Iron plate soldering iron tip

[Harry Bloomfield]

I'm pottering about, making a new tip for an old soldering iron, in the lath, just for a bit of practice. I'm making it from copper, but most tips these days are copper, iron plated for longevity. Might there be any way to iron plate it when finished - electrolysis, maybe?

 

[RandomGrinch]

I believe it's complicated and difficult to get right.
It's also not common, because not many people want a coating that corrodes faster than the substrate!

Some Q&As here:

Iron Plating problems (Electrodeposition of Iron onto other materials): FAQs + Q&A Forum

Electro Iron Plating problems, (Electrodeposition of Iron)

www.finishing.com

 

[JohnW2]

I believe it's complicated and difficult to get right. ... It's also not common, because not many people want a coating that corrodes faster than the substrate!
Some Q&As here:

Iron Plating problems (Electrodeposition of Iron onto other materials): FAQs + Q&A Forum

Electro Iron Plating problems, (Electrodeposition of Iron)

www.finishing.com

Indeed - I found the same (and other similar). It would seem that,these days, soldering iron tips are about the only things that are commonly iron plated, and that even the manufacture of such things 'struggle' to do it satisfactorily.

If I understand the problem correctly, it is very easy to end up with something that is "plated (or coated) with rust", rather than plated with iron.