Black nitride bar finish

[DCMusic]

Rip,

Due to the outrageous cost of importing a B&R bar to Australia, I'm looking at locally produced alternatives. Some companies here are making bars with a "black nitride" finish. For example:

"With our bar we opted for black nitride, and for good reason. To obtain this kind of finish the shaft needs to be heated to over 200 degrees celsius before having a black nitride coating applied. The black nitride and steel then combine together and essentially become one intertwined substance. As a result, you have a barbell with an impenetrable surface which lasts longer, looks better and is more durable."

Do you have any experience with this type of finish & would you recommend it?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't know that I've seen a "black nitride" finish on a bar. All the black-finished bars I've seen had the coating rubbed off, and I doubt seriously that this process would stand up differently. BUT, I don't know. We'll axe.

[aucran]

I do some work with metal platers. Black Nitride is cosmetic finish, it will slightly help prevent rush (chrome would be better for this purpose).
Its not uncommon for plating gun parts with either, the finish holds up pretty well, but you'd still be able to scratch through it if you tried (knife or file).

It'll look nice though.

The black coating that rubs off is likely Black Oxide, its a "cheap" way of blackening steel parts (usually screws) its caused from a chemical reaction from soaking the parts in a solution. Its usually not a very thick coating so it scraps/rubs off easily.

[nkelman]

I just purchased the Iron Edge bar, it's quality mate. See my review in the training section (might be on page 2 -3 now). The knurl is awesome, it looks awesome. PM me if you got any questions.

[Steve Hill]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferritic_nitrocarburizing

[Mac Ward]

The black nitride is very soft. Using the bar in a rack with metal hooks will result in smooth knurling where the bar contacts the hooks much faster than with a bare steel bar.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Are you sure? This would only be true if the coating process softened the steel. Maybe it does, since the knurl is more exposed surface area to the heat of the treatment.

[Tom Chase]

I just purchased the Iron Edge bar, it's quality mate. See my review in the training section (might be on page 2 -3 now). The knurl is awesome, it looks awesome. PM me if you got any questions.

I have had this bar with a Black Nitride finish for 15 months. It gets stored in an open air area downstairs and has barely shown a spot of rust despite this being a tropical environment. The knurl has not flattened any more than any other bar I have owned. This is my first Black Nitride coated bar but so far I'm impressed.

[DCMusic]

I think the solution in my case might be to suck it & see. Anecdotally the finish is durable & strong, more so than chrome, but the internet being what it is, that anecdotal evidence doesn't hold much weight with me (Rip, you & your staff are an obvious & welcome exception).

I'll report back.

[Mark Rippetoe]

We're usually wrong too, DC. Ask anybody on the internet.