In a word NO!
Expand?
As a lot of you may know a number of Gillette Aristocrat Models were Rhodium plated. What you may not know is that (at least on the ones I've come across) it's only the handle and not the head that is Rhodium plated. The head is just plain old Nickel.
Steve (WPD111) sent me an English Aristocrat model and asked if I could replate it in Nickel. The razor had flaking on the Turning Knob and the Silo Doors and a bit of wear to the head. Now the turning knob is Rhodium plated (over nickel) so you would think that being harder (more wear resistant) that it shouldn't have worn and flaked.
The other big problem with Rhodium is that it is an absolute nightmare to remove. The only way I could remove it without damage to the razor was to steep it in a chemical solution that quickly removes nickel - the Rhodium required around 2 days and regular wire brushing with a brass brush (steel would have scored the finish on the razor) to lift the underlying nickel and the rhodium with it. The razor could then be polished and finally plated in nickel.
Here are the results of my labour and hopefully you will see that the shine and finish of the razor replated in bright nickel is every bit as bright as the Rhodium. In the future (after another 50 years) if it does need replating, it will be a damned sight easier to remove the nickel for replating.
Some will say that the razor isn't original any longer, OK, it isn't, but it looks identical to the original plating and a lot more pleasing to the eye than the flaked and worn 'original'
So, yes, Rhodium is harder and in theory more wear resitant than nickel, but in my humble opinion, it's not at all necessary for a razor - OK for a wedding ring that is constantly worn, but as many will know it does wear and correcting the problem is a lot more difficult due to the removal.
Gillette probably needed a marketing 'edge' for their upmarket model, so specifying 'Rhodium' plating probably provided that edge.
Expand?
As a lot of you may know a number of Gillette Aristocrat Models were Rhodium plated. What you may not know is that (at least on the ones I've come across) it's only the handle and not the head that is Rhodium plated. The head is just plain old Nickel.
Steve (WPD111) sent me an English Aristocrat model and asked if I could replate it in Nickel. The razor had flaking on the Turning Knob and the Silo Doors and a bit of wear to the head. Now the turning knob is Rhodium plated (over nickel) so you would think that being harder (more wear resistant) that it shouldn't have worn and flaked.
The other big problem with Rhodium is that it is an absolute nightmare to remove. The only way I could remove it without damage to the razor was to steep it in a chemical solution that quickly removes nickel - the Rhodium required around 2 days and regular wire brushing with a brass brush (steel would have scored the finish on the razor) to lift the underlying nickel and the rhodium with it. The razor could then be polished and finally plated in nickel.
Here are the results of my labour and hopefully you will see that the shine and finish of the razor replated in bright nickel is every bit as bright as the Rhodium. In the future (after another 50 years) if it does need replating, it will be a damned sight easier to remove the nickel for replating.
Some will say that the razor isn't original any longer, OK, it isn't, but it looks identical to the original plating and a lot more pleasing to the eye than the flaked and worn 'original'
So, yes, Rhodium is harder and in theory more wear resitant than nickel, but in my humble opinion, it's not at all necessary for a razor - OK for a wedding ring that is constantly worn, but as many will know it does wear and correcting the problem is a lot more difficult due to the removal.
Gillette probably needed a marketing 'edge' for their upmarket model, so specifying 'Rhodium' plating probably provided that edge.
You Tease!!!
I can't wait to get and use it .. what a wonderful job you did
