Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Diablo Custom...My Cerakote is Coming Off.

Had a rifle recently built by Diablo Custom, an outfit no longer in business due to shoddy customer service, spotty communication and a sloth-like sense of urgency once the money had been collected. I figured I was one of the lucky ones because I got my completed rifle back after 2 months (promised 2 weeks), but it took a few strongly worded PM's on my part to get it out the door. I'm sure most of you have read the recent thread regarding Diablo.

The rifle shoots very well, but I just noticed the cerakote on the barrel is starting to come off. In spots you can actually scrap it off with a fingernail just as easily as a scratcher lottery ticket. The biggest spot is about the size of a nickel. What's up. Faulty prep? Maybe not cerakote? And my day was going so well...

Does not sound like the real stuff? If he is outta business you don't really have any recourse. Send it to a reputable shop to be blasted off and re coated or live with it the way it is?

Even if he were still in business, I wouldn't send it back. Live with it the way it is? Egads! That's unthinkable. I've already sent an email to Eddie Fosnaugh, he has a stellar reputation on the Campfire.

I would say it was a "going out of business" paint job..


Old saying amoungst craftsmen-

You want it bad- you get it bad.
The worse you want it-the worse you get it.


I guess after your last email to him, the guy at Diablo felt you wanted it pretty bad..

Point Taken. But I was the epitome of civility up until the rifle was finished. Nary a bug, bother, bemoan or bitch was uttered until I was told it was done. And I told him a number of times to take his time, I was in no hurry. I didn't become frustrated until it languished in his hands for a couple of weeks packaged and ready to ship. I was told he hadn't had time to take it into town. But he had time to go into town and cash my checks.

Fosnaugh does great work have had him do a bunch for me

Fosnaugh is great!

Most likely faulty preparation. Bummer but easily fixable. Eddie is a great choice!

I like Eddie F. too..Deserves the business.

And BTW, while he has the metalwork broken down for finishing ,you might ask him to inspect the assemblies for anything out of the ordinary.
There may be other quality issues with that build other than a cheap paint job.

Would not hurt to get another viewpoint.

Karl Kampfeld has done all of mine. He does simply OUTSTANDING work!

Yes Karl does outstanding work. He built 2 rifles for me which are outstanding in all respects.

Ironic that if it were "Jesus Customs" red flags would be flying (rightfully so). Name it Devil Customs and not one caution is raised.

Eddie Fosnaugh does the best coating jobs I've ever seen....

He's done numerous coatings for me...

Was the shop properly certified and compliant for C-kote application?
and is your treatment the Elite(oven), H series(oven), or High temp air cure?
https://www.cerakoteguncoatings.com...3pvqW1gIVWB5oCh2vjQeQEAAYASABEgIqefD_BwE

NIC Industries Division Manager Brandon Grady:

“Cerakote is intended as a professional product and not for the DIY market,” he said.
“Cerakote has two main channels of distribution; firearm manufacturers and Certified Applicators.
Certified Applicators range from very small local gunsmiths to very large regional coating facilities.
A Certified Cerakote Applicator is a company that has met our qualifications and has been factory
trained at one of our four global training facilities in the United States, Germany, Japan and Australia.”

**
I much prefer some form of super-hard PVD, PACVD (nitrides,carbides,oxides,dlc, etc) ion-plasma bonded
industrial machine tool coating rather than a ceramic particle infused lacquer epoxy-polymer apple pie
oven baked job....

Im sure the big attraction with C-kote is much like Revlon cosmetics(range of fashion colors and price)
and the fact it can be more easily applied than the more advanced films.

haha, was thinking along similar lines. With all the gunsmiths out there, why choose a guy who names his business "devil customs"?

Since Satan is the liar of all liars, sounds like Diablo was an omen.

Good I wasn't the only one thinking that as well, naming the company after the devil is a bit weird at best.

Hope the OP gets it fixed properly.

I've got one powdercoated rifle and it's like it was dipped in plastic. There ain't any scratching that coating.

It looks like the barrel wasn't bead blasted prior to the application. Where the finish is coming off, the steel is still brightly polished.

Send it to Fosnaugh Customs......his cerakote work is some of THE BEST in the business!!