Subtle decoration of the CM9

[Scoundrel]

You won't find me applying a psychedelic purple acid-wash cloud pattern on my slide or anything like that.

You also won't read about me disassembling the thing and polishing every stainless piece to a mirror finish, but I can understand why some people might want to do that, or buy one that someone else has done that to.

But I do like easy, subtle, inexpensive changes.

I saw some stuff on YouTube about using a crayon to fill in the engraved lettering on a pistol, so I decided to give it a try. I started with a white crayon, to keep it subtle. I may get really wild and try a more vibrant color later.

Here's what it looks like:

http://bruteforcetech.com/misc/KahrCM9_White.jpg

[Thunder71]

White on black is not subtle lol... you did a nice job.

[OldLincoln]

Looks good, but an ordinary kids wax crayon? You know slides get pretty hot, so won't you have wax running down the slide?

[Scoundrel]

It's a lot more subtle than some of the really wacked out photos I've seen, where it looks like they used that "cracking" textured paint, and went for rainbow coloring.

Yes, I used an ordinary crayon. It might get too hot and melt, yes. And, since it took all of 2 minutes to do it, I'll be heartbroken. Edit: And the amount of wax in that engraving on the slide is not enough to choke a maggot with.

I figured I'd start with something easy to apply and easy to remove (15 seconds with a dental pick and it's gone) to see how I liked it. Later, If I want it to be more lasting, I can use automotive exhaust header paint or RustOleum BBQ paint or something.

I experimented a bit on a gun with a blackened slide. Green was OK, but gray worked better.

I'm working on my M&P now. So far, I've colored "FIRE" with red and "SAFE" with green. Working my way up to the M&P logo. :)

[Bawanna]

Go for it! We need more artistic talent around here. Did they chastise Whistler when he painted the picture of his mother, heck no.

Did they ridicule sistine when he he painted his chapel, heck no.

I'll send ya one of the 64 crayon boxes with the built in sharpener (always wanted one of those in my youth, never happened) and you can go wild dude.

I got your back on this one.

[Scoundrel]

:D

I don't think that will be necessary, but thanks. :)

I've been busy experimenting. It turns out that the choices are quite limited.
I don't like pastels or yellows/oranges enough to use those.
Blue doesn't show up well.
Green is OK but falls kind of flat. It's good for the "S" or "SAFE" engraving.
Red is good but a little over the top. Great for the "F" or "FIRE" engraving.

Seems that white and gray are the ones that work best for me.
Can't use gray on dark cast metal frames - it disappears.
Black works for making engravings on dark cast metal frames a little more readable. White would of course be better for readability but not as good for subtlety, as has been pointed out.

[Ressom]

That white on the frame is to much for me. I think black on the slide engravings might work and be subtle. The frame lettering in gray to match the slide and trigger would look cool.

[OldLincoln]

Sounds like a great use for thermochromic paint that changes color when it gets hot.

[Scoundrel]

That white on the frame is to much for me. I think black on the slide engravings might work and be subtle. The frame lettering in gray to match the slide and trigger would look cool.

Yeah, I might play with a few combinations. I was thinking that black on the slide would just look like it was dirty, but maybe not. Gray is what I used primarily on the M&P, and it would probably be good, as you say, on the CM9 frame.

[wyntrout]

Wow, Scoundrel. You have way too much time on your hands! We've had discussions here about how to remove all of the white on black writing on the GSG 1911 .22... warnings, cautions, instructions, etc. This kind of stuff really makes a nice, black, business-like pistol look kind of cheap... but to each his own.

JMHO

Wynn:)

[Scoundrel]

Wow, Scoundrel. You have way too much time on your hands!

It comes in spurts. Today was slow. Last week was crazy.

[wyntrout]

I know how that goes. I get into little projects that I think I need to finish... then I wonder what the heck I'm doing... I usually go ahead and finish whatever it was... as long as it wasn't WORK... that 4-letter word! Maynard G. Krebs :)
The real work that I should do... neglected... postponed or ignored. :rolleyes:

Wynn:)

[OldLincoln]

Speaking of projects, Wynn, hows the irrigation pump working out. Last I heard you had a leak on your brand new pump and patched it with some stuff.

[wyntrout]

Dang! That was a LONG time ago. I made a strip of Waterweld... rolled one... to lap around the leaking area, then used that stretchy sealing silicone tape tightly wrapped around and over the Waterweld. Both sealants are supposed to be capable of stopping that kind of leak, but the pressure from the tape over the Waterweld insured a real good and permanent seal... much easier than yanking the whole pump out and returning it after completely installing it... PVC perfectly fitted and sealed!
That particular leak was a tiny pinhole, not a gusher, so it was easy to stop. Full utility pressure would be something else. The silicone tape or Waterweld alone may not be enough for that, especially if a GOOD BOND was not achieved.
Anyhow, no problems since the repair.

Wynn:)

[OldLincoln]

Another good job, Wynn. I hung a curtain yesterday and cut my finger on the rod. Got blood on the fabric but close enough to the end where I wrapped it around out of sight. As I told my DIL who helped, I wouldn't be me if I didn't bleed when doing a project.

[Scoundrel]

Tried Ressom's suggestion for black on the slide and gray on the frame for the CM9. It looks good in person but is not very photogenic.


Here's what I did with the M&P when I was bored last night:

http://bruteforcetech.com/misc/M&P_Gray1.jpg
http://bruteforcetech.com/misc/M&P_Gray2.jpg

[wyntrout]

That's one BUSY side there! You could have reversed the green and red for fun!

Wynn:D

[Scoundrel]

The whole gun is busy, taken as a whole, so it fits right in. When looking at just that section, it looks worse.

http://bruteforcetech.com/misc/M&P_Gray3.jpg

[Scoundrel]

Interesting how the camera picks up the smudged gray crayon in the areas where the rubbing has been done. I can't see that with the naked eye. I thought it was the flash, but this picture was taken in outdoors natural light, with no flash.

[Bawanna]

Call me weird but I kind of like it myself. I'm into contrast and flashy versus suttle and tactical.

[JFootin]

Call me weird but I kind of like it myself. I'm into contrast and flashy versus suttle and tactical.

Tactical, shmactical! I'm not a mercenary soldier or a mall ninja. My polished CM9 is a high class gentleman's gun and I'm proud to show it off! If I could put ivory or rosewood grips on it, I would. :yo:

[wyntrout]

Bright and Shiny! kind of "girly".

Wynn:D

[jeepster09]

Bright and Shiny! kind of "girly".

Wynn:D

:o

http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv276/jeepster09/thumb463x_KittyRifle.jpg