Re: ATM Protective coating for mild steel?

["Bob May" <bobmay@nethere.com>]

You can blue the steel if so desired or plate with something interesting.
You might want to talk to a plater to find out how to do a fuzzy surface of
dark color.  If there's no real thickness, there won't be any chipping of
the surface and any dings will tend to follow the shape of the new surface
rather than break off.
As the others have said, you can always do a powder coat but that will tend
to be shiney and may be a bit softer than you want.
Bob May
http://nav.to/bobmay
bobmay@nethere.com