Stripping Anodized Aluminum

[toolslinger]

So I would like to make my Ruger Old Army's aluminum frame aluminum color. Is there a relatively safe and available chemical process or do you actually have to polish/sand/ grind the color off?

 

[frankenstein406]

Oven cleaner is common, I forget the other ways

 

[CraigC]

Easy Off oven cleaner strips off anodizing like it was made for the task. Sanding/polishing takes forever. Just make sure you get it all off or you'll have high spots when you polish it.

 

[toolslinger]

Awesome info y'all! Thanks for that. I am making a set of oversized grips for my new Ruger. This will make it a lot easier. I got a hankerin for a two tone gun anyway and I plan on adding a Classic Ballistix cylinder in the future so this will work out well.

 

[rodwha]

Would you post a before and after pic?

 

[BCRider]

Don't let the oven cleaner stay on TOO long. It'll also pit the base metal along with the anodized layer. Work it baby... WORK IT! Lay it on and rub it around and then wipe 'er down.... er.... what was the question again?

The EZ OFF oven cleaner is still a popular method for removing anodizing in the paintball hobby/sport. Just do NOT walk away and leave it for long. Close monitoring is the way to go. And fully de-grease the frame before you start out with the oven cleaner. It aids in making the removal work more evenly.

 

[CraigC]

No, don't leave it on for more than a couple minutes. Degrease it, hang it on a wire (don't forget your gloves) and spray it down. When it's covered in a good amount of purple foam, start carding it off with 0000 steel wool. Once it's all gone, wash it off thoroughly with water.

 

[toolslinger]

Gotcha. Many thanks for the detailed instructions. I will definitely post before and after pics.

 

[BCRider]

The oven cleaner is really corrosive to your skin too. Be sure to wear gloves. And hopefully this was a needless reminder.

 

[Acorn Mush]

So I would like to make my Ruger Old Army's aluminum frame aluminum color. Is there a relatively safe and available chemical process or do you actually have to polish/sand/ grind the color off?

Boldface added.

Did Ruger actually make some Old Armies with an aluminum frame? Perhaps it was just the grip frame?

Seems to me I saw one with a Delrin-type grip frame waaay back when, but I could be mistaken.

 

[toolslinger]

Yes of course I meant Grip Frame. Ruger made the rest of the Old Army out o proper steel. If you will go look at the pics in the ROA Club thread you will see several with the grip frame stripped as well as other neato custom configurations.

 

[Skinny 1950]

Anodized Aluminium is sapphire coated..the only other thing harder is diamond.
It is impervious to most chemicals.

 

[CraigC]

It's not "sapphire coated", the anodizing process produces aluminum oxide, which has a similar chemical make-up to many gemstones but I think it's disingenuous to call it "sapphire coated". Aluminum oxide is very hard but anodized aluminum is not 'that' hard and it's not impervious to Easy Off oven cleaner.

 

[Jim Watson]

Easy Off contains sodium hydroxide, lye. That will dissolve aluminum oxide OR ALUMINUM. As BCRider says, the spray will pit the aluminum if left on too long.

In an earlier day, it was popular to dip Ruger grip frames and Colt Commander receivers in a lye solution conveniently made by dissolving Drano. They come out naked aluminum, all right. But there have been parts dissolved beyond usability when left in too long.

Y'all be careful now, you hear?

 

[toolslinger]

Yes sir I will be very careful. Is pure water the neutralizing agent for lye?

 

[mykeal]

Yes, in that it both dilutes it and removes it. The more water the better.

 

[toolslinger]

Very good. Thank you. Weird how folk used to use lye soap. No wonder old timers looked so haggard.

 

[BCRider]

The "lye" soap didn't actually have much or any base lye in it after the soap making process. Lye is still one of the two major ingredients in home hobby soap making. It only remains somewhat "corrosive" if you don't correctly balance the lye with the oils and/or waxes used to saponify the lye.

 

[toolslinger]

Sure works good on stripping anodizing though
Before

After



With my new grips

 

[kituwa]

Bare aluminum will dull pretty fast. You may need to spray it with a clear laquer to keep it looking good. I like the look of part blue part silver too.I used to do a lot of blackhawks with blue frame and barrel with a stainless cylinder,ejector houseing and griip frame. Was my favorite look on my custom 1911 type .45 autos too.

 

[CraigC]

Great! If you polish it, it will stay bright for quite a while and will only need to be periodically touched up.

 

[toolslinger]

Thanks y'all. I hope to some day get a stainless ClassicBallistik cylinder and maybe even find a stainless loading lever for her.

 

[BCRider]

I've had good luck with polished bicycle parts that use car wax for protection from the elements. And as a bicycle commuter up here in the Great North "Wet" that is saying something.

A lot depends on the makeup of the alloy as well. But if the usual gun oils seem to let it fade and dull then try some car wax instead.