Nickel plate holster damage?

rmocarsky · May 15, 2013, 03:04 AM

Gunners:

Can the nickel plating on a handgun be damaged by daily holstering/reholstering any more than blueing?

Rmocarsky

kcub · May 15, 2013, 04:06 AM

Related question: if you have a blued gun cleaned with Hoppe's and use it in the same holster as a nickel gun, can the Hoppe's that gets into the holster take off the nickel finish?

Bill DeShivs · May 15, 2013, 12:32 PM

The answer to both questions is "no."
Nickel plating is much more durable than bluing, but it will still wear-just not as quickly.
Any solvent used to clean a gun should be thoroughly removed before putting the gun in a holster. Regardless, there should be no problem.

BigJimP · May 15, 2013, 01:24 PM

Just like the quality and durability of a "blued" finish varies from mfg to mfg...and has varied over time / the same is true of "Nickel" finishes in my opinion....

But I find ( on my older S&W revolvers as an example ) that I have way less holster wear on my Nickel guns than I do on any of my blued guns --- S&W model 19's, 27's and 29's where I have both blued and nickel versions of the same gun / and I use them in and out of the same holster ( Kramer horsehide leather) - and thru the years, I've probably shot the nickel versions a lot more than the blued versions / so way more in and out of the holster on the Nickel guns.

RJay · May 15, 2013, 01:58 PM

There is only one proven way to prevent finish wear on a firearm. Leave it in the box and never take it out. That is why very rare and unique firearms are kept in display cases. Not being snarky, there is just no way to prevent a firearms finish from wearing if it is used.

carguychris · May 15, 2013, 01:59 PM

The modern formulation of Hoppe's will not strip nickel unless you absolutely soak the gun in the stuff and then wait a LONG time.

IMHO you should not worry about trace amount of Hoppe's that may have been absorbed in a holster.

RickB · May 15, 2013, 04:28 PM

And don't STORE your gun, blue or nickel, in a leather holster.

Fire_Moose · May 15, 2013, 08:42 PM

Oh ya? That's good to know.

My nickle gun has a few polished shiney areas from many holsterings and drawings from a plastic fobus holster. No damage yet tho.

**Mike Irwin** · May 16, 2013, 07:09 AM

Old-style nickel plating, which was adhered to a layer of copper plate, was a lot more suceptible to this, especially if the solvent in question could remove copper fouling.

Modern electroless nickel plating dispenses with the need for a copper layer, so it is a LOT more durable from that standpoint.

kcub · May 16, 2013, 07:36 AM

I know a guy who stripped the nickel off his benelli auto shotgun action with hoppe's. I also saw a ruined enickel python that had some hoppe's slopped on it at one time.

Bill DeShivs · May 16, 2013, 01:57 PM

Nickel is difficult to strip with a real, dedicated nickel stripper. I can't see Hoppe's doing it. Most manufacturers did not use a copper undercoat on their nickeled pistols. It is not necessary. A copper underplate is usually done in "bumper chrome" plating shops.

**Mike Irwin** · May 16, 2013, 03:42 PM

As I said, Bill, old style, as in 100 or so years ago.

It was apparently done that way because it was faster and easier to plate the steel with copper, and then the copper with nickel.

As the technology progressed, copper underplating was slowly dropped.

That said, solvents, including Hoppes, have been known to attack nickel plating for decades.

It is not, however, a quick process, nor will it strip an entire gun quickly and surely.

myusername · May 17, 2013, 01:09 AM

I carry a nickel plated LC9 as a back up for the past year. It still looks OK, but I'm sure eventually it will wear.

May 15, 2013, 03:04 AM	#1
rmocarsky Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2009 Posts: 406	Nickel plate holster damage? Gunners: Can the nickel plating on a handgun be damaged by daily holstering/reholstering any more than blueing? Rmocarsky

May 15, 2013, 12:32 PM	#3
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,985	The answer to both questions is "no." Nickel plating is much more durable than bluing, but it will still wear-just not as quickly. Any solvent used to clean a gun should be thoroughly removed before putting the gun in a holster. Regardless, there should be no problem. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

May 15, 2013, 01:58 PM	#5
RJay Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,936	There is only one proven way to prevent finish wear on a firearm. Leave it in the box and never take it out. That is why very rare and unique firearms are kept in display cases. Not being snarky, there is just no way to prevent a firearms finish from wearing if it is used. __________________ Ron James

May 15, 2013, 01:59 PM	#6
carguychris Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2007 Location: Richardson, TX Posts: 7,523	The modern formulation of Hoppe's will not strip nickel unless you absolutely soak the gun in the stuff and then wait a LONG time. IMHO you should not worry about trace amount of Hoppe's that may have been absorbed in a holster. __________________ "Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules... MARK IT ZERO!!" - Walter Sobchak

May 15, 2013, 08:42 PM	#8
Fire_Moose Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2013 Posts: 211	Re: Nickel plate holster damage? Oh ya? That's good to know. My nickle gun has a few polished shiney areas from many holsterings and drawings from a plastic fobus holster. No damage yet tho.

May 15, 2013, 04:06 AM	#2
kcub Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2010 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 3,318	Related question: if you have a blued gun cleaned with Hoppe's and use it in the same holster as a nickel gun, can the Hoppe's that gets into the holster take off the nickel finish?

May 15, 2013, 01:24 PM	#4
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Just like the quality and durability of a "blued" finish varies from mfg to mfg...and has varied over time / the same is true of "Nickel" finishes in my opinion.... But I find ( on my older S&W revolvers as an example ) that I have way less holster wear on my Nickel guns than I do on any of my blued guns --- S&W model 19's, 27's and 29's where I have both blued and nickel versions of the same gun / and I use them in and out of the same holster ( Kramer horsehide leather) - and thru the years, I've probably shot the nickel versions a lot more than the blued versions / so way more in and out of the holster on the Nickel guns.

May 15, 2013, 04:28 PM	#7
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	And don't STORE your gun, blue or nickel, in a leather holster.

May 16, 2013, 07:09 AM	#9
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	Old-style nickel plating, which was adhered to a layer of copper plate, was a lot more suceptible to this, especially if the solvent in question could remove copper fouling. Modern electroless nickel plating dispenses with the need for a copper layer, so it is a LOT more durable from that standpoint. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

May 16, 2013, 07:36 AM	#10
kcub Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2010 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 3,318	I know a guy who stripped the nickel off his benelli auto shotgun action with hoppe's. I also saw a ruined enickel python that had some hoppe's slopped on it at one time.

May 16, 2013, 01:57 PM	#11
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,985	Nickel is difficult to strip with a real, dedicated nickel stripper. I can't see Hoppe's doing it. Most manufacturers did not use a copper undercoat on their nickeled pistols. It is not necessary. A copper underplate is usually done in "bumper chrome" plating shops. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

May 16, 2013, 03:42 PM	#12
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	As I said, Bill, old style, as in 100 or so years ago. It was apparently done that way because it was faster and easier to plate the steel with copper, and then the copper with nickel. As the technology progressed, copper underplating was slowly dropped. That said, solvents, including Hoppes, have been known to attack nickel plating for decades. It is not, however, a quick process, nor will it strip an entire gun quickly and surely. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

May 17, 2013, 01:09 AM	#13
myusername Member Join Date: May 11, 2013 Posts: 99	I carry a nickel plated LC9 as a back up for the past year. It still looks OK, but I'm sure eventually it will wear.