Quote Originally Posted by ccdjg View Post
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?