Removing nickel?

[hubert]

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

[Dan Schultz]

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

[oedipoes]

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 ...

[hubert]

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

[iiipopes]

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.

[Donn]

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.

[hubert]

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

[Daniel C. Oberloh]

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