Posted: 12/28/2005 8:44:20 AM EDT
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Robert, Im getting conflicting reports here from glock regarding Tenifer remaining after the slide is stripped. The question has been asked here by those interested in getting their pistols refinished. During a recent Armorers course, and in speaking with Glock and friends in the plating business, I have been under the impression that the tenifer is unaffected by chemicals used to strip the finish on the slide. I placed a call to Glock today and was told that removing the existing finish with a chemical solution will remove the tenifer treatment, and that the person doing their refinishing uses a light bead blast to remove the existing finish which will preserve the tennifer treatment. I know you've had a lot refinished, perhaps you could shed some light so we can have a definitive answer. |
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As stated by JR from LWD the tenifer is not affected by chemicals. The tenifer PROCESS(not a coating) is done in Austria. The credit for this information goes to a long time friend and retired Glock engineer who goes by "GG" on another forum. The slide and barrel are the only parts treated. Both are dipped into a vat at 600 degrees F, the reason the small parts are not done is at that temp they warp. The tenifer chemicals penetrate the metal surface, seals the metal and leaves the metal with the Rockwell hardness just short of a diamond(IIRC 69 on the Rockwell scale). This process makes the parts impervious to chemicals and can not be easily removed. A standard bastard file may mark up the "Black" finish but not the metal of the slide. Metal can be removed from the slide with a diamond file but the exposed, clean metal will rust. When the slide and/or barrel is refinished the tenifer remains in tact. My G24C was H.Chromed in '95 and has over 40k rds down range. The G32C was done in '98 and has close to 20k rds down range of .357SIG and another 10k of 40S&W .  Edit: Tenifer is colorless but leaves the metal a dull gray. |
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As HR9mm said, Tenifer is a cyanide salt bath nitrocarburizing process. The cyanide is the reason it is not allowed in the U.S. There are other nearly identical (cyanide free) salt bath nitrocarburizing processes that are allowed in the U.S, however. They go by the common names of Tufftride, and Melonite. The results are basically identical to that of the Tenifer process. They are all great processes, that actually change the surface hardness of the metal. There is a lot of information on the internet about the nitrocarburizing process. |
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