Parkerized finish questions

[Lupinus]

I rather like the look of a parkerized even more so then a good traditional blue, but am at a loss of just technically what is different about it or the process which produces the difference from a traditional blued finish.

So just what is a parkerized finish in laymen's and technical terms?

Also while looking around finishing stuff on a site (brownells or midway, can't remember which) I came across a home parkerizeing kit. Anyone know how well a home parkerized job can be done? I know bluing can be done in all but parkerized I haven't heard much of as far as home finishing goes.

 

[mnrivrat]

While I think that hot bluing is not realy a stove top project I suppose it could be done . Most home bluing has been done with cold blue which is not very durable.

I used a parkerizing kit many years ago on the stovetop and it worked rather well for me. Used a steel tank appropriate to the size parts I refinished. It is a phosfate finish of some nature while bluing is I think simply a controled oxide finish. I'm not readily knowledgable of the chemistry . I can just attest to the fact that parkerizing is both durable and doable at home if you take your time and read the instructions - wife might not want you on the kitchen stove heating up the parkerizing solution however, so maybe hot plate in the garage.

 

[Azrael256]

Mnrivrat pretty much has it.

Parking is a phosphating process. Like bluing, it is a process that actually acts on the metal (unlike coating finishes). Usually parking is a zinc phosphate, although a number of other elements can be used in the process. You dip your gun part in a phosphoric acid/zinc solution and just wait. I would NOT NOT NOT NOT do this inside. You will be promptly murdered if you are married.

Bluing, on the other hand, is a carefully orchestrated oxidizing process that acts directly on the metal to rearrange the molecular structure without really adding anything exotic. Hot bluing is a similarly stupid thing to try in the kitchen. Again, you will be murdered.

And anyway, we all know that a Real Man uses a Presto Black finish on his guns.

 

[AStone]

Wikipedia on parkerizing.

Judging from that description, I'd say my 870P is probably either manganese or iron phosphated.

Nem

 

[shep854]

As I understand it, what makes Parkerizing effective is that it is, in effect, a porous material that "traps" oil against the metal to protect against corrosion. The parkerizing material can also hold water if not oiled first, thereby promoting rust.

 

[AStone]

Shep, that makes good sense.

When I first took my 870P out of the box, the barrel felt rough & very dry in a metallic sort of way.

It took me several days (ok, ok, several weeks ... it was a really busy time) to take it totally down and oil it as it deserved.

After oiling, the color and feeling of the gun changed instantly, and has remained so, even in this Pac NW climate (even though we've had an "unseasonably" dry & warm winter here).

Nem

 

[Mooseman]

I know this is a dumb question but which parts don't you parkerize? The barrell I'm sure, but what else?

 

[Lupinus]

I would asume that you would want to plug the barrel since we are talking a dip situation and I can't see it being good for the rifleing.

Oh and BTW....I'm not married, girls have cooties

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I know this is a dumb question but which parts don't you parkerize? The barrell I'm sure, but what else?

You can parkerize any steel gun parts. If you look at any US military rifle produced since the 1930s, you'll see it's parked.

Parkerized fire control surfaces (e.g., sear/hammer interface) can result in a gritty trigger pull, so they are often polished to a smooth finish.

 

[Lupinus]

how do you go about protectng areas of the piece you don't want to finish?

Say the inside of the barrel? I would asume pluging it?

How about the inside of a reciever when you want to do the outside but for mechanicle purposes of course don't exactly want the inside finished?

Or would it be taken off with a little fine grit paper or something?

 

[Sam]

I do lots of parkerizing, a few tips for your pleasure:

Park does not make a real durable finish unless you sand blast it first. USE SAND, beads are too smooth to do the job correctly.

Remember that you need to have a tank that you can evenly heat to over boiling. Steel porcelan. stainless. No copper or aluminum.
Use Zinc for grey Park manganese for Black.
Cleanlieness needs to be as good as for blueing.
Seal the barrel with very tight rubber plugs
Areas that you don't want the park to take like the insides, polish lightly and cold blue. Park adds to dimensions so use a bit of caution on tight parts. Military guns are most always OK to park, lots of clearnace, don't do the moving parts on civillian stuff like revolvers, too tight.

It isn't worth the hassle and expense to set up to do 1 or 2 rifles. A handgun OK use one of the wife's stainless pots if you can get away with it. Have the local headstone maker do your sandblast. Do not skip the sandblast. Roughing with sandpaper doesn't cut it either. No way to make it uniform.


Sam