A magnetic head slider having a protective coating on the rails thereof, the protective coating comprising a thin adhesion layer and a thin layer of amorphous hydrogenated carbon. The protective coating is deposited on the air bearing surface of the slider after the thin film magnetic heads are lapped to a chosen dimension, but before the pattern of rails is produced on the air bearing surface. The protective coating protects the magnetic head during the rail fabrication process and in usage in a magnetic recording system protects the magnetic head from wear and corrosion damage.