Black Chrome

[Sojourner]

I'm trying to convince my favorite chrome shop in Bangkok to install the means to do black chrome. It's popular in most Western countries but no one seems to be doing it here in LOS. If I can submit this poll to the owner, he might be interested. For more info on black chrome, Google "black chrome" or Google Images then "black chrome". Thanks TV members.

[Eazy-Going]

Careful, you'll get the crowd waving the 'racist' card in front of you face... on a serious note, black chrome should be a winner in the dusty North!

[Kalyan]

I'm into goth fashion and black chrome seems like my cup of tea

[Zzinged]

The poll is a bit flawed...

What if we wanted to answer 'Yes if it's not too expensive' or 'No, we're afraid the quality might be bad'?

[vision]

Good point but I sure would like to have the option.

[soundman]

Don't see why it should be much more expensive than regular chrome.

Isn't it just the addition of acetic acid to the chromium solution?

[GAS]

It seems like a few years ago in the States it was getting popular but as of late I have not heard much about it...I personally like it!

[Sojourner]

The poll is a bit flawed...

What if we wanted to answer 'Yes if it's not too expensive' or 'No, we're afraid the quality might be bad'?

Hi Zzinged, your points are well taken. I don't know much about the process 'cause I'm not in the business. I'm just a chrome wh**e looking for something different. From what I read, the shops in the States generally charge 40% more for black chrome than bright chrome. Don't know why. The shop I use in BKK has never disappointed me with their work. Other shops I used in Chiang Mai and Korat produced results that started failing a few months down the road so quality is paramount to me even if it costs a little more. What I guess I'm trying to say is this shop isn't cheap by Thai standards but at the end of the day the work is excellent. If he thinks there's a market for black chrome here, he may just do it. Thanks everyone for your responses.

[ttakata]

I used to develop car and bike parts last year and real black chrome formulation just looks like a satin black paint.

When you think about "black chrome" as marketing BS because its shiny like chrome but colored very dark; that's actually black nickel plating.

Black nickel plating can get scratched by a tissue paper, it's really only for showbikes that absolutely nothing touches.

The chrome platers I worked with had no solution.

They told me shiny dark nickel plating scratches, and real black chrome just looks like black paint but its tough as chrome.

When I see car wheels listed as black chrome, I'm imagining its black nickel plated with a very precise robotically controlled clearcoat over it.

Or maybe its just nickel plated and the wheels are meant for shows only.

I could be wrong but that's what I was told by plating companies.

Do some research but here's one link

http://www.natmetal.com/chrome.htm

[seedy]

In North America companies like Jet Hot Coatings do a 'black chrome' but it is a ceramic-type coating, applied like powder coating and then baked. Very tough stuff, hard wearing, shines like chrome. Pricey tho' . Chrome plating is a 3 part process - hence the term triple chrome plating. Preparation is the key if you want it to last. After polishing, it is plated first with copper, then nickel, then chromium. In the old days they did not use the last step - and you have nickel plated. This is a nice finish too - has a blue tint to it.