What the hell do I do with all these parts????

[kcobean]

 

Just kidding.  I stripped this OLD STI Eagle 5.1 down to the very last screw, every pin, everything to send it in for refinishing.   The original finish is almost gone and this gun (which is my backup to my Limcat) rusts every time I take to the range if it rains.  It will literally have visible surface rust after one day.

So here's the question I pose to the community...  If you could get a very affordable cerakote job done by a Cerakote certified applicator, would you do that, or would you go with something like an NP3/NP3+ finish from Robar?  I sent Robar an email (their site asks you NOT to call them...weird) and haven't heard back yet, but it looks like an NP3+ job would run me about $150-ish dollars more than a cerakote job.

What do you guys think?

Edited February 3, 2017 by kcobean

[Taroman]

Robar is GTD. I would also consider hard chrome by APW Cogan.

[darkvibe]

I did DLC and would do it again in a heartbeat.  Sent it through a place in Carolina who sent it to Ionbond. I think it was about $350.

[Sandbagger123]

Easy decision. Sell it and buy another limcat. you can then have them refinished every year . 

[MemphisMechanic]

I cerakote my own hardware (small spot media-blasting gun a good compressor and an airbrush) and it holds up fantastically well for $40 per color per gun.

 

For a backup and not a super high end one? That's all I'd put th money into doing

Edited February 3, 2017 by MemphisMechanic

[Dr Mitch]

Hard chrome, Black Nitride, Ionbond, generic DLC>Cerakote>Bluing>bare steel. 

[CaptainOverkill]

Hard chrome or melonite

[rishii]

I've done both np3 and cerakote

np3 is good, I did a couple of gun in the mid 90's, one of them that I ran hard had the finish worn off in spots and has corrosion in spots

but for the price I would do cerakote in a heart beat 

I did a couple guns in 2013, I've run both of them fairly hard with minimal care and the finish has held up amazingly well, and the few areas that the finish has worn thru, show no sign of rust

[MemphisMechanic]

30 minutes ago, Dr Mitch said:

Hard chrome, Black Nitride, Ionbond, generic DLC>Cerakote>Bluing>bare steel. 

This is accurate. Add Duracoat about even with bluing (and krylon) and you're on the money.

 

However, everything Cerakote and above is pretty tough.

 

Everything above "generic DLC" is nearly indestructible without deliberate, malicious intent.

Edited February 3, 2017 by MemphisMechanic

[SWprotected]

I just sent my Eagle off to be hard chromed. I had my Edge done 2 years and it looks just like it did the day I got it back. DLC and NP3 are pretty cool as well but usually chrome is a little cheaper.

[kcobean]

Thanks for all the input guys.  Never heard back from Robar so I took it to a professional Cerakote applicator here in the area that does work directly for STI.  He spent an hour with me showing me some of the work he's done on various guns and their work is impressive.  Should have it back in a few weeks so I'll post pics when I get it back.  Decided to go with a new color I think he said is called Midnight Bronze and he's going to distress it for effect.  Should be interesting!