Recoes on finishing a slide?

[Diamondback]

As I put points on the board toward finishing what will be my last build for a while and closing the book on a 1911 twenty years in the building, I find myself with a dilemma where I need some advice. The build concept is "mirror polished slide flats bright enough to use as a shaving mirror"... unfortunately I can't get a 7" slide in stainless steel, only carbon.

Manufacturer offered finish choices are (their descriptions not mine):

• Matte bare metal
• Brushed polished sides bare metal
• Black oxide finished
• Black nitro melonited
• Hard chrome as "gunsmith service" for $200+

The overall concept is a two-tone finish, with the top round, bottom around the guiderod and cocking serrations Cerakoted in a darker color--combine the "artistry" of a show-pony with the durability of a war-horse. Any of our pro smiths or DIY refinishers have any suggestions about which option I should have them ship and what to have a refinisher do with it once it arrives? The manufacturer suggested "hard chrome overall then tape off and Cerakote the relevant areas," but unfortunately they don't offer a polished hard-chrome (or any HC on longslides) as anything other than aftermarket service right now; best they'll do for polish is "satin."

[gaijin]

My preference in Old School 1911 finishing was:
2 Tone; HC Frame, Blued Slide.
Or
All Hard Chrome.

Bead Blast Frame and Slide, but Brushed Slide Flats looked “Proper” to my eye.

I made certain to see if any changes were needed, before sending for finishing.
At that time most ‘Smiths wouldn’t do machining on guns that had been HC’d or Melonite finished.

I used Bob Cogan at AP&W most frequently for HC, Bluing and they did Ceracoat as well.
For a Competition/Range Gun HC is hard to beat for Abrasion and moderate Corrosion resistance, although it will rust.

Actual Black Nitride/“Melonite” (not Ionbond, DLC) is about Bullet Proof (think Glok slide) in both those regards.
H&M Black Nitride in Akron Ohio are Masters at this finish.
There are few actual Black Nitride/Melonite finishers. It’s common to hear “blah/blah is just as good as…..holds up as well…” etc.
It isn’t, it doesn’t.

There most certainly must be additional options that I’m unaware of.

[Diamondback]

To clarify, the concept on this is dark teal blueish top and bottom, silvertone sides. (Think "'57 Bel Air.") Nickel plating would be a winner if looks were the only thing that mattered, but they lose on durability - I live in a climate where an uncoated carbon-steel frame will start to show minor surface rust if left outside of an air-evacuated sealed bag for a few weeks.

[gaijin]

Understood.
I’d think Ceracoat would probably be the answer for what you describe.
HC With base metal polished on flats may be an answer. I’d think the “Rounds” could be masked off leaving the base metal “Raw”.
You could call AP&W and speak with Bob, just have an easy chair, a decent Robusto and your favorite drink at hand- he’s a “talker”.

[Diamondback]

So am I, as it happens, sometimes too much for my own good when I have an ill-tempered mutant landwhale demanding something or other from live-in care every 5-10 minutes.

For the final Cerakote, there's a local guy I'd like to throw some business to - every year when the Olympiots file their next round of Full Retard Gungrabbery, he's the first one in the fight to rub their noses in how Gun Control is nothing more than the still-beating black heart of Jim Crow. People who are willing to rock the boat and make waves when most of the rest of WA's FFLs live by "keep our heads low and keep what we can while we can, don't invite personal reprisal from Rumored Child Molester Ferguson and his Attorney General's Office law-degreed jackboots."