Hard Chroming a Desert Eagle

[McE]

I gave up trying to find a polished chrome Desert Eagle for a good price, so I just picked up a black XIX IWI made in Israel mabob, and will get it chromed.

I'd like some info on what parts I can and what parts I can't/shouldn't have chromed, and wondering if the barrel and/or gas system tubes should be sealed or if throwing a layer of chrome in there would not be a problem. I want to know what to tell the chromer to do prep-wise on the chance that they have not done a Desert Eagle before.

[CJB]

Question #1 for the chrome shop: What steps do you take to mitigate hydrogen embrittlement during plating, and after plating, what steps do you take to make sure the part(s) do not contain methane micro-voids due to the infusion of hydrogen? And by the way, unless they're taking steps to prevent the infusion of hydrogen into the steel, you'll pretty much end up with small parts, or thin sections of stressed parts, becoming cracked or shearing due to what is basically decarburization of the steel. Put another way, the hydrogen that enters the metal will suck the carbon off the iron and turn into methane in the little pores that all metals have on a microscopic basis. If steps are taken to limit this during plating, and.... if the parts are slow heat treated after plating... you don't change things (much).

[CJB]

After all the doom and gloom of the chroming process....I'd think of something like a brushed hard chrome barrel and matte hard chrome receiver, leaving other parts black (perhaps K-Kote or Ceracoat black).

I seem to recall that same finish was offered as a standard once, and it was pretty smart lookin'.

[McE]

I remember reading about that hydrogen embrittlement thing, I'll remember to verify it with the chromer. What kind of metal is my Desert Eagle made of? Stainless, carbon, anything more specific? (Just using the general terms for steel here, I'm aware there really isn't a black and white distinction of stainless v carbon)

It is an Israeli made IWI XIX with picatinny top rail, hook shaped safety lever, fluted 44mag barrel, serial of 41XXXXXX. From what I gather, I think it's the latest iteration 'DE Classic' made while under Kahr between 2011 to present. I could be wrong, as the magazine is marked 7/08 and these were made in Israel 1998-2009 as well??
Also might mean it has a different kind of black finish described as 'rougher military type' feels like cerakote to me so it's not a blued finish. That might add to costs if it needs to be stripped of that first otherwise chroming will come out looking matte chromed.

There's a cerakote "chromex" which supposedly can polish to be chrome-like, still have to do further research on that. I don't want brushed/matte chrome, the goal is to have a slick mirror-like fingerprint grabbing finish to it.

[Planedude]

...It is an Israeli made IWI XIX with picatinny top rail, hook shaped safety lever, fluted 44mag barrel, serial of 41XXXXXX. From what I gather, I think it's the latest iteration 'DE Classic' made while under Kahr between 2011 to present. I could be wrong, as the magazine is marked 7/08 and these were made in Israel 1998-2009 as well??...

Just email Kahr with your SN# question. They have always responded to my emails, often telling me things about the guns in a SN range that I did not know. Don't wonder or guess about your Kahr acquisition, just ask "mother" about it...
Pictures when you get it done please!

Have a good one.