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What to do with that old nickel hardware?

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I am not a collector. I just happen to have an old Slingerland set 1955. The bass and toms all have chrome hardware. However, the snare has all nickel hardware as do the stands. Over the years the nickel has grown increasingly yellowed and in some cases get rusted. The snare mechanism looks so bad you would have thought it came from a junk yard. The lugs easily rust.

Question: To restore this snare, what do I do about the awful looking nickel. I can have the nickel chromed but if I have the nickel chromed, do I decrease the collectable value?

Thank you in advance for any replies.

Posted on 18 years ago
#1
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I moved it to the restoration section so don't get confused!

I'm one of those organized people that likes to keep things in order

so don't be shocked when I move things around!

Here is a lengthy article I did on restoration attached to the main web site. Click Here

Fortunately nickel is pretty unforgiving when it comes to rust depending on how advanced the rust has taken hold of the metal.

The nickel should clean up really well if it is not damaged, it will just take some time and probably 2 or 3 buffings with metal polish by hand to get it back to looking excellent. (unless it has an issue) Excellent nickel will shine like chrome, but never as nice.

I personally would just leave the drum in nickel and not re-chrome the hardware. If it really bothers you then find a drum with chrome hardware and swap out the parts, but keep the nickel hardware on hand.

Here is a Slingerland snare that was all nickel and it looked excellent when it was done. (not as bad to start with though, but still took two hand polishings)

It is a time process and that is the only thing. If you do decide to re-chrome it would be based on the value of the drum itself and if it is historically worth keeping original. More then likely your drum is not a high ticket snare (based on condition stated) so in the end if you do not want to try the cleaning method then re-chrome if you know someone that is not to expensive.

Let's see a picture of it, So we know what it is!

David

Posted on 18 years ago
#2
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Hi David, thanks for the post. Appreciate your input.

I found your picture and to help others, this drum pictured in the thread below and in the thumbnail below is identical to my snare. Everything matches except for the finish. See your excellent post number 291 located within the following link.

http://www.vintagesnaredrums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=357

My snare is identical in every way except for the finish. David, do you have any info on that particular stick buster model. Your pic also shows the hardware as nickel and not chrome. How could the Sling people have put nickel in with a set with chrome is beyond me. Not only that, they put the old stick buster rims in with the newer curled stick saver rims.

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Posted on 18 years ago
#3
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Not to be too technical and I never want to sound "Correcting", but the more common term is "Stick Chopper". the other rims can be called "Stick Savers"

It makes sense, and I'm sure there are other names for them. It can also sound like an Olympic Swim Meet.

Single Flanged, Double Flanged, Half Pike, Inverted Flange Inner... Just kidding...

Correct that, the hoops on that drum are single flange and were on the Student Drums. The Stick Choppers were much more aggressive in regards to thickness and not single flange.

This is not my best topic and it would make a great article for the web site. A picture of all of the rim types and what they are.

Well, I know the perfect person to help with it and he might chime in on this post.

Cleaning

David

In regards to the Nickel and Chrome, it could be a variety of things.

1. Slingerland just did it. (Nothing is suprising with Slingerland)

2. The original owner bought the set and then decided he wanted that snare and did not care.

3. They somehow came together at a different time.

4. They could have been in a music store as a set and the store added the snare per the customer request

Posted on 18 years ago
#4
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