Many people decide to gold plate guns to add value to their weapons. There will be two primary purposes: to improve aesthetics and limit metal corrosion.
Outsourcing firearm upgrades usually require a relatively high budget, but you can also do it at home if you have the suitable materials.
Here is a guide on how to gold plate a gun with the lowest cost.
Scroll down to follow each step in its entirety!
Tools & Materials To Prepare
You probably think of the complicated stages when you hear the plating technique. However, it won’t be so challenging to get started.
You only need to prepare a few items as follows:
- Gun
- Bandage
- Adhesives
- Drawing pen
- Fabric
- Soap water
- Sealant
- Gold leaf or paint
- Plated knife.
How To Gold Plate A Gun? Steps To Follow
Before diving into each step, you should start by cleaning the entire gun, especially the weapon case.
Clean the gun shell
This step not only cleans the weapon shell but also helps us maintain the gun for a longer time. The removal of dirt will help the gilding effect be much better.
- Step 1: Disassemble the ammo to clean the weapon, and use a screwdriver to open and close the latches
- Step 2: Use a cloth to clean the dirt. You should not use cleaning solutions because of their easy abrasiveness to the metal. If a liquid is required, grease the gun stock thoroughly and wipe it off with a soft cloth.
- Step 3: For the area of the barrel to the nib, use a soft cloth to wipe away any remaining oil stains. Repeat this work on the entire weapon. Make sure there is no excess oil before reassembly.
Step by step to follow
- Step 1: Disassemble the gun parts. It makes the gilding process easier.
- Step 2: Use a pen to mark the parts you want to inlaid with gold carefully.
- Step 3: Use a brush to cover each part with a layer of gold leaf glue. Spread the glue evenly to avoid forming floating areas.
- Step 4: After the glue has dried, the adhesive layer will become clean. At this point, you can apply a layer of glue for extra reinforcement.
Take a little mineral oil for the leaf and coat the back of your hand. Then touch the cotton pad to the jelly to prompt the leaf to move.
- Step 5: Put the leaf on the surface of the weapon. Use a brush with soft bristles to smooth.
- Step 6: Repeat the process 2-3 times to completely cover the surface to coat it with gold.
The weapon gilding method has two ways: Brush plating and bath plating. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages. Let’s find out what those are.
Brush Plating
Pros
- Low cost
- Fit almost all guns
- It is possible to build individual parts.
Cons
- It takes quite a while to make
- Quite challenging to work evenly.
- No control over the thickness and working technique
Bath Plating
Pros
- Easy to do evenly
- Allow multiple dips to adjust the thickness as desired.
- Uniform coating on all parts
Cons
- High price
- No individual execution on each part is allowed.
- Restrictions on specific weapon sizes.
Should I Gold Plate A Gun?
The simple answer is yes. The first is that it makes the outer finish smoother.
People often pay attention to items with beautiful colors and high highlights. Plated handguns are also among them.
Moreover, it helps the weapon resist metal wear. This material often appears rusty in humid conditions.
The outer layer of plating provides aesthetics and serves as a method of longevity protection during use.
This approach limits the influence of the external environment. The phenomena of wear and tear over time and scratches will no longer be your concern.
What Is The Average Price For A Gold-Plated Gun?
It would help if you depended on many factors to decide the cost of plating. It can be the gold material or the size you want to refresh.
Prices will range from $50 – $200 depending on the size and detail you want to customize. The plating is a method of beautifying the weapon.
However, it is not a complete replacement for device preservation.
The plating layer can wear down over time, so regular cleaning and maintenance are still essential if you want your gun to last even longer.
Could Any Metal Available for Gold Plating?
Almost any metal is available for coating. However, brass and copper are the metals most often covered with gold.
The plating process is simple because you need to clean and cover the layers until they are spread and fit snugly. Its benefits help increase the product’s aesthetics and resist environmental corrosion.
FAQs
How durable is gold plating on a gun?
As mentioned, the plating on a weapon is also a method of protection over time.
Its durability can be up to many decades under ideal storage conditions. Many gun lovers also choose this way to beautify their weapons.
How much does a gold-plated AK 47 cost?
Depending on the gun-type or the work scale, the plating price differs.
For AK 47, this number can range from $200-2000. However, this is only our estimate, which may be higher or lower depending on the location and period.
Who makes Draco AK?
The Draco is a pistol form, which is quite similar to a short-barreled automatic rifle without a collar. Draco AK was founded by the Cugir family of Romania and was imported and sold in the United States in 2007.
Can you chrome a weapon?
The answer is yes, but the process is quite complicated. Similar to gold plating, to coat the weapon body with chromium, you need to soak it in an electroplating bath and cover the surface with chromium through similar steps.
Conclusion
This article has helped you understand how to gold plate a gun at the lowest price. Please read the above step-by-step instructions carefully and follow them to complete this task quickly.
Feel free to contact us if you have any other questions. Thank you for reading!
Last Updated on October 28, 2023 by
