by geoff1711 » Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:26 pm
with old style electro plating copper was often used as a base and then the intended finish plated on top of that, gold is soft and wears quite easily and so could allow sweat to reach the copper beneath which would go green.
More modern techniques employ electrostatic resins and dyes and so it's a one shot process, not least because, after plating products are no longer electro conductive, and whilst there are some good gold colours they aren't gold, whereas, on proper electro plating they are but much softer.
I had some pressed steel Fender saddles gold coloured Albrafin'd about 15 years ago and it still looks like it did when I'd had it done, gold on the other hand would have worn through on high spots by now.
all the best
Geoff