Help: Gold plating an axe head

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barriboy

New Member

• Aug 7, 2014

• #1

I need to plate an axe head with gold, but I know nothing about gold plating and all the information I can find on the internet is for plating small objects like coins and jewelery. The plan is to use the brush method (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMZNVApYz1U) to plate the head of a Granfors Bruks American Felling Axe (https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-...I/AAAAAAAABzQ/haVUGoc-woA/s1600/042-paint.jpg). Does anyone foresee any problems with this? Also, does anyone have any idea how much gold solution I should invest in?

Thanks in advance!

 

SkunkonToast

New Member

• Aug 8, 2014

• #2

I would probably say that it isn't cost efective , getting gold salts and plating it yourself can be a very costly set up. I'm a silversmith by trade and would recommend against it. You would be better off finding a platers local to your area and asking if they would do it. Brushing the gold on would leave a really thin layer and would lead to disappointment when it starts to rub off again when polishing it afterwards. I have my own silver plating but not gold as I don't do nearly enough to warrent the set up costs of even a small tank.

 

B

barriboy

New Member

• Aug 8, 2014

• #3

Darn. Alrighty, well thanks for advice. I was really hoping to do it myself, but I don't want to go crazy on costs. I guess I'll see if I can get some estimates done.

Thanks!

 

jim fred

Member

• Aug 8, 2014

• #4

You could use the same method as the gold chrome used for guy-man daft punk helmets

 

SkunkonToast

New Member

• Aug 9, 2014

• #5

If you find gold plating a little costly another route would be to get it chrome plated (if the Axe head is made of metal) and then a gold tinted lacquer can be sprayed over the chrome. This is the way a lot of old gold furniture was coloured. Chrome is fairly cheap to get done.

 

ARKM

Sr Member

• Aug 9, 2014

• #6

Transparent gold powder coat looks extremely good on highly polished metals and is very durable. It would look great on chrome so if you get it chrome plated first, there's an idea for you.