removing gold plating from a kilt pin...

[Scott Gilmore]

Does anyone know if gold plating can be removed from an object?

Todd, if you don't get a good firm answer by this weekend I can check with my brother who is a goldsmith.

The first thing that came to mind was bead blasting. Depends on how delicate the casting is of course, but with a nice gentle media like crushed walnut shells or similar you'd be amazed at just how much control you have of the amount of surface material removed.

I'll watch this thread. If someone doesn't have a better suggestion, I'll get back to you on Sunday.
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[macwilkin]

Scott & everyone else who has responded -- many thanks for your ideas. Scott, I am particularly interested to see what your brother has to say.

It sounds like it may be more trouble than it is worth, especially if it damages the pewter.

Again, thanks!

Todd

[Abax]

Instead of removing the gold plating and running the risk of damaging the object, consider plating the object with the desired finish. A jeweler should be able to plate over the existing surface of the pin in a variety of metals: Silver plating could be used or tin could also be used to simulate the look of pewter.

I don't know how plating with alloys like pewter would work. Maybe someone knows, but I'd guess the alloy constituents might be separated by the plating process (or that some constituents wouldn't transfer at all from an anode to the pin).

Using your object as the anode could be used to reverse-plate it, where the pin is the sacrificial anode. Some metals though, including gold, are usually dissolved in the electrolyte rather than driven from an anode to the cathode. So I think removing the gold plating electrically might be more difficult than plating over it.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Abax

[KiltedKnight]

Try looking for a janitorial supply. They have a great cleaner that works very well for cleaning chrome but if left on too long the cleaner will remove the chrome, I don't remember what it's called but call the janitorial supply and explain the situation and I'm sure they'll know what it is. It seems to me that it might work for a gold plate as well.

Chris.