[Joey]

I know some of the much touted surface coatings may be BS but there may also be some merit to them (to play devil's advocate here). So, I'm planning on having a pistol refinished with a pretty tech coating (NP3) and I got to thinking if it might not be a bad idea to have some stanchion tubes coated at the same time. Maybe inside and out?

Here's the link to the company:

http://www.robarguns.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=4&tabindex=2

Some highlights from their web site:

"NP3 is a surface treatment for steel and metal alloys that combines sub-micron particles of P.T.F.E (polytetrafluorothylene) with electroless nickel.

With Robar's well-equipped laboratory, coating thickness can be maintained to within .0002 or two ten thousandths of one inch, guaranteeing consistent quality coatings.

NP3 is very corrosion resistant, a 1 mil (.001) coating exceeding 240 hour salt spray test.

NP3 has a high lubricity and low friction co-efficient; therefore, the life expectancy of a firearm will be greatly increased due to the less friction wear."

Yada, yada, seems like it might have some merit. Prices aren't too bad. $40 min. plating charge and $125 to do a rifle barrel that is prolly more time consuming than stanchion tubes. Any thoughts?

 

[buildyourown]

I think that stuff will only work on steel. If it is just a well controlled nickle plate with some teflon in there, it won't stick to aluminum.
I've done electroless nickle. It's pretty easy to do at home.

Plating is 99.9% marketing. The stuff that marz used 5 years ago is just as good as anything.

 

[Joey]

I think that stuff will only work on steel. If it is just a well controlled nickle plate with some teflon in there, it won't stick to aluminum.
I've done electroless nickle. It's pretty easy to do at home.

Plating is 99.9% marketing. The stuff that marz used 5 years ago is just as good as anything.

I think you may be right about the marketing piece. The pistol I was planning on having refinished does have an aluminum frame and they have refinished lots of them. I've seen the coating on a friend's gun and it looks nice and cleans up super easy. No noticeable differences other than that though . . .

 

[MikeD]

I think the risk/benefit equation is firmly on the side of 'no way,' but that's just me...even if it works, what have you really gained, aside from concerns about durability/permanance and perhaps stanchion size changes?

 

[Kornphlake]

Electroless nickle plate will only add .0002, that's splitting hairs pretty finely, I'd be suprised if the stantion diameter didn't vary by 10 times that much. Your stanchion diamters will be fine, nickle plating won't hurt durability either, at least not on steel, I've never seen it done on aluminum but I'm no expert. If you've got the cash I'd say why not, although I wouldn't expect it to make the fork perform any differently, it may just add the bling factor you need to get dogs to chas you though.

 

[Joey]

Thanks for the feedback.

It was just an idea. I thought, if the company could do it for just a little more if I got the pistol done then, eh, why not?

Makes sense just to keep things as they are though. That's why I brought this question up here. I was hoping someone could make an intelligent sounding reason(s) to talk me out of my impusiveness to do something useless, thanks again.

 

[Joey]

I think that stuff will only work on steel. If it is just a well controlled nickle plate with some teflon in there, it won't stick to aluminum.

Oops, my bad, you're right here. I thought the other pistol I had seen was aluminum framed and found out it wasn't after talking with my friend about it. I misunderstood when he said the company did lots of guns like his. Duh, get it straight next time before I type sheeit, huh?

 

[Jm_]

Yeah, the alternative to slippery silver is proper lubrication and properly speced bushings. Companies have been making rediculously plush and stiction free forks for years without some gimmick coating on the legs.

 

[The Kadvang]

Yeah, the alternative to slippery silver is proper lubrication and properly speced bushings. Companies have been making rediculously plush and stiction free forks for years without some gimmick coating on the legs.

Ouch.