Parkerizing before Gun-Kote

[DLBlack]

I'm finally ready (almost) to Gun-Kote my SA. I have my Parkerizing solution and everything else I will need. One detail I haven't seen or maybe I've been overlooking is this. Once I take the parts out of the Parkerizing solution, I want to rinse in warm/hot water and the spray with the Gun-Kote after they are dry, correct? I just want to make sure there is nothing in between the Parkerizing/rinse/Gun-Kote steps I'm missing. Thanks.

[pa_guns]

Hi

I've never done the process, but I would *think* you want to be very sure the Park solution has been neutralized before something else goes over it.

Bob

[Hill]

I guess the parkerizing is just to give the paint something to bite? I think I'd bedblast the parts and forgo the parkerization. I know that the paint is supposed to stick well to a parked gun but I took that to mean only that a previously parked gun would not need the surface preparation of bead blasting or other roughing up.

If you're going to do it this way I'd agree with Bob above. The prior coating will need to be fully setup and cured and then scrupulously cleaned using a degreasing product that fully evaporates, laquer thinner, or automotive prepaint prep product. Anything left on the surface might interfere with adhesion and/or bleed into the topcoat.

[DLBlack]

The Parkerizing is to give a good base coat for the Gun-Kote. This is what a lot of the commercial refinishers do. According to KG Industries (The makers of Gun-Kote) and others that use this stuff on a regular basis, bead blasting is not a good choice because it actually peens the surface as opposed to aluminum oxide which cuts the steel and gives a good mechanical bond. I don't want to use anything to nuetralize the Parkerizing solution that will leave an oily residue if I don't have to. I realize I could remove it with a solvent but that would be one more thing to worry about if I don't need to.

[pa_guns]

Hi

Parkerizing is a chemical reaction with the surface of the metal. You want to be sure that the chemicals have stopped reacting before you cover them up. The normal way to do that is to soak the part in oil. There may be other ways, but it's not clear what they are.

Bob

[Hill]

I shouldn't have used the word 'bead'. It's become habitual I guess because of projects being discussed elsewhere that I've been working with lately.

In any case from the KG website description for use on sporting goodsincluding firearms: "APPLICATION: Pretreatment:

Alloy Steel: Stainless Steel: Sandblast (all sandblasting should be done using aluminum oxide 120 mesh at 50 to 70 pounds of pressure.) Sandblast and phosphate or sandblast only. Aluminum: Alodine or anodize if possible, if not possible use lighter pressure sandblast. Nickel Or Chrome Plating: Sandblast (If plating peels it is bad plating.) Parts are first stripped and cleaned of any oil or grease (use KG-3 Solvent Degreaser). After grit blasting repeat cleaning to remove all blasting residue that may have been trapped. Next apply K-Phos pretreatment following instructions on the product.

I take it that K-Phos is a sort of parkerizing, or substitute? Is it what you're using?

[pa_guns]

Hi

K-Phos is a light phosphate coating. It's not a full blown Parkerizing process. It's closer to the normal phosphate wash used with a lot of paints used on metal. Phosphate primer is based on the same basic idea.

Bob

[Hill]

OK, Thanks Bob. That sounds like how I'd want to do it. I haven't painted a gun, but have been thinking to try it soon. I've used the Brownell's aerosol GunKote and their laquer on small parts with good results, and there doesn't seem to be anything magical or mysterious about these coatings - just paint, maybe good paint.

Unless I got set up with tanks and heaters and all I don't think I'd try one of these kitchen table parkerizing kits. I'd rather not do it than have to redo it.

[pa_guns]

Hi

Parkerizing is actually easier to do at home than hot bluing. The setup is far less messy and the process is less sensitive to small chemical or temperature imbalances.

Bob