Salt Bath Nitride

[Rick Iverson]

Gents;

A very good friend in Ethan Mackey has what I would consider, the best looking suspension pieces I have ever seen. The Process is called Salt Bath Nitriding:

• A unique process that produces an aesthetic black finish, enhancing corrosion and wear resistance.
• Ideal substitute for nickel and chrome plating applications.
• Used to enhance the metallurgical properties of all ferrous metal components, including cast irons and stainless steels.
• SBN-QPQ is a salt bath ferritic nitrocarburizing process which meets or exceeds the quality requirements of AMS 2753.

Ethan reports it is EXTREMELY durable, and modestly priced.

I have had several venders do electroless Ni, resulting is varying degrees of appearance, compounded with light rust pitting from beneath.

Q: Any reports on the process, pros and cons;
Q: Can it be applied over electroless Ni;

V/r

Iverson

[ewcmr2]

Google Tennifer and Melonite

The firearm industry has been salt bath nitriding parts for a long time. It’s not so much of a surface coating as a surface treatment. It makes the surface hard, corrosion resistant and slick.

It’s definitely durable and looks good.
I wouldn’t guess that it’s inexpensive, cheap guns are still blued, and bluing isn’t durable at all compared to Tennifer/Melonite.
I’d want to check if thin suspension arms would be too hard/brittle and prone to cracking after nitriding. (How deep does the process harden metal?)
If it’s cost effective and doesn’t make parts too brittle, driving in the rain would require zero time drying/cleaning suspension!

[Rick Kirchner]

I've never heard of nitriding as a corrosion inhibitor.

Interesting that you had problems with electroless nickel Rick. It generally plates very evenly compared to electroplating - but it is expensive, and thickness = time in the tank and chemical depletion. could they have just short changed you on thickness?

Another potential issue with electroless is the wetting out of the palladium/tin dip that it goes through to catalyze the process. Stuff has to be exceptionally clean.

[ewcmr2]

I've never heard of nitriding as a corrosion inhibitor.

Cheap Blued Taurus pistol rusted in one hot day of concealed carry. Melonite/Tennifered S&W M&P, Glock, Walther are spotless after months/years of daily carry...