untoldstory
New member
anyone a good idea how to age nickel hardware?
How to age nickel hardware
- Thread starter untoldstory
- Start date
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: How to age nickel hardware
Try scrubbing it with a green SCOTCHBRITE pad.
I've aged nickel pickup covers with 600 grit sandpaper too.
Lew
untoldstory said:
Try scrubbing it with a green SCOTCHBRITE pad.
I've aged nickel pickup covers with 600 grit sandpaper too.
Lew
S
seafoamer
Guest
Re: How to age nickel hardware
Pee on it.
Pee on it.
Illini1330
New member
Re: How to age nickel hardware
HAHA :laugh2:
ask butnut. He'll probably have a good idea
seafoamer said:
HAHA :laugh2:
ask butnut. He'll probably have a good idea
S
seafoamer
Guest
Re: How to age nickel hardware
Do a search in the Tips & Clips section. There a thread there where someone askes about aging pickup covers, I think. Butnut gave a great description and a linked pic of a process he does, using some chemical stuff he gets at radio shack.
P.S. I still recommend the pee.
Do a search in the Tips & Clips section. There a thread there where someone askes about aging pickup covers, I think. Butnut gave a great description and a linked pic of a process he does, using some chemical stuff he gets at radio shack.
P.S. I still recommend the pee.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: How to age nickel hardware
Alright, let's get down the the secret. I want to know exactly how Antiquities are aged!! I've got a couple shiny nickel covers for Duncans, and want them to look exactly like Antiquities or old tarnished covers from the 50's.
Is it the circuit board etching acid?
Pee doesn't do it (yeah, I tried it! LOL). Most abrasive powders just shine them up even more. I don't want to try the steel wool/scotch pad/sandpaper method, because they'll just look scratched up. I'm guessing that some sort of pasty acid is the way to make them look old and gray.
Am I right?
Alright, let's get down the the secret. I want to know exactly how Antiquities are aged!! I've got a couple shiny nickel covers for Duncans, and want them to look exactly like Antiquities or old tarnished covers from the 50's.
Is it the circuit board etching acid?
Pee doesn't do it (yeah, I tried it! LOL). Most abrasive powders just shine them up even more. I don't want to try the steel wool/scotch pad/sandpaper method, because they'll just look scratched up. I'm guessing that some sort of pasty acid is the way to make them look old and gray.
Am I right?
Re: How to age nickel hardware
Circuit etchant will do it, in fact, leave it on long enough & the nickel will come right off. I soaked a Tele control plate for 15 minutes, & it looks incredibly gnarly. I soaked a gold-plated bridge, & it took off all the plating (I meant to do that..) I soaked the pole-piecs screws on a new P-90, & they match EXACTLY the pole screws on my othr P-90, an Antiuquty.
Remember though, that stuff is toxic. It should not go down the drain, it eats metal, including pipes.
Circuit etchant will do it, in fact, leave it on long enough & the nickel will come right off. I soaked a Tele control plate for 15 minutes, & it looks incredibly gnarly. I soaked a gold-plated bridge, & it took off all the plating (I meant to do that..) I soaked the pole-piecs screws on a new P-90, & they match EXACTLY the pole screws on my othr P-90, an Antiuquty.
Remember though, that stuff is toxic. It should not go down the drain, it eats metal, including pipes.
The Golden Boy
Fleecy Sweaterologist
Re: How to age nickel hardware
Muriatic acid fumes. Dangerous stuff though. I wouldn't mess with it, personally. In all honesty, nickel plated hardware will age well with only use in less than 2 years.
Muriatic acid fumes. Dangerous stuff though. I wouldn't mess with it, personally. In all honesty, nickel plated hardware will age well with only use in less than 2 years.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: How to age nickel hardware
I agree about 'just using it' and letting the acidic oils do their thing. My reasoning is that I want to do large batches of nickel covers....like 30 at a time.
They need to look exactly like Antiquities....uniform and evenly tarnished, so they can be sold......with any kind of used pickup soldered underneath them.
I agree about 'just using it' and letting the acidic oils do their thing. My reasoning is that I want to do large batches of nickel covers....like 30 at a time.
They need to look exactly like Antiquities....uniform and evenly tarnished, so they can be sold......with any kind of used pickup soldered underneath them.
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: How to age nickel hardware
A green scotchbrite pad and 0000 steel wool will get you started. Scuff it up like it would look if it was old. Try to put the wear marks where the wear marks really would be. And scratch it up in the direction that a pick and finger wear really would leave wear. Then you might try some Bluing Solution or Blacking Solution...it's a liquid product designed to put on gun barrels to make them look black. Then polish it up with a cloth to remove excess Bluing Solution or excess black. That bluing solution is also handy for making new screws look a little older. Lew
A green scotchbrite pad and 0000 steel wool will get you started. Scuff it up like it would look if it was old. Try to put the wear marks where the wear marks really would be. And scratch it up in the direction that a pick and finger wear really would leave wear. Then you might try some Bluing Solution or Blacking Solution...it's a liquid product designed to put on gun barrels to make them look black. Then polish it up with a cloth to remove excess Bluing Solution or excess black. That bluing solution is also handy for making new screws look a little older. Lew
