Understanding Surface Finishes
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It's common for me to be asked for "Chrome Stainless Steel" when referring to the mirrored appearance of stainless steel, and this can cause some confusion — especially on our website when you're asked to select the type of finish.
Let me clarify this in a concise, simple, objective way, without going into too many technical details, so you can understand at least superficially the difference between the main types of surface finishes you'll find on parts for musical instruments.
First, the result of a surface finish depends on the surface of the raw part. Most of these finishes have a low micron (thickness) and effectively "copy" the surface of the part — a smooth part will be shinier than a brushed or satin one.
Metallization
Consists of the electrochemical deposition of copper, nickel, and chromium. It provides a mirrored appearance to the part and, since it works on plastics as well, it's commonly used on tuning machines and metal parts that require different colors such as gold and black (Onyx). It is the predominant type of finish on gold-plated parts for instruments.
- Mechanical Resistance: Low
- Aesthetic Resistance: Medium
Nickel
A galvanic immersion process that applies a layer of nickel to the surface of the part. More commonly used on metal parts. Its natural appearance is a slightly yellowish mirror. "Cosmo Black" is a name given by a traditional international company when nickel is done in a dark color — it's also commonly called Black Nickel.
- Mechanical Resistance: Low
- Aesthetic Resistance: Medium (Finish not offered by Ramme — included here for instructional purposes.)
Chromium
Same process as nickel, but a thin layer of chromium is added on top. Its natural appearance is a more intense, slightly bluish mirror. Used on bridges and various plates such as control, neck, and jack.
- Mechanical Resistance: Low
- Aesthetic Resistance: Medium (Finish not offered by Ramme — included here for instructional purposes.)
Gold Stainless Steel
An atomic sublimation process performed in a vacuum chamber, applied to high-performance stainless steel parts. It's a complex process but extremely efficient — and on parts for musical instruments, it's exclusive to Ramme Custom Hardware. Worth noting: the resulting golden hue is darker than the traditional metallization gold used on most instrument parts. You can see the difference on the R1-E bridge in Stainless Steel Gold.
- Mechanical Resistance: High
- Aesthetic Resistance: Very High
Gold Plating
Application of a thin layer of 24k gold over stainless steel, on the polished or brushed part. This promotes a true gold color and adds enormous aesthetic value to the part.
- Mechanical Resistance: Medium
- Aesthetic Resistance: High
Black Stainless Steel (DLC)
This result is achieved through a process called DLC — Diamond-Like Carbon. It's a thin film of carbon with physical and chemical characteristics similar to diamond. The inherent characteristics of DLC are: high hardness, low coefficient of friction, and resistance to chemical corrosion. On parts for musical instruments, this is another finish you'll find across Ramme's stainless steel bridges and hardware.
- Mechanical Resistance: Very High
- Aesthetic Resistance: Very High
Brushed Stainless Steel
This is stainless steel in its natural state, brushed with sandpaper to achieve a slightly scratched visual aspect that's uniform and with parallel scratches.
- Mechanical Resistance: High
- Aesthetic Resistance: High
Polished Stainless Steel
The mirrored result is obtained by gradually varying the sanding until a polishing cloth is reached, achieving the shine of the raw material itself. This is the standard finish you'll see across most of the bridges collection.
- Mechanical Resistance: High
- Aesthetic Resistance: High
The mechanical resistance described here refers to parts that may undergo some type of light to moderate friction. Keep in mind that no surface finish, for this specific use, can withstand severe actions.
Aesthetic resistance refers to normal use, without excessive mechanical factors.
An important observation: there is no eternal surface treatment. Some last longer and others less. This does not mean one is good and the other is bad. Each one has an application and is used according to the need and possibility.
A raw, polished, or brushed part can be scratched, a metallized one can fade, and nickel- or chrome-plated parts can peel or rust.
All this depends on the environment the part is exposed to, the care taken when handling it, constant maintenance, cleaning, and not using products inappropriate for each type of material and/or finish.