How durable?

Bob Sanders · Dec 7, 2014

Ok, as it turns out, at 53 years old my finish is worn and saggy, but durability exceeded all expectations.

Chris54326 · Dec 8, 2014

53 years old and "worn and saggy"? Come on, 53 is still young and spry! I thought you comp shooters ran all over the field killin' targets. Heck, I "observed" for an evening and walked my butt off puttin' stickers over holes and didn't work nearly as hard as those competitors.

Ksmirk · Dec 9, 2014

Hit Mike up pretty sure he might know someone. Later,

Kirk

Chris54326 · Dec 10, 2014

I did............and he did. http://www.blacknitride.com/

Chris54326 · Dec 10, 2014

Question for those of you who have built custom pistols. I've decided to send my Hi-Power off to H&M. They said if I wanted any surfaces to be polished I should do that prior to sending the firearm. I was wanting the flats on my slide to be high polished underneath the Black Nitride finish and then the rest of the surfaces on the slide and frame to be that soft luster I so often see on finishes. Has anyone done one like that who might have an example picture so I can get an idea what it might look like?

mike cyrwus · Dec 10, 2014

thats too much of a pain in the ass to do. Youre going to have $500 in that finish when youre all done

you need to talk to a place like Fords guns out of FL, and see what they recommend.

Chris54326 · Dec 10, 2014

??????? They quoted me $200 for the entire job today.

mike cyrwus · Dec 11, 2014

entire?; you will be paying for shipping a handgun via common carrier.

Including the cost of high polishing of the flats and the matte rounds? that is not an easy thing to do well, which was why I suggested Fords.

If you have to send it to a separate place to do the polishing, have them return it to you, then you ship it to H&M, then they send it back; thats
four ways, insured overnight via UPS? that adds up real fast.

Chris54326 · Dec 11, 2014

Oh, okay, now I understand what you meant.

I'm fully capable and equipped to polish the slide, so it wouldn't have to be sent anywhere. (and yes I know not to put it on a buffing wheel) It's got to be broken down into individual pieces to be sent to H&M, so I didn't think it would cost much to toss it in a box and ship it. Oh well, you're the expert and know how these things go, so that's why I was asking for comments. Thanks.

Chris54326 · Dec 11, 2014

I just read some posts on my similar question on the Browning Hi-power forum and they warned that the high temps required to do Black Nitride, Melonite, Delamin, Tuffride and even Tenifer, were too high for the barrel bushing in the BHP to not be loosened! (first I'd heard of that, and it was much to my surprise) So now I guess I'm looking at one of the epoxy coatings like Cerakote. How well do they really hold up to holster use?

billdozer · Jan 2, 2015

I had h&m do my 9mm 2011 they did a great job, no visible wear after a year and a half of 3 gun.

Matt1911 · Jan 2, 2015

Chris54326 said:
I just read some posts on my similar question on the Browning Hi-power forum and they warned that the high temps required to do Black Nitride, Melonite, Delamin, Tuffride and even Tenifer, were too high for the barrel bushing in the BHP to not be loosened! (first I'd heard of that, and it was much to my surprise) So now I guess I'm looking at one of the epoxy coatings like Cerakote. How well do they really hold up to holster use?

See post #8

Chris54326 · Jan 2, 2015

Thanks, Matt. I think I've given up any desire to spend more money on my pistol than it's worth to make it look better. It's amazing how nice a parkerized finish looks with a little oil on it! :sarcastichand: