| There are two basic types of firearms
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| | is one area where they are inferior to
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| finishes. Those that cause a change in
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| | bluing. Bluing my be stripped off and a
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| the color of the surface metal of a
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| | new finish applied with relative ease.
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| firearm and those that are applied to the
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| | Plated finishes must be removed by
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| surface but do not change the basic
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| | special stripping processes, preferably
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| nature of the surface material. The first
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| | by the original plater. Since there are
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| group of finishes consists of what is
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| | several plating processes available, each
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| referred to as "bluing or browning" while
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| | a little bit different, they often
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| the latter category comprises the
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| | require a special stripping process only
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| majority of other finishes available. The
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| | available from someone using that
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| purpose of this monograph is to briefly
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| | particular process. While there are some
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| discuss the nature of bluing, the most
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| | processes available that claim to strip
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| common firearm finish, and then to
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| | almost any plated finish, they must be
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| discuss the applied finishes.
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| | used with the utmost care. I have seen
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| Bluing (or browning) is, most commonly, a
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| | several pistols damaged by their use.
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| modified form of rusting created under
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| | There is another form of applied finish.
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| strictly controlled conditions to produce
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| | This is applied by hand by either dipping
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| a cosmetically pleasing finish on steel.
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| | or spraying and offers the dark color of
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| In industrial applications, it is
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| | bluing along with the greater rust
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| referred to as black oxide. In the older
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| | resistance of the plated finishes. Its
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| methods, a solution was wiped on the
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| | wear characteristics are better than
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| clean part and then the part was allowed
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| | bluing but not as good as plating. Teflon
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| to develop a fine rust. This rust was
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| | finishes and our TAF-1 finish are
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| carded off and the part wiped again with
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| | examples of this type. We feel that the
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| the solution. This process continued
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| | TAF-1 is superior in wear to Teflon and
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| until the desired color was produced. The
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| | that is why we offer it. Both the TAF-1
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| process is still sometimes used today on
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| | and Teflon finishes are available in a
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| higher quality firearms and those, such
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| | low luster black which looks very well on
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| as double barreled shotguns, which would
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| | a firearm. They can also be stripped by
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| be damaged by the more aggressive modern
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| | normal abrasive blasting which means they
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| methods. The process is known today as
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| | do not require the special preparation
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| the cold rust method.
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| | that a plated finish does when they must
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| The more modern method of bluing is to
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| | be refinished. Another benefit of the
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| use a bath of caustic chemicals heated to
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| | TAF-1 finish is that it may be applied to
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| about 285 degrees F. The parts to be
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| | both aluminum and stainless steel as well
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| blued are chemically cleaned and then
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| | as the more common carbon steel. This
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| immersed in the bluing bath for about 1/2
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| | allows these two metals the protection of
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| hour until they reach the desired color.
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| | an applied finish for use under adverse
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| In both types of bluing, the surface of
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| | conditions. I once rusted several parts
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| the metal is chemically changed and the
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| | of a stainless steel pistol while
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| finish is in the metal.
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| | carrying it concealed over a period of a
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| As a side note, there is another form of
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| | week in our hot Arizona summer. Applying
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| coloring, not commonly encountered today,
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| | a TAF-1 finish not only made the pistol
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| called heat bluing. This is the
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| | less conspicuous, but it also prevented
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| controlled heating of the part watching
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| | any recurrence of the rusting problem.
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| as it changes colors. The part is
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| | As can be seen from the foregoing
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| quenched in oil when the proper color is
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| | synopsis, the choice of finish for a
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| obtained. This was the process used to
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| | pistol is more complex than some would
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| color certain parts of the Parabellum or
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| | have us believe. Bluing is an excellent
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| Luger pistol.
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| | first finish for a pistol. It is
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| The second major form of firearms finish
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| | relatively inexpensive, holds up
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| is the class known as applied finishes.
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| | relatively well except under harsh
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| These finishes are applied to the surface
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| | operational use and does not change any
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| of the metal and do not change the basic
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| | of the parts tolerances. It is a very
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| nature of the surface metal. By their
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| | good choice to use while you are setting
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| nature, they are far more rust resistant
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| | up your pistol and getting all of the
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| than bluing. They also tend to be more
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| | work done on it you want. If you decide
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| expensive which is why they are not more
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| | you want something changed (different
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| common. These applied finishes range from
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| | sights, trigger or mainspring housing for
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| common paint to plated finishes.
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| | example) it is not a major problem. With
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| The British used a painted finish on a
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| | a plated slide, for example, the plating
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| number of their service arms. The paint
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| | must be stripped before most sights could
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| was easier to apply than bluing, provided
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| | be mounted and then the slide re-plated.
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| greater rust resistance and was less
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| | After you have your pistol set up exactly
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| expensive. It also had the property, in
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| | as you want it, it is time to consider a
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| the proper color, of being less likely to
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| | better finish.
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| reflect light- a prime consideration on
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| | The plated finishes will change
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| both the battle field and hunting field.
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| | dimensional tolerances. Parts that
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| The painted finishes were relatively
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| | functioned perfectly before may cause
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| easily damaged, but could be easily
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| | problems after the plating. This is
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| touched up with a small bottle of paint.
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| | particularly true with tightly fitted
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| American ski troops often used white
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| | parts such as match barrel bushings,
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| painted weapons. With the proper paint,
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| | beavertail grip safeties and tightened
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| this is still an acceptable finish for
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| | slides. Trigger pull characteristics
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| inexpensive firearms.
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| | (weight of pull and crispness of pull)
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| Plating is another form of applied
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| | may be affected. This is the main reason
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| finish. It comes in two forms-electro
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| | we do not offer plated finishes.
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| plating and electroless plating. Electro
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| | Additionally, after a number of years of
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| plating is applied by passing an
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| | experience with these finishes, we have
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| electrical current through a part
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| | found no one who can consistently turn
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| suspended in a plating solution. Hard
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| | out a top quality finish. This requires
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| chrome is applied this way and produces a
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| | some pistols to be returned to the plater
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| very hard finish as its name implies. It
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| | to be finished again, delaying the return
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| produces a white-silver finish and may be
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| | of the pistol to the client.
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| either shiny or matte. Nickel may be
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| | After much experimentation, we have
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| applied by the electrical method. In this
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| | adopted the TAF-1 finish as our most rust
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| case, the part is plated with copper
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| | resistant finish. It will wear, but still
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| first and then the nickel is plated to
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| | provides greater wear resistance than
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| the copper. Both processes produce a very
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| | bluing. If you holster is cleaned
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| rust resistant finish with good wear
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| | periodically with a clean tooth brush and
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| characteristics. Both will, however,
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| | then blown out with compressed air, the
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| eventually wear through and can let rust
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| | finish will suffer less abrasion. This
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| get under the surface.
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| | holds true with all types of finish. The
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| Electroless nickel plating can be applied
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| | ability of TAF-1 to be applied to all
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| to both carbon steel and aluminum. It is
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| | types of metal allows us to offer a dark
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| available in either a shiny or a matte
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| | finish for stainless steel and aluminum.
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| finish. Like the hard chrome it is very
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| | In the areas where wear occurs, it can be
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| rust resistant and long wearing. Also
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| | touched up with cold blue (for carbon
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| like hard chrome it can allow rust to get
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| | steel) or with flat black model paint
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| into the part and pit it. I have a Colt
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| | (any surface) to reduce glare. Since
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| Commander slide that was electroless
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| | these areas are worn away through
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| nickeled which shows a great deal of
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| | abrasive action, all finishes will
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| minor pitting where it rests against the
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| | eventually show this wear, but only TAF-1
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| body in a Summer Special holster. After a
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| | and bluing may be touched up in this
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| number of years of concealed wear, the
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| | manner. Most importantly, we do not find
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| area above the thumb safety had turned
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| | the build up of the TAF-1 finish to cause
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| black. When the finish was stripped,
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| | the dimensional problems that we have
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| numerous small pits were discovered. All
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| | found with the plated finishes, making it
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| of your plated finishes offer much
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| | easier to set the pistol up properly and
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| greater rust resistance and much better
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| | then apply the finish without having to
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| wear characteristics than bluing, but
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| | worry about how plating will affect the
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| even with the best of care, they will
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| | final fit of the parts. If there is a
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| wear off and let rust get started. Just
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| | problem, it is easily solved and the
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| as with bluing, they must be periodically
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| | pistol refinished without having to ship
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| refinished for maximum protection. This
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| | it back to the plater.
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