Melonite QPQ™ is a thermochemical process
(ferritic nitrocarburizing) used for the case hardening of iron-based
metals. In a molten bath of special salts, nitrogen, carbon, and small
amounts of oxygen are diffused into the surface of the steel, creating
a super-hard surface, called the "compound layer." Additionally, small
amounts of carbon are pulled from within the substrate, toward the
surface, creating a "diffusion zone," which exhibits a gradient of
concentration of carbon and nitrogen, decreasing toward the core. Thus,
the process provides both a hardening of the surface, and a gradient
alloying of the substrate, which improves the ductility and overall
strength of the material.



Melonite QPQ™ can be used on both
carbon steel and stainless steel. Melonized steel gun parts will be
blue-black in color, and will exhibit surface hardness in the area of
RC70, lower coefficient of friction/enhanced surface lubricity,
superior running wear performance, superior sliding wear resistance,
superior heat resistance, and superior corrosion resistance. The
treatment penetrates to a depth of ~.004" to .008," with surface
dimensional growth of only .0002" to .0004"(negligible), so
post-treatment fitting is not a concern. Final appearance of the
surface is dependent on the type of surface prep used, with surfaces
tending to appear a bit smoother than before treatment. Thus, surfaces
prepared via our preferred method of aluminum oxide blasting, which
have a matte appearance, bear a smoother, yet non-reflective, satin
post-treatment appearance. Polished surfaces tend to retain
approximately the surface appearance they had prior to treatment. For
those who love the look of a "tactical" black finish, Melonite QPQ™ is,
without doubt, the best practical surface treatment available for
firearms today.

       

CRC IonBond finish Who/what is IonBond?

IonBond
is a global company with specializing in the thin-film coating market.
IonBond continuously works to improve their coatings and develop new
technologies in order to offer truly innovative products for coating
services and equipment. IonBond is also solution provider; their
surface engineering expertise goes beyond supplying wear resistant
coatings. www.ionbond.com



What is the CRC Ionbond finish?

This
is a firearms finish that is applied through a Physical Vapor
Deposition (PVD) process. This involves the depositing of diamond-like
carbon coatings via a vacuum, and results in a finish that will provide
years of protection against wear while retaining a nice appearance.



Why should I coat my firearm with the CRC Ionbond finish?

The
value of a firearm can be diminished by holster wear, trigger action,
hammer, slides, recoil, corrosion, smoothness and appearance. It does
not matter if your weapon is used for hunting, target practice,
competition, self defense, or professionally, reliability and
performance are the critical components for success.



What are the CRC Ionbond colors options?

You
can get any color you want as long it is black. This matte/satin black
finish is essential for tactical pieces and is a result of the carbon
treatment. This is a finish that does not wear quickly like black
oxidized finishes do –– it will stay black.



How thick is the CRC Ionbond coating?

CRC
Ionbond is generally 2 microns thin. This is not a conventional coating
that adds thickness to the material; this is a micron level coating,
which is an excellent fit for custom fit guns. There is no distortion
of details or build up in the corners, which means consistent
performance every time.



How does the CRC Ionbond perform as a corrosion deterrent?

Saltwater
corrosion tests prove that CRC Ionbond coated firearms resist rust
better than uncoated firearms. When CRC Ionbond is combined with a
nickel plated substrate it has proven to be virtually resistant to
corrosion.



Is CRC Ionbond a finish that will chip, crack or peel like other finish?

CRC Ionbond’s unique application process makes it a finish that does not chip, crack or peel as it is a micron level coating.



How does applying the CRC Ionbond finish impact the environment, as many of the finishing process are quite toxic?

CRC
Ionbond has no waste product and consumes only power, biodegradable
soaps, and metal that is transformed to vapor and then transformed back
to a solid on the part being coated.



How “tough” is the CRC Ionbond finish?

The
CRC Ionbond finish is 1500-2000 HV. Typical hard chrome finishes are
generally 1050 HV and melonite is in the 700 HV range. As you can see,
the CRC Ionbond finish is .5 – 2.5 times harder than common “tough”
finishes.



Is CRC Ionbond a “self lubricating” finish?

Not
exactly, BUT CRC Ionbond does have some characteristic that could make
you think it is. The CRC Ionbond finish absorbs oil and releases it
over time due to the unique characteristics. CRC Ionbond also reduces
the friction coefficient on the coated parts. Steel on steel has a
typical friction coefficient of .7; Steel on CRC has a typical friction
coefficient of .25; CRC on CRC has a typical friction coefficient of
less than .2. For the math challenged, that means CRC Ionbond finished
parts have 3.5 times less friction than untreated steel, so it does
make the parts a lot more “slippery” and does improve the performance
of parts that wear on each other.



Can you applying the CRC Ionbond finish to materials other than steel?

Not
at this time, but we do have an option for folks looking to coat other
materials, DLC Ionbond, this product is applied at IonBond’s facility
in Greensbourgh, NC.



Where can I get this incredible firearm coating?

Springer
Precision LLC (www.springerprecision.com) is the authorized IonBond
Distributor of CRC IonBond and you can contact them directly for your
finishing needs. They will have a list of dealers on their website that
are taking advantage of the benefits the CRC Ionbond finish provides.
If you are interested in becoming a dealer, there will be limited
opportunities so please contact Springer Precision LLC for more
information.