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Any experience with replating with platinum ?

Nobeard

Nobeard

I was looking at a DE razor that has been replated with platinum. Does anyone know if one vendor is better than any others when it comes to replating? The work was done by Backroads Gold.

I saw that Razor Emporium says that their plating is thicker than their competitors, but what do I know?
 
tonich

tonich

Nobeard said:
I saw that Razor Emporium says that their plating is thicker than their competitors, but what do I know?
Click to expand...
I am surprised they advertise it. This comes to show they have no clue what they are dealing with. Thinner is better in this business.
 
Last edited:
Nobeard

Nobeard

don't remember if I read that or if they said that in one of their many and fine youtube "shows" about shaving
 
It's Hedley

It's Hedley

Nobeard said:
I was looking at a DE razor that has been replated with platinum. Does anyone know if one vendor is better than any others when it comes to replating? The work was done by Backroads Gold.

I saw that Razor Emporium says that their plating is thicker than their competitors, but what do I know?
Click to expand...
Backroads Gold did a razor for me in nickel and I was very pleased.
 
tonich

tonich

Talking about 3-rd party replate service, not original factory. Where you have to remove existing coating and deal with worn sirfices with poor texture - definitely totally different process.
 
mrlandpirate

mrlandpirate

Got lucky with dead badgers
check out
RazorPlate.com
great people to work with
58.JPG
 
R

romsitsa

The process is the same, except for stripping, that shouldn’t harm any surface detail, if done properly. It’s not magic.

Adam
 
nemo

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
kohalajohn said:
What razor is this? I see the posts come right through the cap. Also, the posts are diamond shaped, not the usual round ones.

Since the post holes in blades are diamond shaped, I wonder if this razor holds the blade more firmly and stiffly.
Click to expand...
Gillette Goodwill, look here at Mr-Razor's site, Goodwill section.

Or here,
www.badgerandblade.com

Gillette Goodwill Razors

Alright. I have seen many pictures of the Goodwill razors. There are 2 main types that I have seen. The solid cap version with hollowed out areas on the underside of the cap for the diamond blade holders on the base plate to recess in, and the version where the diamonds come through the cap...
www.badgerandblade.com www.badgerandblade.com
 
nocutsnonicksnoweepers

nocutsnonicksnoweepers

Gents.....I typically stay off the forums so as to avoid any appearance of impropriety, but felt that I could add something educational to this thread.

The fact of the matter is that rhodium has more than doubled in price. This is primarily due to the demands of the automobile industry, where catalytic converter manufacturing consumes over 80% of the yearly yield of rhodium. Because of this, you may find that some plating vendors are not currently offering rhodium, but may have some similar alternatives that are not so familiar.

Hopefully, my comments will clarify a few things and help some guys that are making decisions about alternative plating finishes. I will briefly address each of the mentioned metals - all of which happen to be in the "platinum group". All have somewhat similar properties that make them good choices for a razor finish.

1) Rhodium. The standard most of you are used to. A metal of the "platinum group". Whitish color. Shiny and reflective. Hard and durable. The problem is that, over the past year, rhodium has increased in price to over $8000 per ounce. Because of this, the plating solution manufacturers have significantly raised prices as their cost for raw rhodium has risen. This is getting very close to making rhodium unaffordable to use as a plating medium at this time. Vendors would have to charge exorbitant prices for rhodium plating jobs - to the point that it simply does not make sense to either the vendor or the customer. Therefore, you may start seeing plating vendors offering other metals from the "platinum group".

2) Platinum. Similar to rhodium. A smart alternative for those wanting "rhodium-like" appearance and properties with a lower cost. Not quite as hard or durable as rhodium, but an excellent plating substitute - especially during this time of rhodium's high market prices.

3) Palladium. Another metal of the "platinum group". Very similar to rhodium and platinum in appearance and properties - although a bit less dense than either. This provides another excellent alternative to rhodium and at a lower cost.

4) Ruthenium. Yet another metal of the "platinum group". This is often plated as black ruthenium. It is a beautiful finish. It can actually be a little darker than black rhodium (which many would prefer), but one would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between black rhodium and black ruthenium. Again, as stated above, this is an excellent alternative for those looking for that "dark and stealth" finish, but would like to do so at a price point that is less expensive than black rhodium.

5) Osmium. Also listed as an element within the "platinum group". Osmium is the densest substance known and is about 10x harder than platinum. It can also be quite brittle (due to its hardness). Although osmium can be electroplated, I know of no commercially available source for purchasing plating solution for this metal. One of osmium's most common uses is for prevention of frictional wear - such as fountain pen nibs.

Now that you know this, you may wonder why most plating vendors have not offered these alternatives alongside rhodium finishes. The truth of the matter is cost. None of the metals from the "platinum group" are cheap.

Before the price for rhodium increased so drastically in the last 6-months of 2019, the difference in cost of rhodium vs. its "siblings" was not significant enough to make it worthwhile to offer anything other than rhodium. Customers would not have wanted to pay "rhodium prices" for the other similar metals. It would also have been sort of difficult to explain why one paid essentially the same price for a black ruthenium razor as for a black rhodium razor....not even taking into consideration that while almost any razor hobbyist would know rhodium, but would give a puzzled look if told that a razor was plated in ruthenium.

Anyway...….I digress. I guess what my long-winded explanation should simply state is that during this time of exorbitant rhodium prices, there are other VERY SIMILAR plating options available at a price that will cost less than what you would pay for rhodium - AND - that most people would never be able to determine whether an item is plated in rhodium or one of these other "platinum group" metals!

-Chris
 
BigJ

BigJ

nocutsnonicksnoweepers said:
Gents.....I typically stay off the forums so as to avoid any appearance of impropriety, but felt that I could add something educational to this thread.

The fact of the matter is that rhodium has more than doubled in price. This is primarily due to the demands of the automobile industry, where catalytic converter manufacturing consumes over 80% of the yearly yield of rhodium. Because of this, you may find that some plating vendors are not currently offering rhodium, but may have some similar alternatives that are not so familiar.

Hopefully, my comments will clarify a few things and help some guys that are making decisions about alternative plating finishes. I will briefly address each of the mentioned metals - all of which happen to be in the "platinum group". All have somewhat similar properties that make them good choices for a razor finish.

1) Rhodium. The standard most of you are used to. A metal of the "platinum group". Whitish color. Shiny and reflective. Hard and durable. The problem is that, over the past year, rhodium has increased in price to over $8000 per ounce. Because of this, the plating solution manufacturers have significantly raised prices as their cost for raw rhodium has risen. This is getting very close to making rhodium unaffordable to use as a plating medium at this time. Vendors would have to charge exorbitant prices for rhodium plating jobs - to the point that it simply does not make sense to either the vendor or the customer. Therefore, you may start seeing plating vendors offering other metals from the "platinum group".

2) Platinum. Similar to rhodium. A smart alternative for those wanting "rhodium-like" appearance and properties with a lower cost. Not quite as hard or durable as rhodium, but an excellent plating substitute - especially during this time of rhodium's high market prices.

3) Palladium. Another metal of the "platinum group". Very similar to rhodium and platinum in appearance and properties - although a bit less dense than either. This provides another excellent alternative to rhodium and at a lower cost.

4) Ruthenium. Yet another metal of the "platinum group". This is often plated as black ruthenium. It is a beautiful finish. It can actually be a little darker than black rhodium (which many would prefer), but one would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between black rhodium and black ruthenium. Again, as stated above, this is an excellent alternative for those looking for that "dark and stealth" finish, but would like to do so at a price point that is less expensive than black rhodium.

5) Osmium. Also listed as an element within the "platinum group". Osmium is the densest substance known and is about 10x harder than platinum. It can also be quite brittle (due to its hardness). Although osmium can be electroplated, I know of no commercially available source for purchasing plating solution for this metal. One of osmium's most common uses is for prevention of frictional wear - such as fountain pen nibs.

Now that you know this, you may wonder why most plating vendors have not offered these alternatives alongside rhodium finishes. The truth of the matter is cost. None of the metals from the "platinum group" are cheap.

Before the price for rhodium increased so drastically in the last 6-months of 2019, the difference in cost of rhodium vs. its "siblings" was not significant enough to make it worthwhile to offer anything other than rhodium. Customers would not have wanted to pay "rhodium prices" for the other similar metals. It would also have been sort of difficult to explain why one paid essentially the same price for a black ruthenium razor as for a black rhodium razor....not even taking into consideration that while almost any razor hobbyist would know rhodium, but would give a puzzled look if told that a razor was plated in ruthenium.

Anyway...….I digress. I guess what my long-winded explanation should simply state is that during this time of exorbitant rhodium prices, there are other VERY SIMILAR plating options available at a price that will cost less than what you would pay for rhodium - AND - that most people would never be able to determine whether an item is plated in rhodium or one of these other "platinum group" metals!

-Chris
Click to expand...


Thanks for an outstanding explanation!! This really puts the options into perspective! :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
karacha

karacha

Alright, I took some photos of Chris's work in platinum. So, contact him here or through his website. I just received this GEM razor today:

IMG_2104.JPGIMG_2105.JPGIMG_2107.JPGIMG_2108.JPG

Needless to say, I am very happy with this one! Thinking about maybe getting one of these or a Micromatic in gold.
 
Chris Spencer

Chris Spencer

Thanks to Chris for the great explanation of the Platinum group metals, spot on. The same 2 gram bottle of Rhodium we paid $190 for a year ago is now over $900. For me, Platinum has been a great substitiute. Platinum is more efficient and deposits at a faster rate. It plates at twice the mg/amp minute and actually ends up with a smoother surface than Rhodium, albeit just not as white, its close, but Rhodium is alot whiter. I love a deep nickel plate, even over Rhodium or Platinum, but for those that are skin sensitive, Platinum is a good alternative.
-Chris Spencer
 
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