Amazing Restoration of a vintage lighter “Golden Key”

Hello, friends! Today, I got my hands on this wonderful miniature lighter, the “Golden Key.“ I bought it on an online auction for a mere pittance with the intention of turning it into a real golden key, covered with a layer of 14-carat gold. According to the seller, the lighter had been lying in a damp basement for a long time, accumulating a thick layer of oxides and patina. I’m very grateful that the seller didn’t attempt to clean it himself and handed it over to me in this condition. During the time it was in my possession, the oxide layer dried up and easily peeled off along with the old galvanic coating. The cleaning process turned out to be quite simple: first, mechanical cleaning, then etching in acetic acid. However, polishing proved to be a challenging task due to the thinness of the metal and deep corrosion damage. I managed to build up a layer of nickel, which strengthened the metal slightly and partially covered the deep damage. The most enjoyable stage was the gold plating process - a splendid sight, and watching it, one feels the desire to gold-plate everything within reach. In the end, you’ll see a lighter covered with 14-carat gold. I agree that the surface didn’t turn out perfectly smooth due to its thinness, but, in my opinion, these minor imperfections add a special charm to the lighter. I hope you enjoy my video, look forward to your subscriptions, likes, and kindly ask you to rate my work from 1 to 10 in the comments. #restoration #rare #vintage #lighter #gold #restore #patina #amsr