[LlamaMan]

Wore my RIA 1911 on duty for one day and it was covered in rust. I immediately knew something was up and took a file to the beavertail tang to see if anything would chip off... Nope... The frame is in the white...

I got this as a trade for my Beretta m9a1 So it's not a warranty issue obviously and there is still parkerizing inside the frame.

I feel retarded



This is a daily duty weapon so should I just dunk it it a container of cold blue and say lesson learned?

Or should I cerakote the frame gray?

 

[walks with gun]

Cold bluing is best for small parts, I'm sure it would look like dung if you did the whole thing. As a last resort I have done a couple guns with finish problems like yours by lightly bead blasting them applying cold blue with a foam brush. I would consider the cerakote option.

 

[st381]

Cerakote it. I cerakoted mine and it has held up great. CERAKOTE IT!

 

[LlamaMan]

Cold bluing is best for small parts, I'm sure it would look like dung if you did the whole thing. As a last resort I have done a couple guns with finish problems like yours by lightly bead blasting them applying cold blue with a foam brush. I would consider the cerakote option.

I probably will have it head blasted.

I just had another thought...maybe a satin hardchrome would be good since it's going to be my EDC.

It's actually more comfy to carry than my xd9 service with grip chop. I'm thinking it's because I'm using leatherrather than the serpa holsters I tend to favor

Gray cerakote vs hardchrome... I think those are my 2 top choices right now but I'm leaning towards the hardchrome since it may take out a small amount of the slop

That being said, I have always wanted a titanium nitride fifinished 1911. everyone needs a pimp gun... Especially us security guards... Lol

 

[bigfatdave]

Did you buy it new, or used?
If new, you have a warranty issue, email [email protected]
If used, you got hosed by some chump that obviously didn't know what he was doing, and will want to refinish the blaster as well as seek some refund or present the chump with a bill. I like Parkerizing, myself, but this is your chance to get it in a deep polished blue, too. You could use a local shop, or email Ivan and ask about the authorized refinish shop they've been promising for a while.

This is why I scoff at people that think taking a finish off equals "customizing", by the way.

===

Off-topic, I've been considering a grip chop for an XD as well, did you DIY or send it out? If you have any info on doing it right, I'd appreciate a PM.

 

[LlamaMan]

Did you buy it new, or used?
If new, you have a warranty issue, email [email protected]
If used, you got hosed by some chump that obviously didn't know what he was doing, and will want to refinish the blaster as well as seek some refund or present the chump with a bill. I like Parkerizing, myself, but this is your chance to get it in a deep polished blue, too. You could use a local shop, or email Ivan and ask about the authorized refinish shop they've been promising for a while.

This is why I scoff at people that think taking a finish off equals "customizing", by the way.

===

Off-topic, I've been considering a grip chop for an XD as well, did you DIY or send it out? If you have any info on doing it right, I'd appreciate a PM.

I really want to carry it on duty and was wondering if there was a downside to me cold bluing it until I get it cerakoted.

 

[bigfatdave]

As a temporary measure? I'd guess no issue, but maybe a cerakote shop could answer that better?

 

[LlamaMan]

As a temporary measure? I'd guess no issue, but maybe a cerakote shop could answer that better?

At this point I may not have the funds to cerakote it immedately

 

[OldEagleEars]

LlamaMan - While I'm sure there are other sources, Brownells has very complete inventory of finishes that can be home applied in their big-book. But whichever route you choose, please remember that the prep of the surface is the most important thing to consider! When I was subduing the big 'ol Rock Island logo on the slide of my pistols with Cold-Blue I found that how I prepped the surface was vital to the success of the bluing. Since your intention is to coat all the surfaces of the gun, inside and out (internal corrosion is not a good thing); I would think that enough bluing to dip the whole frame and slide for total coverage might be desirable.
Frankly I would research the cost of a quality, local Cerakoting before I spent a wad on cold-blue. By quality I speak from experience as the local "gunsmith" I had do my Rock Compact didn't prep the slide properly and within six-months I had rust blooms all over the beautiful Titanium-Blue. I've since had it redone at a local firm where the slide was blasted twice with aluminum oxide and had a soak in acetone before receiving a Cerakoting in regular Titanium AND an overlay of Duracoating for even greater durability! I've also had my TCM done there and the results are spectacular. But beyond the guns, I've had a lesson in learning what will be done to prepare the metal for its new finish. These fellows are trained by the Cerakote people and use it as well as several other types of finishing in their main business of building custom MP5's and refurbishing classic automatic weapons (yes, they are fully Class-3 licensed) so the more I saw of their work and asked questions, the more I was assured of the quality of the work to be done on my Rocks. Cerakote is not as expensive as hard-chroming (usually, but look out for a "cheap" chrome job!) and essentially just as durable.
It's a big decision and I appreciate your financial considerations (being retired on a fixed income doesn't leave much wiggle room for me) but I would sure investigate the Cerakote option as much as you can.
Good luck with your quest!
(P.S. - I have to mention that your "handle" (LlamaMan) always makes me think of a really fuzzy centaur! Sorry 'bout that but I do have a weird brain sometimes.)

 

[LlamaMan]

The handle comes from my first 1911 which was a llama. Lol

I dipped the entire frame in cold blue after decreasing it and this was the outcome

 

[fletchwe]

Used Dura on one pistol 5 - 6 years ago and was not at all satisfied with it. Cerakote applied by a factory trained coater will likely provide a fairly durable finish for a limited period of time. It also will show wear at points of contact in daily use in / out of a leather holster. I have Cerakote on 3 CS models, one of which I carried daily for around 18 months. Wear became noticeable on the Slide, but nothing on the Frame. No question plating will be a more durable alternative. An even more permanent / durable option is IonBond, but at a higher cost. Guess the choice boils down to the potential for recoating a 2nd time at a later date or biting the bullet up front. Tough decision.

 

[LlamaMan]

Used Dura on one pistol 5 - 6 years ago and was not at all satisfied with it. Cerakote applied by a factory trained coater will likely provide a fairly durable finish for a limited period of time. It also will show wear at points of contact in daily use in / out of a leather holster. I have Cerakote on 3 CS models, one of which I carried daily for around 18 months. Wear became noticeable on the Slide, but nothing on the Frame. No question plating will be a more durable alternative. An even more permanent / durable option is IonBond, but at a higher cost. Guess the choice boils down to the potential for recoating a 2nd time at a later date or biting the bullet up front. Tough decision.

I think I am going to stick with cerkote mostly because there are a bunch of people who do it in my area and the prices are fairly competitive.

On a side note I thought this fun may make a good pimo fun lol. TiN the frame and cerakote the slide black and TiN the rest of the controls and small parts.

Everybody needs to flex their pimp hand every now and then... LOL

 

[LlamaMan]

Used Dura on one pistol 5 - 6 years ago and was not at all satisfied with it. Cerakote applied by a factory trained coater will likely provide a fairly durable finish for a limited period of time. It also will show wear at points of contact in daily use in / out of a leather holster. I have Cerakote on 3 CS models, one of which I carried daily for around 18 months. Wear became noticeable on the Slide, but nothing on the Frame. No question plating will be a more durable alternative. An even more permanent / durable option is IonBond, but at a higher cost. Guess the choice boils down to the potential for recoating a 2nd time at a later date or biting the bullet up front. Tough decision.

I'm more worried about corrosion than finish wear. Actually I like finish wear just because it gives the gun character. If I could find somebody to hardchrome the frame that might be nice. And according to a gunsmith buddy of mine, it may even tighten up the slide to frame fit because of the extra couple of thousandths of material it adds.

 

[OldEagleEars]

LlamaMan - The Cerakote on my TCM did take away the tiny bit of looseness I had noticed in the slide fit on the rails. My "koter" said that often happens. The Cerakote on the feed ramp of my CS-Tac had no effect on it's ability to feed and chamber ammo and is just as slick as the polish I had on it before.

 

[LlamaMan]

LlamaMan - The Cerakote on my TCM did take away the tiny bit of looseness I had noticed in the slide fit on the rails. My "koter" said that often happens. The Cerakote on the feed ramp of my CS-Tac had no effect on it's ability to feed and chamber ammo and is just as slick as the polish I had on it before.

I already chose a custom gunsmithing shop to do the work. I have an appt this Tuesday with modern warrior gunsmithing. When I was working at my lgs, I got a chance to meet these guys before they opened and they do some amazing work. Another on of my friends is having his rock cerakoted at the same place as we speak. I'm torn between doing an I'd green frame with black slide and parts of just going all black and leaving the stainless parts fflashy. my inner red neck days TiN the frame gold but that is just wayy to expensive. I'm thinking black and stainless controls (the only other stainless part I need is an extended safety. I still have the crappy gi one that I can't really ride my thumb with.

So far I put 500 rounds through it and it has been flawless except for one failure do to a weak magazine spring. I tossed the mag in the range bag and ran the next 400 rounds without a hiccup. I also found out the my Wilson 7 round maga with brass nameplates are actually 8 rounders so they made it into my duty rotation. here is a target from practicing point shooting at 10 to 25 yards. And what I mean by that is just naturally pointing the pistol off on a presentation and firing witout sights. I Practice so much this way that I sometimes find myself more accurate ponot shooting than with aimed fire. The two small targets in either side are from 25 yards standing aimed fire. The body mass section is from point shooting.

 

[bamashooter]

Pretty interesting finish as it turned out. I really liked it as was but then again I like rat rods. It still looks cool though and is now protected.

 

[LlamaMan]

Pretty interesting finish as it turned out. I really liked it as was but then again I like rat rods. It still looks cool though and is now protected.

It's going to look way better after I give it to the Smith tomorrow. That being said, I may leave the pitting and in place of the ria banner I'll have the word "rusty" engraved on the slide. Lol

 

[LlamaMan]

Just dropped off my 1911 to be cerakoted black and have the controls cerakoted in burnt bronze. I can't wait t9 get it back. They literally showed me little color swatches to look at as if I was picking out houseplants. Haha

 

[bamashooter]

I hope Rusty is rust colored.

 

[LlamaMan]

I hope Rusty is rust colored.

All of the controls and even the Maxwell is gonna be burnt bronze in color. The rest of the gun is going to be admirers black. They are also removing the RIA banner but to do the engraving they would have to outsource it so I decided against it for the time being. I'm also just getting standard gi style trijicons instead of getting the slide cut for novaks. I got to hold a gun with a set of those on them and I loved the sight picture So I figured I should save a couple of bucks and get some work done on my chopped xd9 in the future...