Cleaning Vibroplex of Coal/Fire soot?

[AC5UP]

You'll probably get better advice from a web search, but if I had to guess the most likely method for removing the old plating will be to sand it out with a fine emory wet / dry or crocus cloth. That should get you down to base metal without too much perspiration. If you have a bench grinder that can be fitted with a cloth buffing wheel that's a good second step. Remember that plating will not fill scratches like paint and anything less than a smooth base surface will show through.

BTW:  It's not unusual to plate copper to steel then nickel or chrome to the copper. Apparently copper bonds nicely to steel and most metals bond well to copper.

If you opt to paint you want a lightly scratched metal surface. Use a sanding primer as the base coat, level it out with 400 or 600 grit wet paper, prime it again if it's less than perfectly smooth, then rough the surface slightly and apply your color coat. Avoid hammertone green. This is the same process used by paint & body shops so it's easy to research on the web.

[G3RZP]

If the plating is nickel, and it's been in a fire, then it could well be one of the nickel sulphides.
My old chemistry text says that is black and practically insoluble in hydrochloric acid, but is slightly soluble in ammonium sulphide solution. You may be able to get some results from a strong solution of ammonia.

[K3STX]

I think I managed to get this 1963 Champion as clean as I can without re-chroming it. Pretty amazing transformation, but still not what I would call a nice key. Something REALLY BAD happened to the key. I am surprised, most of the chrome plate DID survive after all. See it here, click on my "My Morse Code Keys" link at the top of my homepage www.k3stx.com

paul

[N4NYY]

If the plating is nickel, and it's been in a fire, then it could well be one of the nickel sulphides.
My old chemistry text says that is black and practically insoluble in hydrochloric acid, but is slightly soluble in ammonium sulphide solution. You may be able to get some results from a strong solution of ammonia.

Would the heat have compromised more than just the plating?

[KE3WD]

The underlying steel would need around 3500 deg F before that would be an issue...

[N4NYY]

The underlying steel would need around 3500 deg F before that would be an issue...

Is that all it was made of? Are the springs or other parts? Besides we really do not know where the hell the thing got charred.

[KE3WD]

I've only owned and used maybe 4 or 5 Vibroplex bugs and that was a long while back, but most of the parts were steel on mine.  With either nickel (older models) or chrome plating on the shiny parts.  Mine had spring steel springs. 


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