I was cleaning my XD today, and a piece of the finish at the ejection port flaked off. There is also a "ding" on the rear of the slide were I bumped it pulling it out of the safe. My understanding is that the Melonite finish used on them acts like Tennifer in that it penetrates the steel. Therefore I do not have to worry about rust, correct (yes it flaked to bare metal)
XD Finish Flaking!
- Thread starter colorado_handgunner
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I would contact Springfield and ask them about it, I know they want to keep their customers happy.
I would expect a little wear and tear on a carry rig, but if its flaking down to the raw metal you might want to find out if you can fix that.
I would expect a little wear and tear on a carry rig, but if its flaking down to the raw metal you might want to find out if you can fix that.
Melonite is supposed to be a treatment of the metal that allows it tennifer like properties and a black color.
I don't think it can peel off without the metal of the gun peeling off? Maybe??
Didn't the early xd's lack the melnite finish? My buddies xd looks as worn as anyother black carry gun. I don't think all xd's are melonited?
I don't think it can peel off without the metal of the gun peeling off? Maybe??
Didn't the early xd's lack the melnite finish? My buddies xd looks as worn as anyother black carry gun. I don't think all xd's are melonited?
After inspecting it again, it appears that it may by holster wear. I have a Galco that is formed to fit around the whole body of the gun. Where the metal is exposed is right at the release point for the holster. I will keep an eye on it to watch for rust. I am not really overly conserved now that I looked again, and worst case, SA customer service is great. Downside would be not having a HD gun while it was gone...hmm...may need to buy that XDm early, just in case! 
The XDs finish isn't quite as durable as Tenifer... I know a lot of people have issues with wear fairly early in their XDs life.
The finish on a glock isnt tenifer, tenifer is the treatment applied prior to the finish being applied.
Tenifer and Melonite process are darned near the same thing. Both of them are carbonitriding processes. This soaks carbon and nitrogen atoms into the steel, making it harder. Case depth is up to half a millimeter on carbonitriding processes, but I don't know how deep the Tenifer or Melonite treatments are. The point is that it's a lot thicker than the thin coat of black paint they spray on your gun. Yes, it's special gun paint, but paint is what it is.
Carbonitriding makes your gun more resistant to wear in the tribological sense of the word. I'm talking scratches, gouges in the surface, wear particles being worn off, etc. If the black stuff comes off, those exposed patches of bare metal become succeptible to corrosion, so keep an eye on them.
Carbonitriding makes your gun more resistant to wear in the tribological sense of the word. I'm talking scratches, gouges in the surface, wear particles being worn off, etc. If the black stuff comes off, those exposed patches of bare metal become succeptible to corrosion, so keep an eye on them.
If the stuff flaking off were Melonite (and I doubt it is), there would be something seriously wrong with the metallurgy of your pistol.
worn finishes and stuff really dosen't bother me however i have an xd srevice model that i got way back when they were new in the states, this is before they offered the melonite, and the finish was wearing pretty quick, plus i wanted a set of night sights on it, so i sent it to sa, and they refinished it in the armory kote, which is a dark rich black, and it looks amazing on the od green frame. better than i could have ever imagined, and it has lasted a long time, but like any finish it is wearing too, but you figure, thousands of draw strokes, over 13ooords through it. multiple training course, and all the abuse of daily carry for years will do that.
Thanks possum. That is what I was planning on doing if it becomes an issue with rust. Glad to hear Armory Kote works. It is not too expensive either.
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