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Replating Chrome Hardware Black

ElMartillo

ElMartillo

Nov 23, 2018
38
34
#1
Brand new 4003 with factory chrome hardware, looking to have this hardware stripped and replated. If I could just buy it all in a black finish I would, but searches for such have returned no results.

I’m not looking for “black chrome” or painted/powdercoated finish, but a plated, durable, black finish.

Any known platers out there with experience in this area?

Thanks.
 
#2
ElMartillo said:
Brand new 4003 with factory chrome hardware, looking to have this hardware stripped and replated. If I could just buy it all in a black finish I would, but searches for such have returned no results.

I’m not looking for “black chrome” or painted/powdercoated finish, but a plated, durable, black finish.

Any known platers out there with experience in this area?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
You are wanting a powder coat done. Search "powder coating" in your area. I'm not sure if the chrome has to be stripped first or not. Discuss your needs with the company that will be powder coating your hardware.
Bridge and Tuners are available from Hipshot. Pickup bezels are readily availabe, leaving you only the bridge pick up cover to have powder coated.
 
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#4
sissy kathy said:
You are wanting a powder coat done. Search "powder coating" in your area. I'm not sure if the chrome has to be stripped first or not. Discuss your needs with the company that will be powder coating your hardware.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response but if you actually read my post you will see I don’t want powdercoat. If you think about it, tuning key mechanisms wouldn’t work very well powdercoated.

So again, I’m not interested in “black chrome”, paint or powdercoat as stated in my original post.

I would like to hear from someone with experience in replating chrome hardware in a durable, black, plated finish.

Thanks!
 
#5
Plated finishes are metal. I don't think there is any black metal used in plating. Your options are paint or powder coat.

As pointed out above, black replacements are available for the tuners.
 
#6
sissy kathy said:
You are wanting a powder coat done.
Click to expand...

I don’t think powder coating is a good idea on things like tuners. Chrome is much harder and thinner - powder coating the gears on your tuners probably won’t hold dimensional tolerances wll enough for them to mesh.

Black nickel ir black chrome plating us much more likely to work well. If your tuners are aluminum, black anodizing would probably be your best bet.
 
#8
Ceramic coating perhaps? You might want to consider Cerakote. There are several competing products but Cerakote is pretty much the standard by which all others are judged
It’s used on all manner of moving parts with no problems but is also used as a durable cosmetic treatment. It tends to be thicker than chrome but talk to someone who does it to get a better feel for what your limitations may be.

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Here’s another ceramic coating primarialy for heat resistance but also used for a durable cosmetic finish. Back in another life i’ve had headers and pipes done with Jet Hot and found it to be very durable. Again i’m not sure of thickness so talk to the people who do it for the straight dope on limitations.

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The major advantage to something like this over buying parts from different vendors is if you coat/plate you get a uniform color and gloss on all your parts and if you want to color match other parts that is doable as well.
 
#9
Ceramic coatings are a form of powdercoating. The tuning keys/machines would not perform correctly unless plated. The tuning machines offered by hipshot are not compatable with my 2018 4003.

As stated several times I’m interested in a black plated finish, not a painted or powdercoated finish.

I’ll search elsewhere.

Continue this conversation without me.
 
#10
ElMartillo said:
Ceramic coatings are a form of powdercoating. The tuning keys/machines would not perform correctly unless plated. The tuning machines offered by hipshot are not compatable with my 2018 4003.

As stated several times I’m interested in a black plated finish, not a painted or powdercoated finish.

I’ll search elsewhere.

Continue this conversation without me.
Click to expand...
Your 2018 Richkenbacker tuners are Schaller SB tuners made for Rickenbacker; the Hipshot HB5 Is the Hipshot replacement for it, available in black. The Hipshot replacement for the Rickenbacker bridge is also available in black.

That leaves the bridge cover and bezels. bezels are readily avialable in black. A Parkerized finish is plating. the color can very from a light gray to a dark black depending on the metal used in the process.
 

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