What black finish for SS, and who can do it?

[singleaction]

Just put a 3.75” (sheriff’s model?) stainless old Vaquero, in 45 Colt, on layaway. Plan to approximate Tyler Gunworks lightweight New Vaquero, but on an Old Vaquero (Large frame), with the Tyler Dovetail front sight and RW bisley Junior grip frame. However, I would like it blackened, so what’s the current best black finish for stainless, and who can do it for me? Would prefer a satin black finish. Doesn’t have to be super dull, but not shine. The grip frame will be cerakoted to reasonably match. I have a few SS bisley hammers and triggers from midway. Can they be treated, as well? Thanks for any and all advise!

[pleadthe2nd]

Ronnie Wells once blackened a stainless bisley hammer for me, turned out exactly how you described the finish your looking for

[handgunhuntingafield]

DLC is one of the toughest finishes.

[bigbrowndog]

H&M Black Nitride is my favorite, it is not a finish it alters the metallurgical properties.


blacknitride.com/
Trapr

[bushog]

I’d love to DLC a Freedom arms gun but getting the metal prepped and the serial numbers being etched can apparently be of concern….

I still want a black FA…

[northerngos]

I’d look into richter precision.  That’s who Bowen used for my stainless octagon 45 pvd coating.  It came out great, and it seems to make the action cycle even smoother.  I believe they can coat the aluminum as well.  A gunsmith has to do surface prep and finishing, and send it to them.  It’s super tough also, very cool.  I’ll try to post a pic. 

[northerngos]

Please excuse my struggles to post a pic 😅

[northerngos]

[northerngos]

IMG_2492 by Jr Knutson, on Flickr

Phew finally sorry about that!  Any perceived imperfections are oil and grease.  I couldn’t be happier with the result.  

[singleaction]

Aug 4, 2024 11:20:52 GMT -5 northerngos said:

IMG_2492 by Jr Knutson, on Flickr

Phew finally sorry about that!  Any perceived imperfections are oil and grease.  I couldn’t be happier with the result.  

That looks super nice! Thanks. I’ll investigate all these suggestions.

[Ken O'Neill]

I'd have Bobby Tyler do it ... or anything having to do with finishes.

[northerngos]

The thing to keep in mind, and the reason Bowen won’t touch this process for whole guns any more, is that you get one shot. So if there are any flaws at all in either the pvd application, the finish the gunsmith applies, or any dinging or scuffing in transport or handling, it’s basically permanent. It CAN be cleaned off, but the whole piece has to be totally bare metal again before the finish can be reapplied. Hamilton let me know that this was a “you get what you get” situation because refinishing is so hard on the gunsmith physically. PVD is TOUGH. and I was fine with that risk because, well, it was Bowen doing the work. The surface prep was certainly going to be perfect, and I wouldn’t want him to be punished if something funky happened in application. Anyone else and I’d have gotten in writing that they would refinish if it came back unsatisfactory rather than have to pay several times the initial surface prep cost to have pvd removed.
One option might be to have Gemini do the prep but I think they are more bead blasting oriented.

[bigbore5]

Gary Reeder offers a satin black chromex. Looked good on the guns I have seen but I never looked into it's longevity. He claims it's tough anyway.

[pacecars]

Gary’s Black Chromex is a blued finish for chrome moly guns

[bushog]

Aug 4, 2024 20:02:37 GMT -5 northerngos said:

The thing to keep in mind, and the reason Bowen won’t touch this process for whole guns any more, is that you get one shot. So if there are any flaws at all in either the pvd application, the finish the gunsmith applies, or any dinging or scuffing in transport or handling, it’s basically permanent. It CAN be cleaned off, but the whole piece has to be totally bare metal again before the finish can be reapplied. Hamilton let me know that this was a “you get what you get” situation because refinishing is so hard on the gunsmith physically. PVD is TOUGH. and I was fine with that risk because, well, it was Bowen doing the work. The surface prep was certainly going to be perfect, and I wouldn’t want him to be punished if something funky happened in application. Anyone else and I’d have gotten in writing that they would refinish if it came back unsatisfactory rather than have to pay several times the initial surface prep cost to have pvd removed.
One option might be to have Gemini do the prep but I think they are more bead blasting oriented.

I wasn’t going to mention Hamilton’s sentiment on the DLC stuff but he flat out recoils at the mention…