Posted by Chuck(G) on August 06, 2001 at 09:59:52:
In Reply to: Silver/Laquer...some different questions posted by Ian Easton on August 06, 2001 at 09:06:35:
Silverplating has little to do with the strength of an instrument, as instruments are plated after assembly, not before. So the joints are still soldered brass-to-brass.
Current practice deposits only a few microns of silver at any rate. While there may be a measurable difference in weight between a instrument finished in silverplate and one finished in lacquer, it would be hard to ascribe said difference to the finishing method. The differences in the amount of solder used to assemble the instrument, the amount of metal removed during buffing and a host of other minor processes could easily swamp any finishing difference out.
Given the thinness of the plating, I would expect that there would be no difference in the dent-ability of an instrument in silver and one in lacquer.