How does HK's "H.E." finish compare to Glocks "Tenifer" finish?

[haywood]

Just wanted opinions or knowledge on how the HK's finish and protection compare to Glock's finish and protection.

Thanks for your input.

[Bravo-Four]

From other threads I have read regarding this topic, H&K shows more wear earlier than GLOCK. Holster wear is what I hear, but Im sure scratches as well according to what was said

[HAMMERHEAD]

I made a mistake with my first USP. I put it back in my bag after shooting it and continued with another gun, putting the wet, snowy brass back in the bag on top of the USP.
When I got home I stuffed the whole thing in my safe.
A week later I pulled it out. The outside of the bag was still wet.
The HE finish was fine exept where the serial # was laser etched. A little rust outlined each number. The extractor and the takedown pin/slide lock had very light surface rust which wiped off with oil. The barrel was fine.
If that had been a blued 1911 or revolver...

[haywood]

thanks for the responses. how would you guys rate the HK finishes, percentage-wise to Tenifer? 50% as good, 75% as good, etc.

[fourrobert13]

Glock's tennifer is a metal treatment that makes the metal harder and more resistant to corrosion and rust. Glock's actual black finish is a spray and bake black polymer coating. The black will wear off but the tennifer is there forever, unless you alter the slide in some manner, front slide serrations or some thing like that, you will never get rid of the tennifer.

[HAMMERHEAD]

fourrobert13 is right, Tennifer is in the steel. First and secon gen Glocks had a Parkerized (phosphate) finish over the Tennifer. The third gen's have a Teflon finish.
I don't think anything beats the Tennifer process right now.

[BrokenArrow]

Actually, Tenifer/Melonite/Tufftride are different trade names for the same nitriding process. Flip a coin as far as hardness, lubricity, and corrosion resistance. The nitriding processes improve the base material properties. Put Melonite over stainless steel, as on the new S&W M&P, you have a better end result than Tenifer on steel.

HK's HE is another type of nitriding finish. When I asked a HK rep about it a few yrs ago, he said it exceeded stainless steel specs.

Once you get past a certain point, it doesn't really matter much. Kinda like the difference between a 105mm or 155mm shell landing on your tent... ;b

[haywood]

good info fellas. i just wanted to know how well my new HK is gonna hold up. if waht you say is accurate BrokenArrow, then i take it that the HK HostileEnvironment finish on their guns should be within the ballpark of the Glocks if they are all basically the same type of finishing/processing on their metals.

then i guess what i am wondering now is:
does the HK "black" (blue) color wear off the slide much faster than glocks slide coloring?

[HAMMERHEAD]

HK's HE is another type of nitriding finish. When I asked a HK rep about it a few yrs ago, he said it exceeded stainless steel specs
I believe it. I had a well cared for S&W 67 (?) stainless .38 that showed rust in nooks and crannies.

[BrokenArrow]

Yep. ;)

Stainless steel is NOT rust proof, and different grades of stainless will rust sooner than others. Some a lot sooner than most would expect. ;b

[joemerchant24]

Originally posted by BrokenArrow
Kinda like the difference between a 105mm or 155mm shell landing on your tent... ;b


NOT TRUE!!!! The 105mm "poodle shooter" will likely penetrate right through with no expansion. That's why I won't CCW anything smaller than a 155mm.


Serious time: My USP .40 was NIB in 1995 and has been presented thousands of times from the same Galco FLETCH holster I bought at the same time. There is a little wear on the leading edges of the slides, but nothing extreme.

I find the wear to be similar to that of my GLOCK 23.

Treat your guns well, and you shouldn't have too much problem. But as Broken Arrow said, any difference between the two will be so tiny as to be non-existent.

If a minor scuff or some wear is bothersome, you can get the slide refinished with a variety of compounds for less than $75.

[haywood]

thanks for all the good information everyeone, i just wanted to hear more on HK's slide protection and topcoat finish. i have a 3 month old g27 and have heard good things about glocks composure under the elements and usage.

i have read some people complaining about their HK topcoat starting to wearing off a little too prematurely. i wanted to find out how the topcoat finish on my newly purchased p2k SK (10-day wait ends this saturday) will hold up. the post about the HK that sat in katrina waters for 6 weeks and did not rust is some relief.... assuming that story is true.

another question:
are the HK internals also treated with the H.E. process?

[BrokenArrow]

According to HK: "Internal metal parts, including springs, are coated with a special Dow Corning anticorrosion process that also reduces friction and wear."

[Grandfather Glock]

Originally posted by HAMMERHEAD
fourrobert13 is right, Tennifer is in the steel. First and secon gen Glocks had a Parkerized (phosphate) finish over the Tennifer. The third gen's have a Teflon finish.
I don't think anything beats the Tennifer process right now.

The teflon-like finish is only a couple years old, and third gen frames have been out for almost a decade.

[buddyRoland]

The Hostile Environment treatment isn't designed to look good but to prevent corrosion. I had a P2000 that looked worn new. If you're into weapons for that nice, smooth Glock finish look elsewhere. If you're into that nice Glock performance, then HK is what you're looking for.

[racine]

I've owned 2 USP 45's and several Glocks. I lived in the Pacific North Wet for 8 yrs and competed in USPSA and many other gun disciplines during that time. I can tell you that the HK HE finish works, part time, and will rust if given any chance. They do NOT cancel shooting matches unless you cannot see your calves or knees so you live with the rain. After numerous rusting issues with my HK I resolved to shoot them only during the dry summer months and use my Glocks for the rest of the time. Besides lathering TW25 on my HK slides the one other oil I used for protection was Boeshield( Boeing's wax/oil formula for aircraft parts). I wish Glock lost the patent on Tennifer and everyone could use it but that's a dream. Good luck.
Racine

[ruger270man]

Originally posted by buddyRoland
The Hostile Environment treatment isn't designed to look good but to prevent corrosion. I had a P2000 that looked worn new. If you're into weapons for that nice, smooth Glock finish look elsewhere. If you're into that nice Glock performance, then HK is what you're looking for.

wait what?

so in other words, get the glock performance AND finish by just buying a Glock, for less money?

;g ;f

[ShipWreck]

U can always hardchrome the slide - and then not have to worry about any holster wear - unless you scratch it w/ another metal object, it usually won't show wear. I hard chromed 2 slides and they look great.

[Rodman]

i was issued a new H&K USP in .40s&w back when i was a cop. i carried it for a year and a half before i switched to a Glock 22, which i also carried for the same amount of time before i left the department. the H&K finish did not hold up compared to the Glock. the H&K would rust very easily and showed lots of holster wear. it cleaned up with cold blue though.

[ShipWreck]

I heard that the newest finish on the HKs is just about 2 years old, though. SO, it may be a bit tougher than in the past.