Robar no longer doing metal finishing

[RsqVet]

I e-mailed Robar here in Phoenix... got a very curt e-mial that they are no longer taking in metal finishing work... ever...

Sad. Really liked the NP3 finish they did.

Any other companies folks care to recommend? NOT a spray on fan for the most part -- looking for nickel or hard chrome...

 

[FrankenMauser]

Ironic.
A company founded on metal finishing, named after their signature finish, no longer doing metal finishing...

 

[Sevens]

Haha... and here I was thinking that Robbie Barrkman named the company after himself but no, he named the company after his finish?

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Mahovsky's Metalife does nickel and hard chrome quite reasonably.

 

[Spats McGee]

Dang. I was hoping to get something refinished by them one day. Granted, I don't know what I'd have done or when . . . .

 

[Screwball]

I loved the guns I had them do for me...

But kind of bummed, as I need to find a new place that does long guns and alloy frames. CCR does everything else for me (in regards to plating), but still want to refinish my P938.

 

[Unclenick]

Funny, a lot of their site's finish photos have empty placeholders, but they still have a 2019 pricelist from July, here. No news release or anything. Be interesting to learn what happened?

 

[Dfariswheel]

Probably the all around best gun refinisher is APW-Cogan, and their hard chrome is probably the best available.

http://www.apwcogan.com/

Here's other hard chrome suppliers that are known to do top of the line work.
Each has different pricing and options.
Final finish ranges from the original "orange peel" pearl-gray, to a brushed stainless steel look, to a full mirror finish.
At least one also offers plating inside the bore.
Most have brand names for their chrome plating, but it's all hard chrome.

http://armoloyfw.com/protect-your-firearm-with-armoloy-tdc/

Metaloy was owned by Bill Wilson at one time, possible still is.
http://www.originalmetaloy.com/

Tech Plate is big in the aerospace industry and offers about any finish there is.
http://www.techplate.com/firearms_pl.htm

Mahovsky does hard chrome cheaper then most anyone and has had a very good reputation in the past.
However, there's been a few questions about the quality in the last few years from some customers, and his communication sometimes isn't great, phone or email.
http://www.mahovskysmetalife.com/

First choice is Cogan. He has a better reputation then anyone.

 

[Scorch]

Probably the all around best gun refinisher is APW-Cogan

Agreed. I have had them do five or six guns over the years and I have been very satisfied. My customers, too, but many of them don't know the difference.

Tech Plate is big in the aerospace industry and offers about any finish there is.

No. Don't. Just don't. They may know how to plate metal, but they know nothing about firearms refinishing. Not pretty. Nope, nope, nope.

 

[JohnKSa]

Disappointing. There were some real advantages to NP3. In particular, it could be plated directly onto aluminum without a strike coating.

 

[Jim Watson]

Steve Owens dba Integrity Arms says he is working with a vendor.

 

[JohnKSa]

Looks like Robar isn't just out of the metal-finishing business, they're out of business altogether.

https://www.alloutdoor.com/2019/08/30/robar-companies-inc-officially-business/

Robar, renowned for their self-lubricating NP3 finishes and which has been in business for more than 35 years, is officially closing their doors. ​

 

[FrankenMauser]

When we put that notification up on the website, we had high hopes of someone either purchasing or investing in the company, but it fell through.

Sounds like they tried selling a sinking ship and were surprised that it didn't work out.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Any electroless nickel can be plated on aluminum. I can do it.

 

[RsqVet]

Thanks guys, will follow up and looks like the project gun will be hard chrome.

Sad Robar is kaput... explains they e-mails were perhaps brief and not up to prior interactions with them. I know markets change blah blah blah but I really liked their work, Forgive me but I will never be a spray finish guy.... sure I have guns with that stuff on them, but it's never something I will seek out for a project.

I would have thought there was enough OEM work for them to stay afloat -- I know they put NP3 on a bunch of parts for more than just firearms companies. Really sad.

 

[claydoctor]

Surprising as I believe they had a presence at the 2019 SHOT Show. That can't be inexpensive.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

I had them do my slide in the NP3 finish:

This finish wears more harder than the original Tenifer finish.

 

[T. O'Heir]

Look in the Yellow Pages under Metal Finishing. Any place(or product) that has the word 'gun' or 'gunsmithing' in its name usually just costs more. None of the assorted finishes are exactly proprietary anymore either. Especially industrial hard chrome.

 

[Jim Watson]

In the US, you have to have a FFL to work on guns.

I have READ on the internet that Steve Owens dba Integrity and Cajun are going to offer NP3 equivalent.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

"In the US, you have to have a FFL to work on guns."

Especially, and mainly, if the part kept over-night is the serial numbered part. Then it needs to be recorded in the licensee's bound book for receipt and then disposition. If it's just a grip frame without any serial number, then anyone can do the work.