Posted by Easy... on June 26, 2003 at 19:37:25:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Weight difference/plating posted by If that's the case-- on June 26, 2003 at 19:21:58:
Several reasons:
1) Prep for modern (not the old stuff; they laid it on thick in the old days) silverplate is more laborious--any imperfection in the prep will show right through. The horn must be absolutely clean before being plated.
2) Silver plating uses chemicals on the hazmat list--the active ingredient in a silver plating bath is silver cyanide. That means that the disposal and storage of the solutions and chemicals is regulated, not to mention darned dangerous.
3) Some manufacturers plate a "strik� coat" of copper under the brass. This is yet another step that must be done correctly.
4) If you fluff a lacquer job, you just strip the horn, buff and clean and start all over again. Fixing a bad plating job is a LOT more difficult.