Can You Gold Plate the Hardware on a Bag?

[just_me]

I will test it out first Luna.. thanks for the advice! =D

Elegance: Do you really think car spray would be better?? Do you know of a good brand.. I don't want it to look too much of that old brassy colour you usually get from spraying.. a nice gold.

Any suggestions?

 

[Luna]

I would try going to a hobby shop that sells paints and things that are used to spray model cars, etc.

There's one near my boyfriends house... it's a real Mom and Pop type of place.

 

[just_me]

lol... looks like I really need to test out a lot of sprays to get it right. Sounds a bit boring, but I'm willing to do it..

Luna you seem to know a lot about bags.. what's your opinion? How will it look like? Tell me if you honsetly think it's going to look like s**t!

 

[just_me]

Is this one gold?

It says it sprays on metal..

http://www.heritage-homeandgarden.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=2653

 

[jujulabee]

I'm afraid that airbrushing gold paint over your silver hardware will just end up in you having chipping paint after a while.

I really really really reccommend you don't do this. At least not on a bag you care about.

Why don't you take yourself to Lowes, or a home improvement store, pick up a steel ring, spraypaint it with something and see how you like it first.

But I really think the spraypaing thing won't work... your best bet is to take the bag to a professional and have the hardware replaced to gold hardware.

I would agree with Luna as the end product is not going to be something you are going to be happy with -- and it won't be durable.

If the bag is worth money, sell it on EBAY and buy another bag that you like more because I honestly can't see how a bag with a flaking paint job is going to be something that you are going to be happy with.

If the bag isn't worth money, cut your losses and buy another bag you like better.

I have never done this to a bag but I have altered clothing when I lost a lot of weight weight -- and all of the stuff just turned out to be "wrong" and I wound up never using it. I should have just donated the clothing to charity and saved the tailor fees.

 

[just_me]

well.. sometimes is not about the money.. if I want a new bag i'd buy it.

Yes this bag is worth a lot of money only a certain number of bags were made, it's a limited edition fendi.. and it was given to me by a special friend, so I have a lot of connection with the bag, I love it so much i just really wish the hardware was gold.

 

[fourboltmain]

The thread title got my attention. I used to do custom paint on cars. Car paint woun't work, because it'll eventually wear off, just because of the nature of hardware. It'll always be rubbing on something. The only option worth doing is the electroplating, and you'll have to take your hardware off and take it/ship it to a metal shop for work.

http://www.artisanplating.com/

EDIT: Even gold plate wears off too. Gold is a soft metal, you'd be better off brassing it.

 

[jujulabee]

well.. sometimes is not about the money.. if I want a new bag i'd buy it.

Yes this bag is worth a lot of money only a certain number of bags were made, it's a limited edition fendi.. and it was given to me by a special friend, so I have a lot of connection with the bag, I love it so much i just really wish the hardware was gold.

In that case you really don't want to mess around with spray painting the hardware because you will want up with a bag that looks like crap.

Take it to an electroplating company AND a good shoemaker to find out if the hardware can be removed and replaced. That is the ONLY possible option that won't leave you with a sad looking purse -- and as another poster pointed out, eventually the hardware plate might come off -- but that's a different issue.

 

[just_me]

If I have it sprayed I don't really care about chippinhg as it can easy be sprayed on again.

So a shoemaker is where I could ask to have the hardware removed? And then do a brassy gold.. it does sound mch better.

fourboltmain thanks so much for very valid ponts.. i might do it in a brassy gold..


I much rather have this bag, and make it into my absolute dream bag than just selling it.

 

[Luna]

It might take a lot of work, but if the shoemaker or whoever you take it to can do it... definitely the electroplating process is the best way to go... Can we get a picture of the bag in question? I'm so curious. lol..

honestly, spraypay wont' give you a good shine... you'll probably end up with something dull that "kind of looks like gold hardware".. yes, spraying it will make it look like crap to be honest.

Removing hardware is possible... (but it's not easy)... I've had to take a few bags apart that I've made... removing rivets is NOT fun... and removing stitches and replacing them is even harder, but it's do-able... for a price, ya know?

 

[Luna]

and if you show me a pic of this bag.. I might be able to tell you how hard of a job it would be.

 

[just_me]

I don't have a picture but tried to look after one on the net.. it has a closure.. hard to explain.

Thanks for all the advice.. I'll see this weekend what can/can't be done.

So if I am to have it gold plated.. I have had rings done before.. the color fades.. is a brassy color the best way to go?

 

[mellowdrama]

Electroplating involves dipping the metal to be plated in an acid bath with an electric charge being conducted through it. It's usually HCl--hydrochloric acid--and it would eat the hell out of the leather.

Howabout gold leaf? I gold leafed my ears once, and it was smashing. No acid bath to deal with at all...

 

[just_me]

Really?? It would eat the leather?? 8* Are you serious.. even if I take the hardware off have it gold plated and put it back? Can you please explain what you mean?

ANd what is gold leaf? I'm sorry.. I don't know.. thanks for your advice babe!

 

[mellowdrama]

Oh, it'll be fine if you take the hardware off first--not if you dunk the whole purse. Gold leaf is really flat, microns thin, sheets of gold--you use it with glue and a top sealer--you'd find it in good art supply stores. Bits of it are in Goldschlager schnapps and in some J'adore perfume I've seen. Also on cakes and chocolates and woodworking and intaglio prints...and ears.

 

[Meg]

^
thats why i think it may be worth it to see if you can find some theatre people in the west end. They may have other ideas or else understand how to use specific paints to get what you want since they will be used to that sort of thing. Not that it's as good as the electroplating but it might be interesting to see if they can suggest something

 

[just_me]

thanks sooo much for your advice, I will go to the West End like you said Meg and see what can be done.. hopefully they won't laugh at me..

you have all been so sweet many good ideas.

 

[just_me]

So.. one question ahgain, lol: If I get the hardware electroplated what is the best colour to describe the colour I want as??

Like I said I have gold plated rings, and they looked silver again after a couple of months..

What to do? Someone said to get a more brassy colour because gold will fade, does everyone agree?

I really want gold.

 

[mellowdrama]

^Gold plate rubs off, gold is soft--you could have it plated really thickly ($$$) or see if there's some sort of alloy/brass that would still be gold in color but more durable than actual gold. I dunno all the fine points of professional electroplating, but research elsewhere, and I'm sure there'll be a solution!

 

[just_me]

Thanks mellowdrama.. you have been very helpful in what I'm going to ask for! =D