[bigkracka]

Is this on the bbl and slide, or just slide?

 

[G56]

I had wondered about that myself, so I looked for the answer and found it. Both the barrel and slide have the Melonite finish.



http://www.smith-wesson.com/wcsstore/SmWes..._TECH_SPECS.pdf

 

[bigkracka]

Thanks

 

[G56]

I also found out something I didn't know, Melonite and the Glock Tenifer finish are related, they aren't exactly the same, but very similar.

 

[bigkracka]

They are exactly the same. Same process, different trade names.

 

[bigkracka]

http://www.glocktalk.com/showthread.php?s=...threadid=596894

 

[toocool]

They are exactly the same. Same process, different trade names.

This brings up the question - if they are the same, then why is it not black on Glocks (they put a phosphate finish over the Tenifer) but on Smith's stainless parts, it's a black finish? Everything I've read indicates the Glock Tenifer finish is a metal treatment, and does not blacken the metal. This would follow, that those who polish the slide of their M&P's do not remove the Melonite, just a "cover" finish.

 

[YukonGlocker]

When Glock puts the Tenifer treatment on steel it makes the steel corrosion resistant. The only difference with the Melonite treatment is that, with the M&P, it is applied to stainless steel. When the Melonite is applied to stainless steel is does not make it more corrosion resistant.

 

[bigkracka]

When Glock puts the Tenifer treatment on steel it makes the steel corrosion resistant. The only difference with the Melonite treatment is that, with the M&P, it is applied to stainless steel. When the Melonite is applied to stainless steel is does not make it more corrosion resistant.

How's that?

 

[YukonGlocker]

Here is a good explanation of Melonite. It is because of the chemical makeup of stainless steel. Read this whole page.

http://www.burlingtoneng.com/melonite.html

 

[G56]

Here's a good explantion:



To meet the growing needs with regard to wear and corrosion resistance, as well as the enhancement of the fatigue strength, great efforts were devoted to the development and launching of the TENIFER® process, which is also known worldwide under the trade names of TUFFTRIDE® and MELONITE®

http://durferrit.de/en/unternehmen/firmengeschichte.htm

 

[bigkracka]

[quote name='bigkracka']They are exactly the same. Same process, different trade names.

This brings up the question - if they are the same, then why is it not black on Glocks (they put a phosphate finish over the Tenifer) but on Smith's stainless parts, it's a black finish? Everything I've read indicates the Glock Tenifer finish is a metal treatment, and does not blacken the metal. This would follow, that those who polish the slide of their M&P's do not remove the Melonite, just a "cover" finish.[/quote] I would guess that Glock is covering up whatever the steel looks like after the tenifer process with their black teflon type finish. S&W leaves it as is, or is adding a finish as well.

 

[G56]

One good thing I saw when researching this question, there had been a lot of complaints about the finish on the XD series pistols, I see now that the new production XD's now come with the Melonite finish, but I still like the MP series better!

 

[thorn]

Glock adds a finish to the slide after the tenifer process is complete. Earlier glocks look similar to the MP - kind of a dull, nearly-black color. Later glocks have a shinier, darker black appearance.



The only difference is appearance, the metal treatment is the same. And some actually do prefer the older finish, claiming it's easier to grip/slingshot than the "prettier" one.



thorn