Coloring in your engravings: the Write Up

[1lowlife]

Originally Posted by rickett

Finally finished!

I don't really care for earth tone XDs.
But I do have to admit that really looks good.

[rickett]

Thanks. I didn't either, and the shop I bought this from also had a black one, but this one was $40 cheaper and had Trijicon sights, so what was I to do? I'm learning to love it. And anyway, "earth tone" XD's shoot just as well as black ones!

[Nosrac]

OK...I used 98 cent silver fingernail polish from walmart. Took me maybe 15 minutes total. Basically I just cleaned the areas to silver with Isopropyl alcohol then put two coats of silver polish on. I put it under my sons reading lamp to dry it faster. I used a bore patch with nail polish remover to clean off the excess. It doesn't get any easier and it looks great. I guess I can't post pictures directly so I'll find a host to put them to and then post em here.

Great easy little mod.

[Outsider]

Originally Posted by rickett

Finally finished!

I was thinking yellow but thought someone might call me "yellow" and I'd no longer be stable enough to carry. Very nice.

[Outsider]

I forgot I could post mine here:

I did the sides white





And the seal gold (kinda blurry):


My step by step is located at Mod to Springfield XD 40 4" Service

[rickett]

Originally Posted by Outsider

I was thinking yellow but thought someone might call me "yellow" and I'd no longer be stable enough to carry. Very nice.

Great, there goes my confidence! Just when I was starting to get over the "earth tones" comment....

[rickett]

I dig the gold and white on black, by the way

[Outsider]

Originally Posted by rickett

I dig the gold and white on black, by the way

The white really does seem to stand out the most on all XD guns.

[Wendytww]

I messed with crayons last night. I did one XD with a gunkoat and one with a factory finish. I wanted to add a new technique to this thread. I heated the slide and rubbed the crayon across firmly, not worrying about excess crayon. I then reheated the slide to make sure the crayon was melted in. After the slide cooled I took a dry, new Magic Eraser and laid it flat against the slide. I gently rubbed it back and forth across the engravings and it removed all of the excess crayon while leaving the engravings filled.

I love magic eraser. It takes crayons off of walls and toys, cleans the oven top like a champ and works on almost anything, even my XD!!! (I would LOVE to see THAT commercial!) LOL

[TootMasterK]

Being a former manicurist, I decided to try the nail polish route first. I used Sally Hansen Chome nail polish on the barrel and slide. thin layers- about 3 with a few minutes in between each coat and about about 30 minutes before cleaning up. I used a cleaning patch with just a little pure acetone in light swipes until all the excess was off and it worked GREAT! I also tried a cotton ball and cotton pad and they failed as they went into the groves and removed everything. I also tesed non acetone remover and had great results as well.

For the Handgrip, I used a fine point paint pen. It worked great but is much harder to remove slop due to the textured surface. I touched up the letters with a Black regular Sharpie after a failed atempt with a gold paint pen (too much paint running into my silver- I even tried to dip a toothpick in the paint I pressed out onto paper and apply it to letters only but still had run over- Hence- Sharpie to the recue.)

After an hour, I took it to the range and put about 200 rounds through it with no changes to the coloring. Also, the cleaning of the handgun after shooting did not damage the painted parts at all.

Turned out great! The silver chrome color is great - eliciting lots of ooohs and ahhhs from the people at the range. I like it. Thanks for the thread- more reasons to fondle our guns!