Nickel Plated Tell3 Air Pistol.

[Abasmajor]

I have an early Tell 3 (Ser No 49) which has traces of nickel plating evident when the rear sight blade is removed. Does anybody know if nickel plating was an option early in production or if this might have been carried out at a later date.



Brian

[45flint]

No expert but am a Tell 3 collector and have never heard of any nickel pistols.

[ccdjg]

I have never hear of a nickel finish being offered as an option. Is the rest of the gun partly blued or is it currently 'in the white'?

[Abasmajor]

I have never hear of a nickel finish being offered as an option. Is the rest of the gun partly blued or is it currently 'in the white'?

Hello John,

The majority of the finish has gone, but there are remains of nickel plating in places. I checked your book and noted that you record having seen a nickel plated Tell 3, but had no evidence of it ever being advertised as a factory option.



Brian

[ccdjg]

Brian, I do recollect seeing one quite a while back, but was not convinced then that it was original. Of the several catalogue adverts I have, none mention the nickel option.

The thing that bothers me is that any professional nickel plater (certainly one that would be approved by VVW) would never nickel plate straight onto steel, and would apply a thin copper plate first, and then plate onto that. Yours does not seem to have any copper traces (as far as I can see), which would explain why the plating has not survived.

[Abasmajor]

Brian, I do recollect seeing one quite a while back, but was not convinced then that it was original. Of the several catalogue adverts I have, none mention the nickel option.

The thing that bothers me is that any professional nickel plater (certainly one that would be approved by VVW) would never nickel plate straight onto steel, and would apply a thin copper plate first, and then plate onto that. Yours does not seem to have any copper traces (as far as I can see), which would explain why the plating has not survived.

Hi John,
That would make sense. I have never been a fan of nickel plated pistols as any remaining patchy finish looks far worse than the patina left when blueing disappears.

Brian

[Graemevw]

Brian, I do recollect seeing one quite a while back, but was not convinced then that it was original. Of the several catalogue adverts I have, none mention the nickel option.

The thing that bothers me is that any professional nickel plater (certainly one that would be approved by VVW) would never nickel plate straight onto steel, and would apply a thin copper plate first, and then plate onto that. Yours does not seem to have any copper traces (as far as I can see), which would explain why the plating has not survived.

I know nothing of how air pistols specifically were nickel plated, but nickel doesn't NEED a copper layer unless it's designed to live outdoors. The copper gives it more corrosion resistance, can fill imperfections, and is easier to polish than steel, but it also gives a soft layer that can damage easier.
Not all copper plating types can go direct onto steel either. Some need a nickel strike plate first. If it was done that way, and the base nickel peeled, you wouldn't see any copper traces.

As I say, I know nothing of how vintage air pistols were plated but lack of copper layer wouldnt imediately strike me as odd.
The only reason I put a copper layer on my motorcycles plating was due to it getting used outdoors in rain etc and put away wet. For something steel, that lived indoors, and didn't need the same finish perfection as a rolls Royce grill or to last 30 years, I probably wouldn't bother with a copper layer.

I only mention this as I have a bit of a hankering to do some kind of nickel plated pistol and I had already been considering if I would do a copper layer or not. I came to the conclusion that it would probably look better if I didn't.
Just need to decide what pistol to do.

I'm assuming you have a fair bit of experience of vintage nickel plated guns? At least way more than my complete zero experience. Do they normally have a copper layer?