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One of my instruments (about 40 years old) has a nickel finish.
Can nickel be removed? If yes, what is the best way to proceed?
Thanks a lot,
Hubert

VERY difficult. Darned near impossible by a novice. Send it to a professional plating company like Anderson.

I have been told it's quite risky to remove it, as the process could damage the brass as well...

So I left the Nickel on my Rudi ...

Thanks a lot for the advice. Too dangerous to do it myself!!
Hubert

Why do you want to remove the nickel? Nickel is usually very durable, and being a metal plate, and not a lacquer (with due respect to the above) usually does not impede the tonal characteristics of the horn.

Contact dermatitis? Worn or peeling finish, or just esthetic preference? If the nickel is actually in really good shape, there might be finish options that could go over it. I don't know how hard it is to clean up old nickel to the kind of atomically pristine level you typically want under a new finish layer, but silver should go on fine right over nickel? Or a gold lacquer might be an interesting option.

It is worn on some spots. So, instrument looks "leprous".
Hubert

Actually, nickel plate is simple to remove if you have the proper set up. I regularly strip valve pistons, saxophones, clarinet keys and posts and other assorted parts, sometimes complete trombones and trumpets. I use a cold stripping bath to oxidize the nickel off without damage to the base metal. Its a more costly method but I dont work on a large scale so it suits my need quite nicely. It is strictly a chemical process, no current is needed.

Daniel C. Oberloh

Oberloh Woodwind and Brass Works
http://www.oberloh.com" target="_blank