Firearm finishes

[Wapiti]

Interested in those of you that have opinions on using or applying different finishes for your guns.
Particularly of interest is finishes for metal to help with corrosion and just make it a little easier on the maintenance side for rifles that spend most of their lives outside.

Over sandblasted metal, I have used Duracoat from which is surprisingly good, and that other type Cerakote which I have used from airbrush sprayers.
Sometimes this is hard to get and seems deliberately limited in supply with preference for "trained applicators" to keep it expensive and exclusive. There is an awful lot of hype about Cerakote, I know it is as good as anything but is definately not infallible as it's only as good as the surface preparation and it is just a "paint".
I sand blast just because it helps enormously with finished resisting chipping off.
Glass bead blast when you just want a grey non-reflective finish on stainless without any paint.


Has anybody tried this stuff below? I hear good reports. It has a hardener in the base that is mixed with the finish by releasing it when shaking to mix. I believe there's enough for two firearms in one can.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/19546491916 ... SwLq5bJzMo

[Wapiti]

No one? I'm going to give it a go.
I have some stainless Howas that rust very easily if not treated, so this will be an interesting project. The self-mixing finish/hardener spray looks to be pretty convenient.

[flashman]

Hi will it stick to other types of alloys ?

[Wapiti]

I believe it doesn't matter what the metal being coated is, it is dependent on the surface finish you apply it to.
Example, a surface blasted with sharp garnet will key any finish better (stick to it) than glass bead blasted.
And a hand sanded surface is better than nothing, but not a very superior surface prep compared to a blasted surface.

I'm going to be doing both stainless steel and alloy (trigger guards etc), and don't expect any difference in the way the product adheres to the surface.
The durability of the finish will be how hard and durable, chip resistance etc of the cured product.
Not sure yet of that yet

[Fester]

Cerakote is pretty good for gun stuff as it's reasonably tough and thin.
They prob didn't want their product to get a bad name with backyarders using it without the essential surface prep.
That would likely explain the supply and certifying stuff.

I found a few real tough paints that stayed put under bikes with stone chips expected, but didn't happen.
That one was just a spray can "Hammertone" from memory.
A mate was importing camper trailers from the USA and to comply with our regs, had to redo the wiring, lights, and tow hitch (cut and shut). Then sell them as brand new.
The hammertone was the ticket for the hitch painting.

Some old enemals were tough if baked on, we did that with every foreign order we made at work because all materials were free.

Cerakote seems to have taken off with guns and I don't know of any other good paints that will hold up as well.

[Wapiti]

Here's a bit of a tip that may help some DIY'ers... the various colours of VHT ceramic exhaust paint available from auto parts suppliers will, if applied over a blasted surface and lightly baked in an oven will mimic the scratch and wear resistance of "Cerakote".
It's probably a very similar product, it certainly seems so when it's cured.
Except its in a spray can, and you have to accept the thicker film from the mix as it's made.

You can just let it air cure, but give it a week to get hard. It's actually supposed to be baked. Normally you'd coat your engines headers then run the engine to cure it. That's how tough that stuff is.
Only issue is there's only matt and gloss silvers, greys and blacks available as colours.

Ceramic paint was around long before that big brand name popped up and pretended to be something exclusive.

[Wapiti]

Cerakote is pretty good for gun stuff as it's reasonably tough and thin.
They prob didn't want their product to get a bad name with backyarders using it without the essential surface prep.
That would likely explain the supply and certifying stuff.

Maybe. My belief though is its to keep it exclusive, expensive and marketable for max profit.
Airbrush spraying, blasting and prep is not in any way rocket science.

As an example, how many times have I seen absolutely amateur vehicle paint repairs from businesses, well as many as I've seen excellent work from people doing it themselves after a bit of set up.
It's in the mind of the individual.

[MG5150]

Being a Van Halen fan I've always wanted to do this!