Robar Closing???

[talos]

I got a vmail from Freddie Blisch that they were closing up shop and he would need to return my gun unfinished. They've done great work for me for over a decade. This is horrible news. Nothing posted on their website. I have heard Freddie on some podcasts recently talking about the gun industry being down the last couple years and they raised their prices this year quite a bit to include a 3% CC fee so I'm guessing they just couldn't make ends meet.

I love NP3 and don't know what I will do going forward on my new guns.

[Poconnor]

I really hope he changes his mind. I have a few guns I want refinished in NP3

[TGS]

Lack of business certainly can't be a reason they're closing shop. They took about 7 months to do one of my guns last year.

[RevolverRob]

Lack of business certainly can't be a reason they're closing shop. They took about 7 months to do one of my guns last year.

Maybe that’s part of the problem. Refinishing is really a volume business.

I hope this isn’t true, but it wouldn’t surprise me. The reality is - lots of factory finishes these days are very good, negating the need to refinish a firearm. Couple that with the growth of cheap ass Cerakoting...it’s not good news.

[Mike C]

Damn it this day keeps getting worse. The last two guns I had done were superb. Anyone have good alternative recommendations then? I wanted to get a few bolts coated and two pistols refinished. The bolts need something NP3'ish since they get nasty suppressed and it makes things so much easier to clean.

[camsdaddy]

To suddenly return guns unfinished seems strange

[TGS]

Damn it this day keeps getting worse. The last two guns I had done were superb. Anyone have good alternative recommendations then? I wanted to get a few bolts coated and two pistols refinished. The bolts need something NP3'ish since they get nasty suppressed and it makes things so much easier to clean.

Piggy-backing on Mike C, I'd like some recommendations for PVD/DLC vendors...

[talos]

To suddenly return guns unfinished seems strange

Especially since it appears their industrial coating business, which is in the same physical location, will continue forward. They do a lot of aerospace stuff. And the info I saw makes it sound like they may continue to do volume contracts for gun companies just not taking in individual guns.

I really like Freddie and will give him the benefit of the doubt but the decision not to complete the existing work, when your company will keep going, seems really weird.

[Mike C]

Especially since it appears their industrial coating business, which is in the same physical location, will continue forward. They do a lot of aerospace stuff. And the info I saw makes it sound like they may continue to do volume contracts for gun companies just not taking in individual guns.

I really like Freddie and will give him the benefit of the doubt but the decision not to complete the existing work, when your company will keep going, seems really weird.

I just spoke to Sionics by phone as I was looking for a complete BCG that I can drop in to a Colt I have that lives suppressed. The rep said the exact same thing, well paraphrasing but the industrial side of the house will remain operating it is Robar that will close. He said he believed that they will be able to continue to offer parts with NP3. I am really sad to hear this. I'd rather have my original parts coated than drop in something from another MFG though Sionics seems to have a great rep I would prefer to keep the guns internals stock.

[wrmettler]

Robar neither owned or was the licensee for any coating product. It purchased all coating including NP3 from Coating Technologies, which operates at the same address. Coating Technologies continues to do business. Robbie Barrkman started Robar and sold it to Blish. Barrkman started and continues to own Coating Technologies. The companies are two separate business entities.
I assume Coating Technologies will continue to sell coating to gunsmith businesses, but I do not know.

Its website is : coatingtechnologiesllc.com