ExtremeShot Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Metaloy recently hard chromed my STI frame. This was the first time I've ever had anything hard chromed. It looks great. However, some of the parts on my gun are polished stainless steel. As some of you know, the color of hard chrome is not the shiny polished "chrome" color like you see on a car bumper. It's more of a satin gray/silver color. I'd like the stainless parts to better match the hard chromed frame. I'm wondering if bead blasting the stainless parts to remove the polished shine would make the stainless and hard chrome match better??? If you have experience with this, I'd love to hear from you. Thanks, Darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 If you want stuff to really match, why not have the small parts hard chromed, as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExtremeShot Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 If you want stuff to really match, why not have the small parts hard chromed, as well? That was a thought, but for those that have had HC done, it's dang expensive and my budget for this gun build is pretty much shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolguy Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 You can bead blast or vapor blast it. Use the color of media that you want the part to be. For example, white silica sand will make it light colored, the color of the metal. Silicon carbide is black and will make it a lot darker. Brown media will give it a brown tint, etc. These colors are subtle but obvious when compared side by side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExtremeShot Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 You can bead blast or vapor blast it. Use the color of media that you want the part to be. For example, white silica sand will make itlight colored, the color of the metal. Silicon carbide is black and will make it a lot darker. Brown media will give it a brown tint, etc. These colors are subtle but obvious when compared side by side. Hmm, a white bead blast may work then. Is there a certain size media I should be looking for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolguy Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 (edited) I just use the white silica sand from ACE Hardware. It's a few bucks for 50 pounds. You can adjust the finish with air pressure too. Less pressure gives a finer finish, more pressure gives a coarser finish. Edited December 10, 2009 by Toolguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExtremeShot Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 Thanks Warren. I have some old stainless comps that I'll try it on first. I think dad has some of that white sand you are talking about. I just sent you an email on another subject. ...I know you wanted to spend all morning answering my questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irq23 Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 You probably already know this but wear a respirator. Silica sand is no bueno to inhale, carcinogen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExtremeShot Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 (edited) Woops...would have been good to know before I blasted my slide. I guess you gotta die from something. Now that I think back, I was outside and it was windy and I was holding my breath so I should be good to go. Guess I'll find out in a few years. Edited December 10, 2009 by ExtremeShot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 That was a thought, but for those that have had HC done, it's dang expensive and my budget for this gun build is pretty much shot. Why not call up Metalife and talk to Ron Mahovsky, tell him you only want a few small parts done, it might not be as expensive as you think. And if it is, what have you lost but a few minutes on the phone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterdaws Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Its going to depend to some extent as to what the surface prepration was for the hard chroming but from you discriprion I am assuming its bead blasted. Try getting a good polish on the parts you want to match up then bead blast them with the smallest beads and as low a pressure as you can run the blaster. Try different pressures to get a closer match. Also try well used beads that are broken up. Hours of endless fun with this one! As an aside, I have had good sucess with matching a stainless comp to a titanium cylinder using Aluminium Oxide grit then oil it. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoNsTeR Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 They'll never quiiiite match, it's just the natural difference in color between metals. Chroming a bag of small parts should be pretty inexpensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExtremeShot Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 Chroming a bag of small parts should be pretty inexpensive. I'll have to check some other hard chromers because Metaloy (the place that did my frame) wants $20.00 per part (for small parts). That's $20.00 for the slide stop, another $20 for the beavertail, another $20 for the thumbsafety, maybe another $20 for the ambi-right side of the thumbsafety, another $20 for the comp, etc, etc,. That is NOT inexpensive! D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 Do you have a photo of the hard chrome? I am thinking about ordering an STI but I like a two toned 1911, so I would have the frame hard chromed but I just can't get a feel for what hard chrome looks like. They also mention bead blasted, brushed, polished. So I am really confused. It's hard to order it without having any idea what it will look like. I'm looking at the Sentry Thanks, Lin Metaloy recently hard chromed my STI frame. This was the first time I've ever had anything hard chromed. It looks great. However, some of the parts on my gun are polished stainless steel. As some of you know, the color of hard chrome is not the shiny polished "chrome" color like you see on a car bumper. It's more of a satin gray/silver color. Thanks, Darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExtremeShot Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 You can check out some HC pictures at these two sites: www.mahovskysmetalife.com www.originalmetaloy.com Darren Do you have a photo of the hard chrome? I am thinking about ordering an STI but I like a two toned 1911, so I would have the frame hard chromed but I just can't get a feel for what hard chrome looks like. They also mention bead blasted, brushed, polished. So I am really confused. It's hard to order it without having any idea what it will look like. I'm looking at the SentryThanks, Lin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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