From:pat e-mail:cleveland 4 @att.net
Subject:RE: RE: Nickel Plating Date:Fri Feb 8 01:56:49 2008
Response to:1937

It only turns on cylinders or exhuast that has been copper plated first heat makes nickle stronger the hotter it gets. not dull it is in the plating process.. sorry I am plater. you can get very clean and shinny as you call it if you use nite nickle then do electro I think it is wrong to do so .I like the clean look myself I learned from a few guys that what is correct and what you like are diffrent. I also have found when I have gone to sell a few items they sell faster when they are pretty. I was told by Rich Morris that " Would Henderson Have plated more had they gotten more for the bike?" I think most bars should be plated I do not like the paint on them and now all I see is powder coat.
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Hello, i'm restoring my 27 Henderson. Could someone please tell me what the correct nickel plating profile is for most all the hardware on my bike? "Dull Nickel" is this an electroless nickel plating? I know some parts are polished nickel, i'm more concerned about acheiving the correct dull look.

Thanks Luke
I thought I would throw in my two cents here.
First of all lets discuss bright and dull. Lets refer to bright as mirror like in terms of shinnyness. Dull will be anything less than mirror like.
The surface you are plating will determin the finish you get.
For example your engine cylinders have a rough texture- they will never be bright or shinney or mirror like they will always be dull.
If you take a pc of unfinished metal -even bare untreated(no plating) steel you can with some effort make it look very shinney if you were to nickel plate this same item it will be very shinney mirror like.
To keep this simple it all depends upon what you start with. Nickel is not like chrome.
one more comment on nickel. as it ages it does yellow, exposer to sun and heat will speed up the process.
I really dont understand why more people dont properly use nickel plating instead of painting. Nickel plating is cheap and looks great and is very long lasting.