Electroless Nickle > Stainless Steel ?

[hector]

Is electroless nickel better than stainless steel?

I thought it was either a gimmick or exotic and high tech when I saw Kabuki using it.

Now I see a regularly priced barbell using it. Since it's in my universe of affordability now I'm wondering how electroless nickel compares to stainless steel.

Barbell I saw (which looks awesome, but I sadly won't be buying) is here:

https://www.strengthshopusa.com/product ... 7380907088

[Wilhelm]

Is electroless nickel better than stainless steel?

I thought it was either a gimmick or exotic and high tech when I saw Kabuki using it.

Now I see a regularly priced barbell using it. Since it's in my universe of affordability now I'm wondering how electroless nickel compares to stainless steel.

Barbell I saw (which looks awesome, but I sadly won't be buying) is here:

https://www.strengthshopusa.com/product ... 7380907088

My assumption is that stainless is better since the nickel is still only a coating on the surface.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrole ... us_plating

[hector]

Is electroless nickel better than stainless steel?

I thought it was either a gimmick or exotic and high tech when I saw Kabuki using it.

Now I see a regularly priced barbell using it. Since it's in my universe of affordability now I'm wondering how electroless nickel compares to stainless steel.

Barbell I saw (which looks awesome, but I sadly won't be buying) is here:

https://www.strengthshopusa.com/product ... 7380907088

My assumption is that stainless is better since the nickel is still only a coating on the surface.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrole ... us_plating

That would make sense. Thank you, Wilhelm!

[psmith]

Stainless is softer, the practical implications of which are probably nothing, for a home user. (Knurling might wear a little faster, but I don't think it has anything to do with whippiness or yield strength.).

[brkriete]

Stainless is softer, the practical implications of which are probably nothing, for a home user. (Knurling might wear a little faster, but I don't think it has anything to do with whippiness or yield strength.).

That's going to come down to specific alloy and heat treat, I wouldn't take it as a universal truth.

[PuddingFace]

I had some aluminum parts electroless nickel plated for work once, before receiving a second plating process. The second process left some internal surfaces coated with the nickel plating uncovered, and from what i recall the nickel plating had a somewhat slick feel to it. It was internal holes, so i didnt really try to grip it, just ran my finger over it.

Performance-wise you would really be comparing stainless bar to the steel bar for strength and so on, and the coating would not make much difference for that. But i would be concerned that the electroless nickel would be slicker than bare steel, so I personally would want to examine the bars in person if possible to feel the surface before committing.

[thejosef]

I much prefer just the raw stainless over ANY coating, included elctroless nickle. I owned a Kabuki power bar with the EN coating and it pretty much looked and felt like hard chrome, but with a sliiiighty gold color tinge. Nice bar, but way over priced. I buy all my bars in stainless now, well the shaft. The sleeve being chrome or stainless doesn't really matter much, IMO.