FE Golden Gun Dulling?

BenSV650

Has anybody else had a problem with the finish of their FE Golden Gun going dull?

I was having a look today and noticed the lighter now looks bronze, as if the gold plating has worn off?

The gun was only assembled once when it first arrived and put on display in a sealed cabinet since then.

Has anybody had this problem?

Ben.

Factory Q-Branch

BenSV650 wrote:

Has anybody else had a problem with the finish of their FE Golden Gun going dull?

I was having a look today and noticed the lighter now looks bronze, as if the gold plating has worn off?

The gun was only assembled once when it first arrived and put on display in a sealed cabinet since then.

Has anybody had this problem?

Ben.

Hi Ben,

The golden gun is plated in real 18kt gold. That means the finish will dull and darken over time. Its not strictly 'tarnish', more dirt and oil from handling and the atmosphere. You will need to clean the gun periodically.

The best way to clean it is to put the piece into warm sudsy water containing a few drops of mild non-phosphate dish-washing liquid such as Dawn, Ivory or Fairy . Then rub it gently with you fingers or a cotton swab. For heavy darkening you can brush lightly with a soft baby toothbrush.

BE GENTLE Even with the added metals/alloys used to make the plated coating, gold is still very soft and easily scratched.

After cleaning rinse thoroughly with warm water and dry with a cotton cloth. Don't use paper towels or tissues because they contain particles of wood that can scratch the gold's surface.

DO NOT use toothpaste, baking soda or metal polishes. They are much too abrasive.

Before storing, let the pieces air dry completely, overnight if possible. Moisture speeds the tarnishing process so it's important to make sure everything is 100% dry before putting it away.

Once the piece is dry, if it looks dull, rub it gently with a jewelry polishing cloth. Use a clean cloth, or a clean section of a previously used cloth, so that the gold is not scratched. To avoid creating a pattern, rub with the polishing cloth in varying straight lines, not in a circular motion.


Hope that helps?

And before all the AJB naysayers chime in to tell us how terrible we are and that this should not happen to gold items..... Its only pure gold that does not tarnish. We did not use pure gold here as it is too soft. This is 18kt gold alloyed with other materials to create a plate, not pure gold. The length of time it takes for darkening to occur depends on the environments and the amount of handling. As a matter of habit Golden Gun owners should really wipe their guns down with a soft cotton cloth after each and every handling for maximum protection. They should also keep the gun in its acrylic case.

BenSV650

Thanks for the quick and detailed reply FE!

I'll give it a go and let you know how I get on.

Ben.

minigeff

Ben go easy on the gold, I'd say try using them cotton wool pads girlys use to remove their orange faces.

Just go real lightly with it and check any rags or towels for bits of dirt etc before using them to wipe the gold with.

Factory Q-Branch

minigeff wrote:

Ben go easy on the gold, I'd say try using them cotton wool pads girlys use to remove their orange faces.

Just go real lightly with it and check any rags or towels for bits of dirt etc before using them to wipe the gold with.

Good call Jeff, forgot to mention that.... if you have any of that canned air used for cleaning keyboards etc give the pieces a quick blast with that to get rid of any dust first, it works well..

Kid gloves are whats needed here... gold looks lovely but is a totally impractical finish for an object like a gun in reality! Mr F must have had Nick Nack polishing his piece all the time )

One more thing NEVER put any of the pieces in an ultrasonic cleaner of any kind.