Black Matte Finish Durability

[wilkison1@msn.com]

I was curious to how the durability rates for for the blackened slide models. Does it compare to the Glock's finish? Does it hold up to holster use? Trying to decide between the stainless or black. Thanks in advance!

[Vinikahr]

I was curious to how the durability rates for for the blackened slide models. Does it compare to the Glock's finish? Does it hold up to holster use? Trying to decide between the stainless or black. Thanks in advance!

Jocko will be in shortly to answer this question.
Welcome to the forum.

[ripley16]

I've never carried a Glock so I can't compare with one, but my K9 has worn in a similar manner to my blued guns. High areas wear, controls show visible use. My HKs seem to wear better than any other gun I own and carry, but Glock's Tennifer is one of the best.

[jocko]

I was curious to how the durability rates for for the blackened slide models. Does it compare to the Glock's finish? Does it hold up to holster use? Trying to decide between the stainless or black. Thanks in advance!

it does, it actually has a Rockwell hardness of more than the stainless slide even. It is very very durable and it to me makes the gun to. Very nice feature.

You can google up DLC finsih (dialmond like coating) and it will tell u alot about the process.


the glock tennifer finish will like any finish over time "wear" but it is also very very durable...

I orderedmy PM9 with the DLC finsih and had to wait a few months before my dealer could even find me one. Our gander mt sells alot of kahrs but I have yet to see a DLC finished kahr in their showcase.the stainless is less money..:cheer2:

below is a review of the KAHR DLC process. It is not a cheapo process as u will see either. you get what you pay for...


A couple of years back Kahr decided to discontinue carbon steel guns and manufacture all slides and steel frames from stainless steel. Most consumers liked the corrosion resistance of stainless.
However, Kahr quickly discovered that not all consumers wanted bright and shiny guns. In dim light, the glint of a stainless slide being withdrawn by an undercover operative could lead to fatal complications.
To solve this problem and darken the stainless slide, Kahr flirted briefly with baked-on Teflon used by many manufacturers but found the results less than satisfactory. The economy of the finish was appealing to Kahr, but is soon discovered that the cosmetics were short-lived. Kahr tried another process that required substantial heat. This actually changed the metal's molecular structure and made it more brittle. Finally, Kahr developed its proprietary Tungsten Diamond-Like-Coating (Tungsten DLC), which uses a process called Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition to coat the parts.
Tungsten DLC is applied in a vacuum chamber where cathodes transform the tungsten into a gas that plates the parts. The process increases the surface hardness to a whopping 90 on the Rockwell C scale. Just for comparison, your average 1911 frame will register about 28 to 30 on the same scale.
One of the best selling points of the Diamond-Like Coating in that the parts are never heated over 300 degrees Fahrenheit, so there's no need to worry about the parts losing their temper, softening, or becoming brittle. Also, only about two microns of the material is deposited on the slide. In case you're wondering, that amounts to about 80 millionths of an inch-far too little to affect the parts' function or fit.
Kahr's Tungsten DLC thoroughly impresses me. Not only does it perform its intended task of coloring the bright stainless steel to a matte, non-reflective black, it also provides a tough, corrosion-proof covering that is virtually scratch proof. And it will not wear even when subjected to extensive holster carry. For a gun that will be used exclusively for concealed carry, the Tungsten DLC finish makes a lot of sense.

[wilkison1@msn.com]

Thanks for the info! Question(s) answered.