Tenifer Finish

Joe D · November 30, 1999, 08:15 AM

I have just started building a 1911 and once it is completed would like a tenifer finish on it. Is there anyone that can apply this finish? If not what is a good tough alternative? I prefer a dark color like blue, black or dark gray.

George Stringer · November 30, 1999, 09:17 AM

Joe, will tenifer adhere to anything besides plastic? Just kidding Glock fans. I don't know of anyone offering that finish, but I do a lot of guns in Teflon. I've found it to be very durable. You can do this yourself. All you need is Brownells (www.brownells.com)Teflon/Moly finish, a kitchen oven and a very understanding wife (a local florist may come in handy). The finish is available in several colors. Just follow the directions and open the windows. If you don't want to do it yourself I'd be happy to finish it for you. Just e-mail me. George

Al Thompson · November 30, 1999, 10:11 PM

Hi Joe,

Any of the teflon coatings are pretty good.

I *think* the Tennifer finish is actually Titanium Carbo Nitride (or Nitrate). Several companies have tried to bring this finish to the market, but expense has stalled the efforts. Like Black-T, there is a lot more money in doing contract work for other companies than in putting up with the problems posed by gun owners.

Giz

Cheapo · December 3, 1999, 03:50 AM

Joe, what I've heard jives with what Gizmo sez. The heart of "Tennifer" is a nitride finish (don't know if it's titanium or another subcomponent metal/compound). It's super-hard and rust resistant to boot.

But what you see on a Glock is the Phosphate (manganese phosphate? izzat the grey stuff?) finish over the top of the Tennifer. That's also known as Parkerizing, as in on all US military rifles of this century. Phosphate beats bluing all to heck, but ain't nothing like the newer finishes.

I remember finding a joint on the web which would titanium nitride an entire semiauto pistol for something like $300. Not exactly cheap, but far more durable than anything else I've ever encountered (sorry, my experience with Teflon and Nitride is drill bits and not guns).

[This message has been edited by Cheapo (edited December 03, 1999).]

Covert Mission · December 3, 1999, 05:44 PM

For a promising gun finish for your 1911 etc, check out these guys. I think it might be a great alternative to any of the teflon finishes...FAR more durable, they say. I like the idea of this, for a dark, highly durable finish, on 1911's esp, that is an alternative to hardchrome (which is not dark) and harder too. Any experience with this process here?

Brycoat, at

www.brycoat.com/

Since I've seen so many people online say "If I could only get a Tenifer-like finish on my gun", i asked them about Tenifer (the finish underneath the black oxide on Glocks). Tenifer is a case-hardening process, per Brycoat. A surface nitriding. Nothing really special, but it is durable.

Brycoat applies a titanium nitride COATING. It is inherently gold in color. They have other coatings that are different in color,. Their Black color coating would be Aluminum Titanium Nitride (ALTN) which is actually a bit harder than TIN (ti Nitride). ALTN is 90 on the Rockwell C scale, approximately (the scale actually only goes to 70... they have estimated their coating at 90). VERY hard.

They recommend this for firearms: case hardening the gun, actually a salt bath nitriding, and then do the ALuminum Titanium Nitride for the final coating for a black finish. ALTN holds much of the polished smoothness in areas that are polished, but won't look quite as bright and shiny.

Brycoat has worked with Checkmate Plating (nearby in FL) on the plating of the Desert Eagle. They aren't really set up for piece work, as they do volume. It would be cheaper and more cost effective to have several slides/guns done at once. The guy i spoke to is going to send me some samples of their plating. I'll update. Their website is worth studying, i think.

[This message has been edited by Covert Mission (edited December 03, 1999).]

November 30, 1999, 08:15 AM	#1
Joe D Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 1999 Location: Alabama Posts: 455	I have just started building a 1911 and once it is completed would like a tenifer finish on it. Is there anyone that can apply this finish? If not what is a good tough alternative? I prefer a dark color like blue, black or dark gray.

November 30, 1999, 09:17 AM	#2
George Stringer Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Earlington KY Posts: 2,299	Joe, will tenifer adhere to anything besides plastic? Just kidding Glock fans. I don't know of anyone offering that finish, but I do a lot of guns in Teflon. I've found it to be very durable. You can do this yourself. All you need is Brownells (www.brownells.com)Teflon/Moly finish, a kitchen oven and a very understanding wife (a local florist may come in handy). The finish is available in several colors. Just follow the directions and open the windows. If you don't want to do it yourself I'd be happy to finish it for you. Just e-mail me. George

November 30, 1999, 10:11 PM	#3
Al Thompson Staff Alumnus Join Date: May 2, 1999 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,611	Hi Joe, Any of the teflon coatings are pretty good. I think the Tennifer finish is actually Titanium Carbo Nitride (or Nitrate). Several companies have tried to bring this finish to the market, but expense has stalled the efforts. Like Black-T, there is a lot more money in doing contract work for other companies than in putting up with the problems posed by gun owners. Giz

December 3, 1999, 03:50 AM	#4
Cheapo Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 1998 Posts: 986	Joe, what I've heard jives with what Gizmo sez. The heart of "Tennifer" is a nitride finish (don't know if it's titanium or another subcomponent metal/compound). It's super-hard and rust resistant to boot. But what you see on a Glock is the Phosphate (manganese phosphate? izzat the grey stuff?) finish over the top of the Tennifer. That's also known as Parkerizing, as in on all US military rifles of this century. Phosphate beats bluing all to heck, but ain't nothing like the newer finishes. I remember finding a joint on the web which would titanium nitride an entire semiauto pistol for something like $300. Not exactly cheap, but far more durable than anything else I've ever encountered (sorry, my experience with Teflon and Nitride is drill bits and not guns). [This message has been edited by Cheapo (edited December 03, 1999).]

December 3, 1999, 05:44 PM	#5
Covert Mission Senior Member Join Date: April 29, 1999 Location: West of the Pecos Posts: 671	For a promising gun finish for your 1911 etc, check out these guys. I think it might be a great alternative to any of the teflon finishes...FAR more durable, they say. I like the idea of this, for a dark, highly durable finish, on 1911's esp, that is an alternative to hardchrome (which is not dark) and harder too. Any experience with this process here? Brycoat, at www.brycoat.com/ Since I've seen so many people online say "If I could only get a Tenifer-like finish on my gun", i asked them about Tenifer (the finish underneath the black oxide on Glocks). Tenifer is a case-hardening process, per Brycoat. A surface nitriding. Nothing really special, but it is durable. Brycoat applies a titanium nitride COATING. It is inherently gold in color. They have other coatings that are different in color,. Their Black color coating would be Aluminum Titanium Nitride (ALTN) which is actually a bit harder than TIN (ti Nitride). ALTN is 90 on the Rockwell C scale, approximately (the scale actually only goes to 70... they have estimated their coating at 90). VERY hard. They recommend this for firearms: case hardening the gun, actually a salt bath nitriding, and then do the ALuminum Titanium Nitride for the final coating for a black finish. ALTN holds much of the polished smoothness in areas that are polished, but won't look quite as bright and shiny. Brycoat has worked with Checkmate Plating (nearby in FL) on the plating of the Desert Eagle. They aren't really set up for piece work, as they do volume. It would be cheaper and more cost effective to have several slides/guns done at once. The guy i spoke to is going to send me some samples of their plating. I'll update. Their website is worth studying, i think. [This message has been edited by Covert Mission (edited December 03, 1999).]