Alan,
I have tried to copy the color of the metal color with paint and due to the texture, casting, machining, etc, you will never match it. I have found with using the RPM, you can get almost the same sheen and color with using the RPM. Im sure if I had polished or buffed the RPM a little more, I could have achieved the same sheen as what the part would have had originally. Personally, I love the RPM product! I have also put it to my own test with clamping treated and non treated parts on the front of my truck during the harsh salt ridden winters we have here in NJ and it has held up just like the independent tests have shown.