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06-27-2017, 04:47 AM
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What happened to the shiny nickel revolver???
1960's Nickel Chiefs Special... My first revolver.
1969 Nickel Model 30-1
When I was a kid and heard the words Smith and Wesson or thirty eight in the movies the gun that popped in my head were the shiny chrome plated clean and mean revolvers. The only S&W revolvers that I know of in a shiny nickel finish are the older ones. Both of these revolvers of mine were made way before I was born some time in the late 1960's. So my question is why are these shiny little gems no longer made? The shiny finish seems to hold up better than the painted guns of today so whats the deal? There was some nickel guns done by Smith and Wesson later on but they were more of a dull matte nickel finish. Im guessing S&W no longer makes shiny nickel guns because they dont want to pay someone to do a long meticulous fluff and buff job on the guns but like I said Im only guessing? Anybody??? Thanks!
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06-27-2017, 05:34 AM
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Stainless steel proved more popular, with the shiny fans polishing their own guns.
Geoff
Who polished up a Ruger Single-six in .22LR/.22Magnum and traded it off on a Ruger MK II, T-514.
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06-27-2017, 06:15 AM
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Well, folks started using matte black automatics !
Larry
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06-27-2017, 07:28 AM
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Environmental Protection Agency.
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02-10-2018, 08:41 AM
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We need to bring back the shiny!
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02-10-2018, 08:55 AM
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Shiny takes $killed poli$hing.
Plating takes Chemical$.
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02-10-2018, 09:17 AM
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Since the real reason for nickel was corrosion resistance, pretty was secondary I would imagine, I suspect that market went to stainless.
Nickel plating also uses a lot of harsh chemicals that the EPA frowns on I understand.
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02-10-2018, 11:35 AM
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Here's one
Model 21-4 in .44 Special from 2005. It's very shiny! I ended up putting some round to square conversion stocks on it, 'cause even with the Tyler adapter, the tiny magna grips were a pain. Fantastic shooter.
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Some collect art; I shoot it!
Last edited by Peak53; 02-10-2018 at 11:36 AM.
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02-10-2018, 12:01 PM
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EPA is the correct answer.
Plating creates too many toxic chemicals,that require expensive handling.
As time goes by,the shops disappear.Plastic car trim has certainly eliminated demand for their services as well.
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02-10-2018, 12:24 PM
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You can't nickel plate plastic.  
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02-10-2018, 12:51 PM
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Nickel plating
I never had any desire to own nickel. I just like blue or stainless better.
Willyboy
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02-10-2018, 01:04 PM
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Nickel requires more careful cleaning techniques. I read a small article in American Rifleman years ago, a shooter let his cylinder soak in Hoppe's-it took the nickel off.
I have 2-a 4" S&W M-27 and a Colt Old Model Detective Special. I got them at very good prices-that was their appreal.
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02-10-2018, 01:20 PM
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Absent Comrade
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I polish all different finishes, blue, stainless and nickel. I perfer the nickel finishes first. They manufactured less revolvers in the world famous s&w nickel finishes. Plus the only one I see available now is the s&w m29-10:44mag with a 4” barrel.
Blue is cool, stainless is better, but the s&w nickel finish is freaking awesome. When your in a pickle and don’t know what to choose go with the world famous s&w nickel finish guns.
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02-10-2018, 01:40 PM
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Quote:
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I never had any desire to own nickel.
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Neither did I until I got my first one  .
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02-10-2018, 02:55 PM
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Absent Comrade
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For a dull nickel finish I use the simi chrome polish to revive it. Then next time a fritz or never dull to keep it shiney.
Do not throw away the used soft rags with the simi chrome polish I do my blued guns with that to revive that deep blue finish.
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02-10-2018, 02:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willyboy
I never had any desire to own nickel. I just like blue or stainless better.
Willyboy
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Warning, buying nickel guns can be habit forming. Please step away from the nickel gun, I’ll take it.
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02-10-2018, 03:06 PM
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I'm like others, I prefer blue and wood, but somehow 7 nickel guns snuck into my safe.
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02-10-2018, 03:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iggy
I'm like others, I prefer blue and wood, but somehow 7 nickel guns snuck into my safe.
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Iggy, can I have the right of first refusal when the time comes  ?
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02-10-2018, 03:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by old bear
Neither did I until I got my first one . |
Same here. I happened upon a beautiful 57 no dash nickel for a price I couldn’t pass up. And then I fell in love with it. As my wife would say “why don’t you marry it then”...LOL
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02-10-2018, 03:36 PM
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32 RP Nickel (2).jpg
My first one was a nickel model 19, 40 years ago, and now that's what I look for when collecting. I don't pass up blue or stainless, just prefer nickel.
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SWCA #2906, SWHF #760
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02-10-2018, 05:27 PM
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Do you prefer nickel or polished stainless? I like polished stainless better. It seems to hold up better and last longer. It dosent flake off like nickel does. Once nickel starts to flake it cant be fixed, the whole gun finish needs to be redone. Good luck finding someone to do it that wont charge you a fortune of money. Also stainless seems way easier to maintain and a lot easier to fix scratches. Once a scratch in nickel is through the finish it cant be fixed. Only downside is that it seems stainless is way easier to scratch!
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02-10-2018, 08:48 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by old bear
Iggy, can I have the right of first refusal when the time comes ? |
If you wave enough money and twist his arm a little, he will relent and let one go every once in a while. 
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02-10-2018, 09:32 PM
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I think it has to do with the barometric pressure at the time.. 
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02-10-2018, 09:38 PM
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Nickel is my favorite Smith finish.
I’ve carried a nickel M38 for years.
Very durable, easy to maintain, stunning looks.
What’s not to like?
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02-10-2018, 10:09 PM
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I think the biggest market for nickel plated revolvers were piano
players. Due to the advent of music CDs a lot of piano players are
out of work. Thus the demise of Nickel plated pistols.
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02-11-2018, 09:51 AM
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Nickel (and chrome) plating requires some pretty nasty chemicals, which are expensive and tightly regulated. To make plated weapons shiny, they must be given a perfectly polished surface before plating, then a very even plating. This is time consuming and therefore, expensive.
Stainless requires no chemicals, only someone who knows how to polish metals, much cheaper to produce and much easier to maintain by the owner. No flaking or frosted plating, scuffs and scratches can usually be polished out by the owner.
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02-11-2018, 02:42 PM
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There is just something about a great nickel S&W revolver.
Since the shiny nickel is pretty much consigned to the past, shiny now is mirror polished Stainless Steel:
(polished by S&W, engraving by Wayne D'Angelo)
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Last edited by DRYHEAT; 02-11-2018 at 03:07 PM.
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02-11-2018, 05:39 PM
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https://www.nickelinstitute.org/~/me...PH_141015.ashx
For those wanting an in-depth look into plating nickel.
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02-11-2018, 06:10 PM
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Absent Comrade
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I purchased a h&r 22 revolver that the PO called nickel. It looked yellow it was tarnished so bad. I took out the simi chrome polish and found out under the yellow was a shiney chrome finish. The chrome looks awesome.
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02-12-2018, 12:18 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iggy
You can't nickel plate plastic. |
From St. Pete Mike's link, page 34.
Who knew?
Plating on Plastics Materials
The traditional method of preparing plastics for electroplating includes electrodeposition of a ductile acid copper layer, before electroplating with nickel plus chromium, to meet thermal cycle requirements. The thermal cycle test (refer to Chapter 8) assesses adhesion and monitors the effectiveness of the process.
Although this traditional copper layer is still the most widely used, the substitution of a highly ductile nickel coating may be specified where it is necessary to facilitate the reclamation of electroplated plastics at the end of the product-life cycle.
Table 4f*
Plating on plastics materials - nickel plus chromiumcopper plus nickel plus chromium
Service Condition Number
Nickel plus Chromium
Classification Number
Copper plus Nickel plus Chromium
Classification Number
1
PL/Ni20dp Ni7b/Cr r
PL/Cu15a Ni 7b/Cr r
2
PL/Ni20dp Ni10b/Cr r
PL/Cu15a Ni15b/Cr rPL/Cu15a Ni10d/Cr mc or mp
3
PL/Ni20dp Ni15b/Cr r
PL/Cu15a Ni25d/Cr rPL/Cu15a Ni20d/Cr mc or mp
4
PL/Ni20dp Ni20d/Cr rPL/Ni20dp Ni20b/Cr mc or mp
PL/Cu15a Ni30d/Cr rPL/Cu15a Ni25d/Cr mc or mp
5
PL/
Plating on Plastics Materials
The traditional method of preparing plastics for electroplating includes electrodeposition of a ductile acid copper layer, before electroplating with nickel plus chromium, to meet thermal cycle requirements. The thermal cycle test (refer to Chapter 8) assesses adhesion and monitors the effectiveness of the process.
Although this traditional copper layer is still the most widely used, the substitution of a highly ductile nickel coating may be specified where it is necessary to facilitate the reclamation of electroplated plastics at the end of the product-life cycle.
Table 4f*
Plating on plastics materials - nickel plus chromiumcopper plus nickel plus chromium
Service Condition Number
Nickel plus Chromium
Classification Number
Copper plus Nickel plus Chromium
Classification Number
1
PL/Ni20dp Ni7b/Cr r
PL/Cu15a Ni 7b/Cr r
2
PL/Ni20dp Ni10b/Cr r
PL/Cu15a Ni15b/Cr rPL/Cu15a Ni10d/Cr mc or mp
3
PL/Ni20dp Ni15b/Cr r
PL/Cu15a Ni25d/Cr rPL/Cu15a Ni20d/Cr mc or mp
4
PL/Ni20dp Ni20d/Cr rPL/Ni20dp Ni20b/Cr mc or mp
PL/Cu15a Ni30d/Cr rPL/Cu15a Ni25d/Cr mc or mp
5
PL/
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