Is rhodium plating not viable long term?

[CB_DoubleEdge]

Thanks to B&B I got into DE shaving a few months ago. I got my supplies based on Suzuki's suggestions in the "what would you do differently" thread.

Since my first month is up I wanted to make a change and try a vintage razor. I ended up with a 1960 Gillette Fatboy.

The Merkur 34C was much better for me than any cartridge razor I've used. The Fatboy is something else entirely.

I have terribly sensitive skin but shaving with the Fatboy is like a cloud gliding across my face. I get a wonderfully close shave with no irritation whatsoever. I'll shave with this razor the rest of my life.

So, my Fatboy is in very good condition with only very slight brassing in one spot on the twist at the bottom. I suppose it doesn't really need to be replated.

However, I recently saw the rhodium plated Fatboy **filtered vendor** offers for the ludicrous price of $150. The price may be absurb but the razor is beautiful. Since I'm going to be shaving with it the rest of my life I'd love mine to look the same. However...

I took my razor to my local jeweler. They have someone that can perform the plating (outsourced). They've never sent a razor for replating before and were very concerned that daily exposure to shaving soap/cream would wear the finish quickly.

Is this a legitimate concern? My hope was that I would have a beautiful finish for decades.

FWIW, I know it is heresy among many to replate a vintage razor. If I were into buying, selling, and trading I certainly wouldn't do it. I understand the value of vintage. But this is for my private use and something I hope to pass on someday. That is its value to me, and what I hope will be the value to the one that receives it.

Thanks!

 

[Greybeard]

Rhodium is actually quite a bit harder and more wear resistant than nickel and should last longer.
Shaving doesn't wear plating that severely. It's usually dings, drops, rubs, scrubs, and improper storage that causes the most wear.
I've read, however, that rhodium is sometimes plated quite thinly, especially on jewellery and this might wear more quickly. If it's plated as thickly as the original nickel plating then it should last a very long time.

Edit: Pardon my lack of manners. Welcome to B&B.

 

[nEver-Ready]

I had a very badly brassed President replated with rhodium very successfully by buddydog, a member here. Went from looking horrible to looking brand new. See it posted by buddydog in this Thread.

Oh, and Welcome!! by the way.

 

[nEver-Ready]

I had a very badly brassed President replated with rhodium very successfully by buddydog, a member here. Went from looking horrible to looking brand new. See it posted by buddydog in this Thread.

Oh, and Welcome!! by the way.

BTW. Here is a "before" and "after" comparison...

Before:

View attachment 121017

View attachment $President Before1.jpg

And here is the "after" (one in front):

View attachment $PresidentAfter.JPG

 

[maxman]

Welcome to B&B.
I've been investigating Rhodium for the same reasons as yourself.
I have a few local shops that can do it, but they all tell me its expensive due to the cost of Rhodium.
I'm afraid most that they will plate it too thin.

On the other hand, the razors are 50+ years old and for the most part the plating has held up OK. So really, if you plate it now and take care of it, then it probably won't need plating again.

I'm asking them tomorrow if they can do nickel plating.

 

[CB_DoubleEdge]

Wow. A picture is certainly worth a thousand words.

I think I'm going to go for it. The hardest part is being without it during the replating process. I don't want to be without it so soon!

Now I just need to decide between Reliable Electroplating, a member here, or **filtered vendor**.


I want to focus on absolute quality work, not cost.

 

[Jake]

Reliable is a very company who replate jewelery, emblems, tools, and machine parts. They pride themselves in their work and are very reasonable in their pricing. It is not a requirement to disassemble the razor unless there are different materials used to plate different areas of the razor.

But which ever way you go, please take some before photos so we can see how it gets transformed.

 

[cernel_joson]

How much does rhodium plating cost compared to nickel?

 

[h22o999]

Wow. A picture is certainly worth a thousand words.

I think I'm going to go for it. The hardest part is being without it during the replating process. I don't want to be without it so soon!

Now I just need to decide between Reliable Electroplating, a member here, or **filtered vendor**.

I want to focus on absolute quality work, not cost.

Why is **filtered vendor** looked down upon here? I was actually thinking about them for replating a couple of my razors? Any info would be appreciated...

 

[Bit2]

I had two razors plated in Rhodium( Gillette '52 SS & '61 Flair in Rhodium).
They were my father-in laws and I figured why not.

Before I sent them out
View attachment 121039

Franken Razor, Flair Tip in Rhodium, Milord after plating

View attachment 121040

The fronts and parts

View attachment 121041

The Super Speed plated in Rhodium
View attachment 121042

My contact is Dale Broadbent at:
Reliable Electroplating
PO Box 91,
304 W Main St
Chartley, MA 02712 USA
[email protected] or call 508 222 0620

Remember Rhodium will last but it costs 10 X MORE than gold!!
But it is worth it.

John

 

[tchmango]

Thanks for starting this thread. Very informative. Just joined the DE fraternity about a month ago myself and have been considering some of the same plating questions. And have found the Fat Boy to be the best glide across my face as well. You may consider keeping the razor you have and find another for cheap that will benefit from the make-over. If it turns out the way you hope have the other razor plated. Sounds like a fun project.
Cheers.

 

[CB_DoubleEdge]

Why is the **filtered vendor** looked down upon here? I was actually thinking about them for replating a couple of my razors? Any info would be appreciated...

I'm not sure, to be honest. But I've seen them mentioned in a couple of threads as a banned merchant here.

 

[Xman74]

Could anyone give a rough idea of what a rhodium, gold or nickel replating of a razor would cost?

 

[stewartu]

I have no problem with replating razors. They generally have no value anyway so there is really no value to destroy. Anyway..

I queried on the board about replating a few weeks ago. Nickel plating seems to be about 30-35 bucks. I would think that gold is about the same. Rhodium? I cant believe that it would be more than a few bucks more. It doesn't take much to plate something this small.

 

[Shavely Manden]

I have no problem with replating razors. They generally have no value anyway so there is really no value to destroy. Anyway..

I queried on the board about replating a few weeks ago. Nickel plating seems to be about 30-35 bucks. I would think that gold is about the same. Rhodium? I cant believe that it would be more than a few bucks more. It doesn't take much to plate something this small.

I think that replating for personal use & restoration gets a little bit too mixed up with replating for collectible-fraud. I can definitely understand collectors having a dim view of replating (since I can totally see somebody doing a shoddy job of replating an old style or NEW in gold and then selling it as OMG MINT COLLECTOR'S ITEM BUY NOW!!!A+++!!), but that leeriness rubs of a little too much on replating for personal reasons. If I want a rhodium NEW, it just seems logical to replate, since that's the only way you're going to get one.

Rhodium's ridiculously expensive at the moment, but you're right, even thick plating doesn't use much of the metal. I wonder why these threads never seem to mention what people paid for their replates.

 

[Gruder]

While our members are of course welcome to shop where they wish, we've been forced to filter less than a handful of vendors here as a last resort due to multiple occurrences of fraudulent behavior. If they can't be mentioned here, please rest assured that it's for very good reason, and that hours of moderator work behind the scenes have gone into picking up the pieces said vendors have left (and continue to leave) behind. You'd really be shocked by some of the stuff these guys have pulled.

More information here: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Banned_Filtered_Vendor

 

[ferroburak]

John

The left one seems like a very good razor

 

[ShaveMark]

Why have none of you members that have had a re-plate in rhodium answered the questions here about how much it cost you?

 

[amishmotorboat]

Why have none of you members that have had a re-plate in rhodium answered the questions here about how much it cost you?

found this

I've been looking into Rhodium plating but the chemicals are more expensive than a mint cased #66 for only 1 gram of Rhodium in solution, which would probably do only a couple of razors

 

[Bit2]

The left one seems like a very good razor

It's my Franken-Razor.
Head and handle from two different razors, but re-plated in Gold and it looks OK and shaves pretty good.

John