I recently ordered a Stainless DW Valor from Dave Severns, and asked him to give it the Hard Hat treatment before shipping it to my FFL. At the same time I shipped him my Stainless '09 CBOB to Hard Hat at the same time. Without pictures it didn't happen... so here is what they look like. I find it exceedingly difficult to photograph black guns but this is the best I could do:
It took about 5 weeks to get them back to me; just enough time for me to make a couple of pairs of grips out of some really dark Desert Ironwood that I thought would compliment the black guns.
CBOB before Hard Hat treatment, dirty from shooting 200 rounds.
Both guns with Hard Hat treatment and new grips.
The other side...
A closer look at the CBOB. Hard Hat treatment is a matte finish pure black.
A closer look at the Valor. Hard Hat treatment is "grippy" not slick, and holds oil.
A final look at the business end of the Valor showing how smooth and black this finish is.
I was on the fence about the look of the Hard Hat treatment never having seen one in person, but I can tell you that I'm very pleased with it, and will soon be sending another Stainless DW off to be done. I only have a couple of hundred rounds thru each of these pistols so I can't give you a long-term wear report, but so far it appears to be holding up very well indeed.
It took about 5 weeks to get them back to me; just enough time for me to make a couple of pairs of grips out of some really dark Desert Ironwood that I thought would compliment the black guns.
CBOB before Hard Hat treatment, dirty from shooting 200 rounds.
Both guns with Hard Hat treatment and new grips.
The other side...
A closer look at the CBOB. Hard Hat treatment is a matte finish pure black.
A closer look at the Valor. Hard Hat treatment is "grippy" not slick, and holds oil.
A final look at the business end of the Valor showing how smooth and black this finish is.
I was on the fence about the look of the Hard Hat treatment never having seen one in person, but I can tell you that I'm very pleased with it, and will soon be sending another Stainless DW off to be done. I only have a couple of hundred rounds thru each of these pistols so I can't give you a long-term wear report, but so far it appears to be holding up very well indeed.