Quote:
Originally posted by animalmother:
I believe the finish was called Melonite (or something like that). I remember when they came out. I'll take regular SS any day of the week. Nothing compares to nicely polished UBSS--at least as far as my eyes are concerned.
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Melonite is the process currently being used by S&W to treat the slides of the M&P line and other stainless steel products in its line.
It is a hardening process for treating metal (stainless steel in this case) and results in a rich black, very hard and durable finish.
I believe the 'black stainless steel' of the earlier guns used a different process. The surfaces were easily marred, as has been mentioned, and the process wasn't a commercial success, explaining why the only black stainless in guns of recent years is the new Melonite process stainless.