Kahr CW380: stainless vs. Cerakote

[toivo]

I'm a pocket-pistol lover, and I've been thinking about adding a Kahr CW380 to my collection. I like the look of their tungsten Cerakote special edition, but I'm wondering about its durability vs. the standard stainless slide. I'd be interested to hear anybody's opinions and experiences about this issue in regards to this pistol or any other firearm with a Cerakote finish.

 

[chicharrones]

For a carry gun that is holstered, I'd pick stainless for finish wear resistance.

My only carry experience is with parkerized, blued, and stainless guns. The parkerized and blued guns show easily seen wear over time, while the wear on stainless is more like a burnishing and not too noticeable.

I can only imagine that cerakote would wear similar to a parkerized gun.

 

[MachIVshooter]

A stainless slide will show wear, but it doesn't contrast like finishes that are different in color than the natural material that lies underneath, so less noticeable.

I can only imagine that cerakote would wear similar to a parkerized gun.

Properly applied, Cerakote is a lot tougher than parkerizing. Not indestructible, but pretty wear, scratch and chip resistant. I'd compare it to hard anodizing.

 

[knot4reel]

I own and carry the model you describe. Have carried it in a kydex pocket holster for over a year now. IMHO the finish is durable and going to last for my use.

 

[The Kershaw]

Stick with blued or SS. Holster wear gives a gun character and looks great.

 

[d'zaster]

I have a P380 and DeSantis pocket holster. I don't think the pistol will show holster wear for a good long time.

 

[Drail]

Cerakote is paint. Regardless of what anyone tells you - it's just paint. Any holster will wear any type of finish with the possible exception of hard chrome. If you cannot bear the thought of finish wear, then leave your gun in the safe.

 

[toivo]

Thanks for all the replies. I don't mind a little wear, but given a choice of finishes, I'd like to go with the one that will show it the least.

 

[bannockburn]

For an applied surface coating hard chrome plating is tough to beat. Given a choice between Cerakote and stainless I would go with stainless.

 

[Tirod]

If a stainless gun is marked up or worn, it can be at least partially restored with a 3M grit pad or fine sandpaper. If Cerakote is scratched or worn, they show up against darker background colors and remain until refinished.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Cerakote is paint. Regardless of what anyone tells you - it's just paint. Any holster will wear any type of finish with the possible exception of hard chrome. If you cannot bear the thought of finish wear, then leave your gun in the safe.

You do acknowledge that there are many different types of enamels with very different properties, yes? Saying "it's just paint" is an egregious and intellectually dishonest oversimplification. If you don't like enamel coatings, that's your business, but be honest about what they are and aren't. Powder coating or Cerakote are nothing like brush on latex house paints or rattle can.

 

[Drail]

"egregious and intellectually dishonest oversimplification"? I have quite a few years of experience seeing with my own eyes just how well powder coating and baked on epoxy finishes hold up in the real world - and and they pretty much don't. I have powder coated parts all over my Jeep and they are all failing and allowing rust to develop. Around 1998 when Brownells first offered their "baked on epoxy" finishes I used it on several guns and it wore off just like paint. I did NOT say Cerakote was the same thing as brush on latex house paint or rattle can. But it is still paint. If you like paint on a gun then go ahead and paint them.

 

[MachIVshooter]

"egregious and intellectually dishonest oversimplification"? I have quite a few years of experience seeing with my own eyes just how well powder coating and baked on epoxy finishes hold up in the real world - and and they pretty much don't. I have powder coated parts all over my Jeep and they are all failing and allowing rust to develop. Around 1998 when Brownells first offered their "baked on epoxy" finishes I used it on several guns and it wore off just like paint. I did NOT say Cerakote was the same thing as brush on latex house paint or rattle can. But it is still paint. If you like paint on a gun then go ahead and paint them.

Those are the kind of details that are pertinent to the discussion of enamels.

As for your experiences, I will point out that prep and application is everything, regardless of enamel type. If you do not do proper prep, and/or if the application is sub-par, the finish quality and durability will most definitely suffer. If you're coating ferrous parts only partially, expect oxidation to creep from the unfinished portions and get under the enamel. If you don't properly prepare the surface - clean, proper R factor, possibly primer - the enamel won't adhere properly. Cerakote requires that the parts be completely free of contaminates (including the oils from your skin) with a fine media blast finish and good application. Done right, it's every bit as tough as hard anodizing. Done poorly, well, it'll fail like any shoddy paint job.

 

[Drail]

OK, you win.