Hard Chroming Metalife finish from Gander Mtn? MUST READ - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

XD 40 mike · 07-12-2005, 07:14 AM

Gander Mtn. uses this place for hard chroming and I wanted to see if anyone has any opinions or actual work done by Ron Mahovsky.

It's called Metalife and they also do nickel. Here is what the description for the Metalife says....

" The Metalife finish, otherwise known as SS Chromium M, is our most durable finish. Metalife looks like stainless steel, but has a hardness of about 71 on the Rockwell "C" Scale, which is even harder than stainless steel. It is guaranteed not to chip, crack or peel when applied to metal in good condition, and it is highly rust resistant and holster-wear resistant. It requires reasonable care and is guaranteed for the life of your piece.

Also, the Metalife has a maximum build up of only .0002. This means it will not affect the tolerances of even the finest fitted parts. Unlike some platings which coat the metal, the Metalife plating process fills the pores of the base material to form a molecular bond.

We recommend Metalife on guns that are in excellent condition and free from pits. Pitted pieces can only be polished to a certain degree without changing the contour. Also, pits have a way of cratering metal, making it nearly impossible to process down deep inside of them.

Metalife is successfully applied to aluminum frame automatics as well as steel. When we receive an aluminum piece, we must first apply a plating of our high phosphorous electroless nickel. The Metalife process is then applied over the nickel giving the piece the ultimate in durability."

There is a couple of pictures but not to high in quality though. Brushed satin which looks more like a steel color to me and a matte finish that I think looks slightly shinier which I like a little better.

It's only 70$ to do the entire slide assembly including the rod and 1 magazine, and an additional 7$ per magazine. I asked the guys at Gander and they said it would be another 15$ or so for all of the small parts in the frame. They showed me a sample CZ slide they had done and the gunsmith grabbed a 3/32 punch and dug into the slide with it to show me it didn't scratch at all! He was tearing at it as hard as he could an it didn't leave a mark on it at all!

Anyways just wanted to see what you guys think and make sure you check out the pricing sheet, here's the link...

http://www.mahovskysmetalife.com/index.htm

The Tengu · 07-12-2005, 08:27 AM

Althought Mahovsky has done good work for lots of good people, they obviously had never worked on an XD until they got mine.

They gouged my rear dovetail before they chromed it. They also left my extractor in the slide while they plated it, so that entire area was not even chromed.

I wanted to send mine to Tripp, but they had quit doing hard chroming at the time. If I were to get my other guns chromed today, they would go straight to Tripp Research.

XD 40 mike · 07-12-2005, 08:36 AM

Wow, intresting. I would have though they would disassemble it completely before starting there work. Do you have any pictures of how the finish came out? I will check out Tripp though like you suggested, thanks for the info.

mullanman · 07-12-2005, 09:13 AM

I just had two pistols hardchromed from Tripp. By far the best in the business. Turnaround was fast and the work was inexpensive. I had two STI's done for 125$ each

XD 40 mike · 07-12-2005, 09:35 AM

Just finished up on reading through the Tripp website and they are much more thorough I must say that. Does anyone have a picture of I am assuming would be the Cobra Chrome style finish? It is a little hard to tell from the smaller pictures they have.

The one on the top looks a little shinier than the bottom, or it could be just the lighting. But are all of the chromings generaly the same as those unless you specifically pay for some type of custom work?

Fingolfin · 07-12-2005, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XD 40 mike

Does anyone have a picture of I am assuming would be the Cobra Chrome style finish?

My camera sucks, but here is mine with Tripp's chrome. You can get the sides brushed with is a "shinier" finish than the top, which you see on stainless 1911s a lot, but I prefer the all matte look.

HK Mark23 SOCOM · 07-12-2005, 10:33 AM

Tripp research hard chrome satin finish

R/T Performance · 07-12-2005, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mullanman

I just had two pistols hardchromed from Tripp. By far the best in the business. Turnaround was fast and the work was inexpensive. I had two STI's done for 125$ each

So how much was shipping?
You almost have me hooked od green fourty to tripp chrome the rich for trigger and Then I would have a nice nearly new Tach.

I think my wife might notice the differance

kraigster414 · 07-12-2005, 01:55 PM

Two words: Tripp Research. Two more : Cobra Coat - Two more: Cobra Chrome

www.trippresearch.com

(Velcro is for laser pressure pad)

I know we are talking about chrome here (my slide is Cobra Coated) but I have seen Tripp's Cobra Chrome and it is outstanding as well.

leadbutt · 07-12-2005, 05:54 PM

Don't know about now ,but back in the early 70's I had him do a S&W model 28,,its held up well all these years, kind of a dead grey color, but you just can't scratch it

07-12-2005, 07:14 AM	#1
XD 40 mike XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 171	Hard Chroming Metalife finish from Gander Mtn? MUST READ Gander Mtn. uses this place for hard chroming and I wanted to see if anyone has any opinions or actual work done by Ron Mahovsky. It's called Metalife and they also do nickel. Here is what the description for the Metalife says.... " The Metalife finish, otherwise known as SS Chromium M, is our most durable finish. Metalife looks like stainless steel, but has a hardness of about 71 on the Rockwell "C" Scale, which is even harder than stainless steel. It is guaranteed not to chip, crack or peel when applied to metal in good condition, and it is highly rust resistant and holster-wear resistant. It requires reasonable care and is guaranteed for the life of your piece. Also, the Metalife has a maximum build up of only .0002. This means it will not affect the tolerances of even the finest fitted parts. Unlike some platings which coat the metal, the Metalife plating process fills the pores of the base material to form a molecular bond. We recommend Metalife on guns that are in excellent condition and free from pits. Pitted pieces can only be polished to a certain degree without changing the contour. Also, pits have a way of cratering metal, making it nearly impossible to process down deep inside of them. Metalife is successfully applied to aluminum frame automatics as well as steel. When we receive an aluminum piece, we must first apply a plating of our high phosphorous electroless nickel. The Metalife process is then applied over the nickel giving the piece the ultimate in durability." There is a couple of pictures but not to high in quality though. Brushed satin which looks more like a steel color to me and a matte finish that I think looks slightly shinier which I like a little better. It's only 70$ to do the entire slide assembly including the rod and 1 magazine, and an additional 7$ per magazine. I asked the guys at Gander and they said it would be another 15$ or so for all of the small parts in the frame. They showed me a sample CZ slide they had done and the gunsmith grabbed a 3/32 punch and dug into the slide with it to show me it didn't scratch at all! He was tearing at it as hard as he could an it didn't leave a mark on it at all! Anyways just wanted to see what you guys think and make sure you check out the pricing sheet, here's the link... http://www.mahovskysmetalife.com/index.htm __________________ XD-40-Tactical

07-12-2005, 08:27 AM	#2
The Tengu XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 1,771	Althought Mahovsky has done good work for lots of good people, they obviously had never worked on an XD until they got mine. They gouged my rear dovetail before they chromed it. They also left my extractor in the slide while they plated it, so that entire area was not even chromed. I wanted to send mine to Tripp, but they had quit doing hard chroming at the time. If I were to get my other guns chromed today, they would go straight to Tripp Research. __________________ The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard. United States Code, Title 10, section 311, paragraph (a)

07-12-2005, 08:36 AM	#3
XD 40 mike XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 171	Wow, intresting. I would have though they would disassemble it completely before starting there work. Do you have any pictures of how the finish came out? I will check out Tripp though like you suggested, thanks for the info. __________________ XD-40-Tactical

07-12-2005, 09:13 AM	#4
mullanman XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,909	I just had two pistols hardchromed from Tripp. By far the best in the business. Turnaround was fast and the work was inexpensive. I had two STI's done for 125$ each __________________ USPSA L2683

07-12-2005, 09:35 AM	#5
XD 40 mike XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 171	Just finished up on reading through the Tripp website and they are much more thorough I must say that. Does anyone have a picture of I am assuming would be the Cobra Chrome style finish? It is a little hard to tell from the smaller pictures they have. The one on the top looks a little shinier than the bottom, or it could be just the lighting. But are all of the chromings generaly the same as those unless you specifically pay for some type of custom work? __________________ XD-40-Tactical

07-12-2005, 10:33 AM	#7
HK Mark23 SOCOM XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 3	Tripp research hard chrome satin finish

07-12-2005, 01:55 PM	#9
kraigster414 XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Upper Himalayas Posts: 1,441	Two words: Tripp Research. Two more : Cobra Coat - Two more: Cobra Chrome www.trippresearch.com (Velcro is for laser pressure pad) I know we are talking about chrome here (my slide is Cobra Coated) but I have seen Tripp's Cobra Chrome and it is outstanding as well. __________________ "Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." - George Burns

07-12-2005, 05:54 PM	#10
leadbutt XDTalk Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tidewater,Virginia Posts: 33	Don't know about now ,but back in the early 70's I had him do a S&W model 28,,its held up well all these years, kind of a dead grey color, but you just can't scratch it __________________ Bolivar E.Shagnasty Esq. I am always willing to learn.not always willing to be taught. Sir Winston Churchill

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