Abstract: It is known to manufacture a recording member having a substrate supporting a magnetic recording alloy on a surface and to locate a protective covering on the surface of the alloy remote from the substrate. An improved protective covering for use in this combination comprises a barrier layer located on the surface of the recording alloy and an oxide layer located on the surface of the barrier layer remote from the recording alloy. The barrier layer preferably consists of a nonmagnetic material. The oxide layer is also nonmagnetic and is sufficiently thick to protect the magnetic alloy layer against surface abrasion. The barrier layer isolates the oxide layer from the magnetic recording layer so as to preserve the character and uniformity of the magnetic recording layer as the oxide layer is created.