Hi all, I'll post pix if you like, but I just got a Primus 1080S or P or something, 1955. It's all there but it's been rubbed harder than Aladdin's lamp over the years, and most of the nickel's gone ... so I'm wondering ... Mrs. Ulf gave me a nickling kit for my birthday (good woman!) and I'm kind of intrigued at trying it out on this one. of course I'd strip the (remaining) patches of nickel first. But ... if it's going to look like homemade hell, I certainly don't want to ruin it. The name and numbers aren't stamped very deep so renickling may obscure them, but that doesn't bother me as much as the prospect of taking a nice, 70 year old lantern and making it look like it's had bad cosmetic surgery. Anyone with experience in doing this? A good decision or a fool's errand? Practical tips OR philosophical musings on the 'ethics' of renickling are welcome. I have a skin thicker than a rhino. Thanks. Ulf.
If it was me I would practice on a common lamp first, or a damaged one to learn from. You know what they say practice makes perfect.
I don’t see that’s necessary so long as every part of the surface is thoroughly clean, with no grease (from fingers even) or other residue on it. As with soldering or brazing, cleanliness of the object is crucial, or the plating subsequently rubs off or is patchy - a pristine fingerprint where the plating hasn’t taken in an otherwise blemish-free plated surface, for example. Take a look at these nickeling projects HERE, HERE and HERE. In terms of your concern about obscuring details, the plating is only microns thick and doesn’t behave as a paint finish would do in that respect. The biggest threat to engraving is from polishing over the years. You’d need to disassemble the lamp to its component parts of course and to ensure even deposition of nickel move the hand-held (rubber glove) nickel anode around the component immersed in the electrolyte - easier to accomplish than moving the object around a static anode. Good luck. John
John, thanks for the excellent advice — and beautiful work, too. I’ll study up and give it a go, I think. Best Ulf.
