Sterling Silver Bands vs. Nickel Bands

[AroEnglish]

I love pipes with bands and was wondering what the property differences are between sterling silver and nickel. Nickel is presumably more affordable as it’s found on more affordable pipes but what else is different? Is one harder than the other? One shinier than the other?

 

[Ahi Ka]

I like a silver band. Whether it’s shiny or tarnished. However my main reason is hallmarks.

I find silver easier to maintain with a cloth, however I’ve seen people have great success in getting a nickel band to pop.

I’ve always wanted a to put some copper on a pipe, I think it would look good.

In terms of material cost, a nickel band probably costs 10c whereas a silver one 50c.

 

[anotherbob]

Silver is shinier but it tarnishes. Nickel is duller but requires less care. And probably more including just the fact that silver is just cooler then nickel.

 

[MacMarty89]

I don’t care either way. I have expensive pipes with nickel bands too. Whatever is aesthetically pleasing. Silver is beautiful, but it takes some form of upkeep. Nickel does tarnish a bit over time as well, but not as quickly as sterling silver does.

 

[AroEnglish]

Thanks for the quick responses!

Are bands able to be put on pipes after they’re finished?

 

[Ahi Ka]

Yep. Depending on the size of that shank you might be able to get something from Vermont freehand and put it on yourself

 

[bullet08]

Silver bands. Silver just looks better. Nickel sooner or later will get dull in the end and won't polish to shine. You can see some nickel on older pipes that look crap.

 

[georged]

Nickel bands have traditionally been used on budget-minded pipes. Where the design required a metal band or cap, but cost was the primary consideration.

Gold adornment(s) have always been reserved for presentation-grade pieces. Something truly special.

Sterling silver is everything in between.

PS --- There is nothing nickel does better than silver, and there are many things it does worse. No contest, imo. Silver wins every time.

 

[Ahi Ka]

I have yet to stumble across a captian black pipe with a nickel band, yet I have one with a silver one and one with a gold one.

 

[Buffalo]

One thing to note as well, in some countries, since silver is a precious metal, it is required to be inspected and hallmarked by that country's governing body when used as a band. I remember hearing this on a Peterson documentary somewhere.

 

[mingc]

PS --- There is nothing nickel does better than silver, and there are many things it does worse. No contest, imo. Silver wins every time.

I don't quite understand why silver is considered more desirable than nickel, except for price. The few nickel adornments that I have on my pipes are rather nice and shiny. And, unlike silver, they don't tarnish. As I recall, @cosmicfolklore says nickel is not as shiny but I don't see it. Also, tarnished silver ain't shiny either. So, why silver over nickel?

 

[Pipeoff]

When I see a band on a pipe, my first impression is cracked shank.

 

[georged]

I don't quite understand why silver is considered more desirable than nickel, except for price. The few nickel adornments that I have on my pipes are rather nice and shiny. And, unlike silver, they don't tarnish. As I recall, @cosmicfolklore says nickel is not as shiny but I don't see it. Also, tarnished silver ain't shiny either. So, why silver over nickel?

Nickel bands and caps are very stiff, rigid, and hard, so don't conform even slightly (the way silver does) to variations in shank shape. Variations which are always there because humans aren't CNC machines. Meaning gaps between metal and wood are common.

Nickel bands and caps are also thicker, gauge-wise, which again doesn't "fit the flow" as well as silver. There's more of a "step".

The "underglow" of the metal is a bluish-yellow as opposed to silver's white.

Finally, the surface texture of plated nickel has a slight "orange peel" to it, while .925 silver does not.

 

[warren]

Nickle is inexpensive and looks it. And yes, I always think shank repair when nickle is in place. Silver is an accent, attractive to the eye. Simply my opinion and therefore . . . unarguable, not open for discussion even.

 

[mingc]

Nickle is inexpensive and looks it. And yes, I always think shank repair when nickle is in place. Silver is an accent, attractive to the eye. Simply my opinion and therefore . . . unarguable, not open for discussion even.

My silver tends to be in a decrepit state more often than they are shiny. And @cosmicfolklore tells me not to rub them too much or I'll grow hair on my palms they'll wear away. My nickel stays shiny and can buy 5¢ worth of stuff at a time. Not arguing, just sayin'.

 

[bullet08]

Nickel doesn't tarnish like sliver. However, they stain. Once a stain is on, you can't get it off. I have a set of bagpipes with nickel ferrules, the stain will never come off on that thing. They are 38 years old. I have a silver ring that's been with me longer. Silver can be polished back to its old glory.

 

[telescopes]

Thanks for the quick responses!

Are bands able to be put on pipes after they’re finished?

Yes

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

I’ve got a couple Arklows with nickel and they look great to me, if they “age” that’s okay. My silver bands get a jeweler’s cloth from time to time. I like to see them all shined up, but they are just as interesting with a little age as well.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Bands, buttons, pen parts, coins... if the item is shiny and labelled as nickel, nickel silver, german silver... it is a white bronze, where the nickel content, makes it white. Pure nickel is grey in color, with a black film that can be rubbed off on your finger. It does not hold a polish, and production costs of making something is rather expensive. Pure nickel is usually reserved for jet engine part and racecar engine parts... things that require a substance that can take very high heat, does not create a friction heat, and is very hard. A pure nickel band, wouldn't be very pretty.

I have worked with some pure nickel that I used to build models for producing models of production designs with, but it is a pain to work with. I have to get all hazmat suited up because it is rather toxic and can create allergies when broken down with grinding and sanding, and just a particle of it getting into my silver alloy makes it refuse solders. aggravating. I gave a bunch of it to a friend who builds parts for his high performance engines.

Nickel bronze is mostly a copper based bronze, very cheap. It is electroplated or chemically treated (similar to a galvanization process) to make it keep a shine. It is durable for a long time, but once it has lost that shine, you might buff it back to shiny, but the slight hazy warm color will start to show and it will not keep that shine for long. Then they mail it to me to put a sterling band on it.

 

[georged]

Then they mail it to me to put a sterling band on it.

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