PTFE solids impregnated into it. There a few other types of electroless nickel also, with their own specific properties

[Californio]

Anyone has any experience with nickle plating?

Wondering how much it costs, and if it will chip or rub off.

Any suggestions and referrals would be great!

Depends, what are you wanting to plate?

[Miltiades]

Have both, think hard chrome holds up better

I have 2 guns with factory electroless nickel plating, and two other guns with aftermarket hard chrome. I think the hard chrome holds up better over time, but nickel is not bad. From a cosmetic standpoint, the nickel has more of a gold tint to it, while the hard chrome is more silver. Here are my Sig P226 with factory nickel, and my Glock 23 with Arotek hard chrome: