Caswell gold plating kit?

February 2, 2009

Hi folks,

I'm intrigued by the Caswell gold plating kits (http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/plugnplate.htm).

Does anybody have experience in using such a kit to touch up brassed cap or tassie trim, especially trim on Sheaffer Balance models or Parker Vacumatics?

A few questions:

1. Is it easy to plate a brassed area such that the new plating is invisible compared to the old?

2. For something like a partially brassed cap band, do you need to replate the entire band to create a blemish-free effect?

3. Can these newly kit-plated parts stand polishing?

4. Are the kits really as easy to use as the four steps displayed on the web page?

5. Does anything need to be done to prepare the trim before plating, other than general cleaning?

Thanks!

February 2, 2009

Hi folks,

I'm intrigued by the Caswell gold plating kits (http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/plugnplate.htm).

Does anybody have experience in using such a kit to touch up brassed cap or tassie trim, especially trim on Sheaffer Balance models or Parker Vacumatics?

A few questions:

1. Is it easy to plate a brassed area such that the new plating is invisible compared to the old?

2. For something like a partially brassed cap band, do you need to replate the entire band to create a blemish-free effect?

3. Can these newly kit-plated parts stand polishing?

4. Are the kits really as easy to use as the four steps displayed on the web page?

5. Does anything need to be done to prepare the trim before plating, other than general cleaning?

Thanks!

I can't answer any of the other questions, but I do know that #5: preparing the trim, you really need to polish down any rough edges otherwise that edge will absolutely show up in the finished work. Use fine sandpaper to feather the edge, remove any pits or scratches in the base metal AND any gold that remains that will be gone over with the new gold. It is far better to do the work before you replate than to have to do it after and probably have to re-replate. Hope you find out the answers to the rest of your questions, as I, like all of us, have some pens that really could use some touch-up on the trim.

In particular I have a recent find, a no-name made with absolutely beautiful celluloid that once I put a decent nib in it would make a great gift for Diane, but it would certainly look much better with some re-plate work on the clip. (The rings, though, I doubt will ever look right. I may just remove them and recut for a groove for another ring I have handy, that one is wider and of a better quality than the thin wire type now on the pen, both of which are bent, twisted and nothing but brass. I got this pen in a small lot of pens about a month ago, pulled it out yesterday to see if it had anything that was worth keeping, under the crud it looked like nice plastic so I cleaned it up and did a bit of polishing. Turns out it is fantastic looking celluloid, mostly various brown and green chunks with clear chunks all mixed together, very deep color, held up to sunlight it turns out to be mostly transparent. I already have a sac cut for it, once I knock out the broken nib and put in another "warranted" nib I should have handy around here someplace it should be a great looking writer just the right size for Diane to use for her carry around pen. The clip is not too bad, but needs some plating at the top where it is heavily brassed and has some minor corrosion, as well as the ball at the end. Lever is not brassed at all, only writing on the pen is Durium 8 on the nib.

February 3, 2009

A few questions:

1. Is it easy to plate a brassed area such that the new plating is invisible compared to the old?

2. For something like a partially brassed cap band, do you need to replate the entire band to create a blemish-free effect?

3. Can these newly kit-plated parts stand polishing?

4. Are the kits really as easy to use as the four steps displayed on the web page?

5. Does anything need to be done to prepare the trim before plating, other than general cleaning?

Thanks!

3. With brush plating kit or almost any other type of electroplating, the gold will be removed with a just bit of polishing. Gold fill is anther story, but that's not exactly a DIY project.

5. In addition to feathering any remaining gold fill or plating, the surface should be polished to a mirror finish. Otherwise, the texture and imperfections will show through.

According to Caswell's website, the surface would need to be nickel plated before using their gold plating system: http://www.caswellplating.com/pickakit/brassgold.htm A separate kit would need to be purchased for the nickel plating step.