GLOCK 43! Yep it can be done

After having engraved the Glock 17's for the 30th anniversary project, I was receiving tremendous feedback asking for Glock engraving. So I contacted the folks at Glock to get some sample finished metal to determine if I could "counter" the finishing processes they use and make the slide engravable. For those not aware, the black nitrided finish is extremely hard...almost like a ceramic hardness. It cannot easily be removed mechanically. So I set out to find a chemical way to remove it. After some trials, I was able to strip the finish.

The resulting metal is a form of traditional carbon steel used in gun making, so it will rust if you don't do something to protect it after engraving. IT IS NOT STAINLESS. I chose a hot salts bluing to finish the metal. With a "coarse" finish on the steel, it mimics the look of the nitrided finish quite nicely.

After making sufficient testing on the hardness, engraving sample pieces and other testing, I was confident I could willingly accept commissioned orders for Glock engraving.

As you can see from the strong beveling from my outline cuts, delicate shading, and even some "liner" shading the metal was receptive to engraving. However, there are some hard spots especially where the thickness of the slide is thin, which requires one to proceed with caution.

So without further discussion, here's the first "aftermarket" engraved Glock from my studio. I'd gladly accept future requests for engraving any new gen 4 Glock.

Gen 4 are no longer tenifer finish,.easier to remove the finish.

GunEngraver.com Guns, Knives & More

very nice result. i would think, quite useful info for those wanting to work on a gun with this particular finish. tyvm

Thanks for posting.
Are you willing to post your chemical process for stripping?
I understand if you consider it a business 'secret'.
Jeremy

Crossbolt said:

Thanks for posting.
Are you willing to post your chemical process for stripping?
I understand if you consider it a business 'secret'.
Jeremy

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I'd rather not be the source of technical opinion on chemical methods. I don't want someone saying "you say this works and it was a disaster for me". Id suggest trying different solvents on your own to find a method of your own

I suspect you'll be getting a lot of Gock engraving jobs. I've turned down a dozen of them myself. Now you've proven it can be done and I suspect that's going to open the door for a lot of work.

Question: What's the procedure and how would it affect the engraving if you were to do a nitride finish after you've completed the engraving? Or is it some space age technique that requires a million dollar apparatus to apply it? My nitride ignorance is showing here.

sam said:

I suspect you'll be getting a lot of Gock engraving jobs. I've turned down a dozen of them myself. Now you've proven it can be done and I suspect that's going to open the door for a lot of work.

Question: What's the procedure and how would it affect the engraving if you were to do a nitride finish after you've completed the engraving? Or is it some space age technique that requires a million dollar apparatus to apply it? My nitride ignorance is showing here.

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I really don't know much about the nitride finish other than its quite messy in the stripping process. I actually turns into a syrupy sticky gew with the chemicals I used to remove it and it wasn't quick. However a good bath in a detergent filled ultrasonic and it falls right off. Glock won't tell me what's in it or anything about how they do it...only that they are regularly modifying their recipe, so what works now might not work in 6-12 months from today. Based on my observations it responded more like cerakote type of finish than anything we are traditionally used to working with.

I didn't do any kind of annealing or anything like that. I just engraved it straight out of the chemical stripper. So theoretically, the metallurgical properties are still within "spec" which is always a consideration in hot modern handgun loads.

The guns that were done for the factory 30th anniversary project were finished at the factory. I have seen one in person and it looks really nice. Whatever the finish is, it's superficial but extremely hard, which is why you can't just try to cut through it, not that I'd want to.

I don't know much (anything actually) about this type of finish and was thinking it could fill fine lines if it were applied after engraving. Apparently that's not the case so it must be microns thick like plating.
Good info and congrats on your discovery.

Block......

The engraving and finish looks nice.