Searching for a particular finish on steel

[Budge]

Hi
I am trying to replicate a particular metal finish that was on my old 1960/ 1970s Citroen. It's some find of plating. It looks dull silver/ grey and has a very uniform finish. It's not paint. It's some kind of plating. It's not BZP, it's quite dull. Maybe it's zinc plated but the treated in some other way to passivate it?? Or not passivated? Any ideas on how I could get this finish on steel please? It's on the cage around the battery. Here are a couple of examples, plus one re-coated in BZP - just to show that it's not the same thing:

 

[tom2207]

looks like Zintec

Zintec is basically elecro plated steel , zinc coated , think cold galv that works , if I was going that far Id probably cadmium plate it instead , but then it would be gold , but it fades.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Are you sure it's not just aged?
Any new parts available cheap enough just to order one up to compare?

 

[Budge]

Thanks for both replies so far. I did wonder if it had just aged, but it's very even and there is no difference in colour inside the overlaps of the sheets for example. The finish is very even and looks to be deliberate. I've also got a couple of greasy parts on the axle with the same finish and under the grease they look like the battery tray.

Zintec: I will have to Google that. And it's different to electro plating to get a BZP finish?

 

[Misterg]

Not Sheradising, is it? (I don't know if it would have been used on something that big - I've only seen it on small-ish parts.)

 

[Budge]

Thanks Misterg - that's going to be another Google job!

 

[badabec]

A four inch square of 0.8mm zintec will cost you 99p to try it

Zintec Coated Mild Steel Sheet - DIY, MIG, TIG, Car Repairs, Welding etc | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Zintec Coated Mild Steel Sheet - DIY, MIG, TIG, Car Repairs, Welding etc at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Budge]

Thanks Peter. I've bought steel sheet for various welding projects. If that's zintec coated already then, while I'm not sure it's exactly the same as the battery cage (on which the finish looks light grey rather than silver), it's a batter match than BZP.

 

[RWD3M]

I'm fairly sure that's Zintec, I've used sheets and sheets of it over the years. No idea if it's still available though

Edit: Looks like it is!

Zintec Steel Sheet · Prices from £3.06 · 10% Off All £100+ Orders

Buy Zintec Steel Sheet from Buy Metal Online. Best Price Guarantee. We stock Zintec sheet from 0.7mm to 3mm in thickness, and up to 3000mm x 1500mm in size, Free Cutting Service available. 10% Off all £100+ Orders, or 5% Off your first order.

www.buymetalonline.co.uk

 

[Budge]

Thanks RWD3M. Another vote for Zintec. I guess the options I have are to find someone that can re-coat my parts with a with zintec finish, or buy zintec sheet and ask someone to remake the parts!

 

[Dee J]

Worth checking out the Caswell plating website for info about finishes.

 

[Ross365]

My first thought too was cadmium. It used to be used on all kinds of stuff and the metal itself is safe, but the plating solutions are toxic as are any salts that form when it gets corroded. Hence, I don't it is still in common useage, and maybe only crops up now when the military needs something special.

 

[RWD3M]

My first thought too was cadmium. It used to be used on all kinds of stuff and the metal itself is safe, but the plating solutions are toxic as are any salts that form when it gets corroded. Hence, I don't it is still in common useage, and maybe only crops up now when the military needs something special.

You're quite right, pretty much banned everywhere these days. That said, high strength aerospace steels (300M for example) are still plated with it for corrosion protection (ask me how I know!).

 

[Budge]

I will ask my local plater about cadmium but i know it's not widely used at all.

Question for anyone that might know: 'Zintec' finish seems close(r) to the original as it has a dull, uniform finish. But from a quick Google, zintec is an electro-plating finish and seems to be applied as the steel sheet is rolled. Can it even be applied retrospectively on shaped parts? If so, how/ why does it come out different to a 'BZP' finish? (see photos at the start of this thread)

 

[Budge]

Thanks for the suggestions. My plan has hit a snag! I swung by my local platers this afternoon - to test some of the thoughts from here - and it's closed down! It's a real shame. I used it laye last autumn and they did great work at a great price.

I'm still interested in any other ideas of how to get the finish I'm after, but it looks as though I will have to be prepared to go further a field to get it.

 

[optima21]

Im thinking it'll be zintec the part will be pressed to make it, and the rusty top edge of the panel would indicate it was made from coated sheet steel, rather than being plated after the part was made.

 

[Budge]

Thanks Optima21.I had mine zinc plated a few years ago. It came out like the BZP one in my earlier photo - though not as even. I may try and blast it with baking soda to take some of the shine off - but hopefully without stripping the plating. Or maybe just good old wet and dry.

 

[Misterg]

I may try and blast it with baking soda to take some of the shine off - but hopefully without stripping the plating. Or maybe just good old wet and dry.

If you're into experimentation, try wiping it with something acidic to take the shine off (vinegar -> citric acid -> brick cleaner).

Give it a good rinse when you've finished.

 

[Blue Chips]

My first thought too was cadmium. It used to be used on all kinds of stuff and the metal itself is safe, but the plating solutions are toxic as are any salts that form when it gets corroded. Hence, I don't it is still in common useage, and maybe only crops up now when the military needs something special.

I think there are still some shops over here that provide cadmium plating services.

Here is a photo of a WWII Jeep carburetor that I restored for someone about ten years ago. Some of the linkage parts were re-plated with cadmium, giving them sort of a satin-silver finish. If I recall, these parts were Type I cadmium plated, with no supplementary treatment. Type II cadmium plating would have a supplementary chromate treatment (clear, gold, or olive drab finish), and Type III would have a supplementary phosphate treatment.

 

[Windy Miller]

When I was an apprentice at Chatham Dockyard, we sent things off for Cad & Pass plating - Cadmium & Passivate. The Pass was supposed to neutralise the harmful effects of the Cad. Or so we were told. Still came out a sort of golden colour, but sometimes with a pretty rainbow hue.

Not much help here I know but I thought I’d waffle on for a bit!