gb6491
05-26-2016, 03:30 PM
It's an excellent finish for carbon steel that is DIY friendly.
Perhaps I can nudge some folks into giving it a try.
Here are the two websites that got me started:
http://www.blindhogg.com/parkerizing.html (http://www.blindhogg.com/parkerizing.html)
http://www.theboxotruth.com/educatio...ing-a-sistema/
(http://www.theboxotruth.com/educational-zone-52-parkerizing-a-sistema/)
A nice summarized post about it: http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=10478.0 (http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=10478.0)
He recommends painting freshly parkerized parts. I mostly seal with motor oil. I did paint the slide stop on my Glock 27 after parkerizing it and it still looks great today.
Here are a few others I had book marked:
http://www.m1-garand-rifle.com/parkerizing/ (http://www.m1-garand-rifle.com/parkerizing/)
http://projectguns.com/parkerizing2.html (http://projectguns.com/parkerizing2.html)
http://www.freewebs.com/socal_websho...arkerizing.htm (http://www.freewebs.com/socal_webshooters/diy_home_parkerizing.htm)
http://www.calvan.com/html/parkerizing_tanks.html (http://www.calvan.com/html/parkerizing_tanks.html) - (sells solution and tanks...I've not bought anything from them)
Videos:
Many, many on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_uJFGsW1yQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_uJFGsW1yQ) - Small parts, he's also using a pre-blackener
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ8ub_X32xM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ8ub_X32xM)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUVg5GxkAPU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUVg5GxkAPU) - Really like this guy's DIY burner.
Prep is everything.
Parts must be free of grease/oil and old finish.
Once the parts are ready it is paramount not to touch them with your bare hands or to allow any other type of oil to come into contact with them. Don't get any sweat on them either.
Some reads on prep:
http://www.projectguns.com/parkerizing.html (http://www.projectguns.com/parkerizing.html)
https://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/1234gl/ten_easy_steps_to_parkerizing_your_gun_parts_at/ (https://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/1234gl/ten_easy_steps_to_parkerizing_your_gun_parts_at/)
You can do the prep correctly only to have the parts flash rust. It's a light yellowing rust that can occur going from prep to parkerizing. I've never quite nailed down why it occurs. So I try to go to a hot rinse right from blasting, then quickly to a hot pre-bath or the parkerizing tank.
The tank should be stainless steel or ceramic/glass (porcelain coated will also work).
I've read and used to believe that carbon steel or iron pots should not be used, but now think they may be ok after their initial use because then they'll have been parkerized. Still, why waste the solution on this.
You could also use plastic or pvc with some type immersion heater (stainless or ceramic element). I've done zinc phosphate on long bayonets by heating the solution on a hot plate (what I use for larger parts) then pour it into a vertical length of capped PVC (no heater). I also heat small amounts for small parts in glass or plastic containers using an old microwave I have in the garage for just this purpose.
I use solution (mostly manganese phosphate) from here:http://www.lauerweaponry.com/?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=920 (http://www.lauerweaponry.com/?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=920)
https://www.shootersolutions.com/parkerizing.html (https://www.shootersolutions.com/parkerizing.html)
http://www.calvan.com/ (http://www.calvan.com/)
I've not tried this:http://www.outdoorexperiment.com/2014/10/diy-homemade-parkerizing.html (http://www.outdoorexperiment.com/2014/10/diy-homemade-parkerizing.html)
I've found that parkerizing solutions work best in the 180-185 degrees F range. They work outside that range but may take longer (cooler) or shorten the working life of the solution (hotter).
I use a hot plate or a small propane BBQ for heat.
Some solutions need to be activated/aged/salted/whatever by adding steel to it and letting that cook for awhile. I use degreased steel wool for this. Their are powdered steels available for this.
Kits:
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/metal-prep-coloring/parkerizing/benchtop-parkerizing-kit-prod22737.aspx (http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/metal-prep-coloring/parkerizing/benchtop-parkerizing-kit-prod22737.aspx) - All you would need except heat and water.
I've done quite bit of experimenting.
Different type steels/different hardness steel can be hard to match color. Different surface treatments can affect the perceived color (maybe the actual color).
Here's my first attempt to do a full size pistol. I did an abrasive blast on it. Note the color mismatch:
http://gbrannon.bizhat.com/DSCN4177.jpg
Here's the same pistol after tweaking the solution (I later found that preheating the parts helps with color match as the parts don't affect the temp of the solution as much) and a less aggressive blasting:
http://i38.tinypic.com/t6bhpv.jpg
I've come to like the less aggressive blasting look. I started doing that when I need to match the frame of this Colt to it's slide which had the factory finish intact:
http://i43.tinypic.com/zkqyo4.jpg
Another Colt, a complete refinish:
http://i44.tinypic.com/ou8pyh.jpg
Colors were very hard to match on this Ruger:
http://i50.tinypic.com/2q1bds7.jpg
This RIA 1911 came out of the pot pretty evenly color matched:
http://i47.tinypic.com/iq8voi.jpg
continued below...
Perhaps I can nudge some folks into giving it a try.
Here are the two websites that got me started:
http://www.blindhogg.com/parkerizing.html (http://www.blindhogg.com/parkerizing.html)
http://www.theboxotruth.com/educatio...ing-a-sistema/
(http://www.theboxotruth.com/educational-zone-52-parkerizing-a-sistema/)
A nice summarized post about it: http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=10478.0 (http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=10478.0)
He recommends painting freshly parkerized parts. I mostly seal with motor oil. I did paint the slide stop on my Glock 27 after parkerizing it and it still looks great today.
Here are a few others I had book marked:
http://www.m1-garand-rifle.com/parkerizing/ (http://www.m1-garand-rifle.com/parkerizing/)
http://projectguns.com/parkerizing2.html (http://projectguns.com/parkerizing2.html)
http://www.freewebs.com/socal_websho...arkerizing.htm (http://www.freewebs.com/socal_webshooters/diy_home_parkerizing.htm)
http://www.calvan.com/html/parkerizing_tanks.html (http://www.calvan.com/html/parkerizing_tanks.html) - (sells solution and tanks...I've not bought anything from them)
Videos:
Many, many on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_uJFGsW1yQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_uJFGsW1yQ) - Small parts, he's also using a pre-blackener
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ8ub_X32xM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ8ub_X32xM)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUVg5GxkAPU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUVg5GxkAPU) - Really like this guy's DIY burner.
Prep is everything.
Parts must be free of grease/oil and old finish.
Once the parts are ready it is paramount not to touch them with your bare hands or to allow any other type of oil to come into contact with them. Don't get any sweat on them either.
Some reads on prep:
http://www.projectguns.com/parkerizing.html (http://www.projectguns.com/parkerizing.html)
https://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/1234gl/ten_easy_steps_to_parkerizing_your_gun_parts_at/ (https://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/1234gl/ten_easy_steps_to_parkerizing_your_gun_parts_at/)
You can do the prep correctly only to have the parts flash rust. It's a light yellowing rust that can occur going from prep to parkerizing. I've never quite nailed down why it occurs. So I try to go to a hot rinse right from blasting, then quickly to a hot pre-bath or the parkerizing tank.
The tank should be stainless steel or ceramic/glass (porcelain coated will also work).
I've read and used to believe that carbon steel or iron pots should not be used, but now think they may be ok after their initial use because then they'll have been parkerized. Still, why waste the solution on this.
You could also use plastic or pvc with some type immersion heater (stainless or ceramic element). I've done zinc phosphate on long bayonets by heating the solution on a hot plate (what I use for larger parts) then pour it into a vertical length of capped PVC (no heater). I also heat small amounts for small parts in glass or plastic containers using an old microwave I have in the garage for just this purpose.
I use solution (mostly manganese phosphate) from here:http://www.lauerweaponry.com/?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=920 (http://www.lauerweaponry.com/?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=920)
https://www.shootersolutions.com/parkerizing.html (https://www.shootersolutions.com/parkerizing.html)
http://www.calvan.com/ (http://www.calvan.com/)
I've not tried this:http://www.outdoorexperiment.com/2014/10/diy-homemade-parkerizing.html (http://www.outdoorexperiment.com/2014/10/diy-homemade-parkerizing.html)
I've found that parkerizing solutions work best in the 180-185 degrees F range. They work outside that range but may take longer (cooler) or shorten the working life of the solution (hotter).
I use a hot plate or a small propane BBQ for heat.
Some solutions need to be activated/aged/salted/whatever by adding steel to it and letting that cook for awhile. I use degreased steel wool for this. Their are powdered steels available for this.
Kits:
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/metal-prep-coloring/parkerizing/benchtop-parkerizing-kit-prod22737.aspx (http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/metal-prep-coloring/parkerizing/benchtop-parkerizing-kit-prod22737.aspx) - All you would need except heat and water.
I've done quite bit of experimenting.
Different type steels/different hardness steel can be hard to match color. Different surface treatments can affect the perceived color (maybe the actual color).
Here's my first attempt to do a full size pistol. I did an abrasive blast on it. Note the color mismatch:
http://gbrannon.bizhat.com/DSCN4177.jpg
Here's the same pistol after tweaking the solution (I later found that preheating the parts helps with color match as the parts don't affect the temp of the solution as much) and a less aggressive blasting:
http://i38.tinypic.com/t6bhpv.jpg
I've come to like the less aggressive blasting look. I started doing that when I need to match the frame of this Colt to it's slide which had the factory finish intact:
http://i43.tinypic.com/zkqyo4.jpg
Another Colt, a complete refinish:
http://i44.tinypic.com/ou8pyh.jpg
Colors were very hard to match on this Ruger:
http://i50.tinypic.com/2q1bds7.jpg
This RIA 1911 came out of the pot pretty evenly color matched:
http://i47.tinypic.com/iq8voi.jpg
continued below...