OK - might be a dumb question - but I have some old solo Ludwigs and the lugs are corroded. Can anyone tell me a sure fire way to tell if they are nickel or chrome? Some are very badly "eaten away" and some just have a lot of pitting, like pimples spreading. I want to replace them and try and find the right lugs. Thanks for your time - it's much appreciated.
How to tell nickel from chrome? Last viewed: 38 minutes ago
From my experience, nickel is a duller color than chrome. Also when chrome pits, it's usually turning to rust, with nickel you don't see as much rusting in the pitting, but it discolors more.
Good reply - thanks. These drums were exposed to weather or dampness at some stage and even the worst lugs have no rust. I think they are nickel.
troutstudio,
The plating process goes like this:
1. Base metal
2. Copper
3. Nickel
4. Chromium
All the layers of each plating step are only microns thick, so when the nickel goes over the copper, it looks a bit more orange/yellow. Nickel isn't all that hard, so it tended to oxidize more quickly. Chrome was considered an improvement in that the chromium plating step created a much, MUCH harder surface that resisted oxidation better than nickel...but it gave a "colder", "bluer" more reflective look.
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