Electroless nickel a couple questions

[ACORN]

I have a Model 38 with a satin nickel finish.
Did S&W use electroless nickel or use a blasted surface and nickel it.
I've heard some complain their electroless nickel has discolored/darkened.
And tips to prevent this?

 

[armorer951]

Unless there has been a recent change, I don't believe Smith and Wesson has ever used the electroless nickel process when applying nickel plating to their firearms. Electroplating has been their standard process over the years, in either polished, brushed or "satin".



Carter

 

[Baxter6551]

I agree with armorer951. You could get a Colt with electroless nickel (Coltguard Finish) but never a S&W that I ever saw. There are matte hard chrome and Armaloy / Metallife type finishes that look similar.

 

[ACORN]

FWIW my M38 was bought new.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Electroless nickel is an excellent and very durable finish that is mostly overlooked due to all the newer coatings and finishes on the market now.

 

[ACORN]

Electroless nickel is an excellent and very durable finish that is mostly overlooked due to all the newer coatings and finishes on the market now.

My concern is mainly for my Tisas Stakeout in E-less nickel.
I'd like to keep it bright and shiny

 

[Protocall_Design]

I have a gun with E nickel that's 30 years old and still looks like when it was first done. I haven't done anything but clean it occasionally. I don't know the particulars about care for this finish, but you might google it to see what comes up.

 

[ladder13]

40+ yo EN/Coltguard …

 

[stansdds]

My concern is mainly for my Tisas Stakeout in E-less nickel.
I'd like to keep it bright and shiny

Probably the best way to preserve a nickel finish is to clean it, dry it, then apply Renaissance Wax.

 

[armorer951]

One of the great characteristics about electroless nickel is that, unlike electroplating, it goes on in a very thin layer that is uniform in thickness, even on edges and sharp corners.

Electroless applications are usually below .001" in thickness. Thickness of the material depends on how long the parts are held in the plating bath. As with all finishes, cleanliness and temperature constraints are the most important factors during application.

Be sure to keep this in mind when cleaning or attempting to polish this finish. Although the nickel finish is very hard, polishes and cleaners that contain ammonia or abrasives should be avoided.

Here's a model 34-1 I plated back in the 1980's. The finish has held up well over the years.





Carter

 

[minconrevo]

Electroless nickel tests out Rockwell C50 or so, and normally is matt finish. Fairly easy to apply well. It is reasonably salt water and sweat resistant. Good hard use finish.

Hard chrome is Rockwell C70. Finish for it will vary from satin to bright, depending on how much substrate prep is done. It will build up in thickness on sharp edges. Bright is seldom seen, because it will mirror any minor subsurface imperfection. It requires lots of man hours to polish and true subsurface just right for bright HC. HC typically is applied thin , usually .0003" and may be applied thicker. HC guns require skilled hands to remove chrome "balls" and to smooth knife edges where it builds up on sharp edges before gun reassembly.

 

[BenelliSlim70]

My concern is mainly for my Tisas Stakeout in E-less nickel.
I'd like to keep it bright and shiny

Don't clean it with anything that contains ammonia CLP Break free and Ballistol work. Or so I've read