Question about removing cerakote

[quarterbore]

I'm thinking about bead blasting a rifle that has been cerakoted, do I have to do anything to the bare metal when I've got the cerakote removed to protect the metal?

[Otony]

Well, once you remove the Cerakote, there won't be a finish to protect. I'm sure you meant to write protect the "metal", and yes, you will need to do something or it will start to rust almost immediately just from handling it with bare hands.

If you have no intention of reblueing or new Cerakote, you can simply keep it oiled, or better yet, a thin film of a product like RIG. Polished steel is easier to maintain than bead-blasted, but if kept oiled it should be fine.

If you intend to use Cerakote again, or indeed any finish product, ALL that oil/grease will need to come off. If you proceed directly to a new finish from the bead blast cabinet you should be fine with no lubrication.

[quarterbore]

Yes, I did mean to type protect the metal. The action is blued and the barrel is stainless, all of it is cerakoted. I'm assuming bead blasting the blued action will result in removing of the bluing? Is there a way to remove the cerakote without bead blasting? Can I polish the steel with a cloth wheel and some light compound?

[Otony]

If it is indeed Cerakoted, not Duracoted, then there is a very likely possibility that the blueing is already gone. When Cerakoting is applied, the metal is typically bead blasted to begin with, at least it would be if the finisher was doing it properly.

Duracoat is essentialy fancy paint, so it is not uncommon to see it applied directly over metal that has merely been degreased.

If you do have Cerakoting applied, then using a polishing wheel agressively enough to remove the coating would also blur and round the edges of the steel, and likely introduce wallows into straight lines. If there were blueing underneath, it would be imposible to remove the Cerakote without removing or damaging the blue.

You could bead blast and then apply a paint type product (Duracoat, Alumahyde, etc) to the formerly blued areas. This would be a relatively quick, easy, and inexpensive solution.

[quarterbore]

I should have clarified. If I bead blast the gun, then use a polishing compound with a cloth bench grinder wheel, would that polish the metal sufficiently enough?

[emtrescue6]

I should have clarified. If I bead blast the gun, then use a polishing compound with a cloth bench grinder wheel, would that polish the metal sufficiently enough?

To clarify, the action was blued and the barrel is stainless, right? The barrel (if it i stainless) will not require any protective coating once bead blasted....the action (even is polished) will require some form of protective coating, chrome moly metals don't hold up well without some form of protection...hence the reason they are blued.

[quarterbore]

Correct. So either reblue the action of apply some sort of coating then.

[emtrescue6]

Correct. So either reblue the action of apply some sort of coating then.

Correct....remember you can't really blue a stainless barrel, so if you want them to match, some sort of coating other than blueing is necessary...I have a couple rifles with blued actions and stainless barrels....it really doesn't bother me....I tend to have the barrel lightly bead blasted to take away the "shiny/reflective" finish and leave the actions blue.

[quarterbore]

I alsohave a couple with different color action/receiver combinations and I like thenm. They stand out from the rest.

[emtrescue6]

I alsohave a couple with different color action/receiver combinations and I like thenm. They stand out from the rest.

Yeah makes it easier to point them out at the range! hahaha I see yer a 25 cal fan too....here's one of my mismatched rifles ....not a Savage, but a tack driving machine in 257 Roberts Ackley Improved on a Remington 700 Action....

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/16/ma2erevy.jpg

[quarterbore]

I'm a sucker for the 25 cals, I've managed to accrue 4 of them now, three 25/06's and a 257 Weatherby. Your rifle looks great, but somebody built the action backwards.

[emtrescue6]

I'm a sucker for the 25 cals, I've managed to accrue 4 of them now, three 25/06's and a 257 Weatherby. Your rifle looks great, but somebody built the action backwards.

hahahah...yeah! I have a couple 25's as well....this 257 AI, two 250 Savages (Both Savage 99's) and a 25WSSM.

[Westcliffe01]

You don't mention what it is you do not like about the cerakote ? If you don't like the color, have it redone in a color you like. Many military weapons today have all steel parkerized, and then cerakoted. The phosphating would tend to stop corrosion spreading under the finish. Cerakote is one of the most durable finishes that can be applied to a weapon. Blueing is highly subject to damage by moisture, even a few days worth.

[quarterbore]

It's a OD Green that wasn't done really well. The previous owner either did it himself or had it done and it's got some runs and scratches in it. I have taken the scope base off and there's still blue on the action there. I'm planning on bead blasting it, then refinishing the action.

[Otony]

That sounds more like Duracote than Cerakote. Can you scratch it yourself, carefully, so as to remove finish but not gouge metal? If so, I'm willing to bet it is not Cerakote.

emtrescue6 has it right in all his posts, but polished steel can be maintained.....with diligence. I have several flintlocks that are "in the white", that is to say, polished steel. It does require some elbow grease, but I've managed to keep each one bright, even using black powder, by the use of Flitz and RIG. Frankly, it is more trouble than it is worth, but historically accurate so I continue. My hunting flinters are blued or browned.

[quarterbore]

It was painted black with krylon when I bought it. I used Tal Strip II which is an aircraft coating remover and the green stayed on.

[Rifleshooter308]

Just want to point out that to cerakote you need to blast with alumium oxide which not only removes whatever finish is on the parts but also etches the surface in preparation to accept the cerakote. You never want to bead blast for cerakote. Bead blasting has the opposite effect as aluminum oxide. The glass beads pean the surface actually flattening it and making it smooth. Cerakote won't adhear correctly.

As for the final finish aluminum oxide does not leave a satisfactory finish as it is rough and will easily corrode. Bead blasting leaves an excellent long range finish as the peaning smooths the surface enough to be kept corrosion free with light oiling. Many barrel makers sell bead blasted barrrels (SS) which offer a duller finish than polished naked stainless.

If you want to keep it bare then by all means bead blast it. If you like the finish just oil it and be happy. If you are to re-cerakote or use any other type of paint or finish then blast with aluminum oxide.

[mazda3gun]

Jump on the Cerakote web site, they cover all the how-to business.

I'm actually interested in the opposite of the OP, I have a poly frame pistol I want coated. Just can't decide which to put on the poly frame, the slide and the rest will stay as is.