Chromed Barung

[Jeff Pringle]

Muriatic is a 33% dilution of hydrochloric acid, the main drawback/risk of using it is its propensity to form an acid fog that will coat every bit of steel (even stainless) in the room/building with a layer of very active rust, do not play with it in the same building your collection is housed in!!
I once got to check out 12 brand-new stainless elevators that needed to be replaced when the flooring contractor washed the newly-laid granite floor with muriatic to remove grout residue... expensive!

[Spunjer]

thanks for the warning, jeff.

i've decided that i will be doing this outdoors, hopefully this weekend, weather permitting...

[ward]

I do not disagree it is nasty to work with that is why I suggested a respirator it will eat thru the standard surgical gloves also and make you cough like a 90 year old

[Lee]

Unfortunately the surface prep for plating is kind of harsh if done to insure a lasting finish and the surface then takes another hit upon removal. You might be better off selling this one to someone who wants a shiny wall-hanger and putting the proceeds to an example with a less traumatic past.

I have one large bolo which is chrome plated from the early 1970s. I bought it in a shop in Manila and presume that was the maker's intended finish in that case. It does well up on the wall.

[Robert]

Unfortunately I now have one to add to the "What Were They Thinking" list of blades that have been chromed. As I really don't have much tied up in it I think that as soon as it warms up that I will try to remove the chrome just to see if it can be done without harming the blade. I will let everyone know if it works out or not.

Robert

[Battara]

What a stinking shame. It always bugs the crap out of me.

[Robert]

I know what you mean. That's why when I saw this I felt an obligation to try to put it back as close as possible to its original state. I'm just hoping that it turns out right.

Robert