Stencil before blast and stencil on cerakote. On cerakote you can cure for 15 at 250 and then paint over. As far as silicone I have done it twice in the last year. Once it got really dirty on a hunt and I wiped it down with a rag with silicone on it. It is really easy to take care of as the grime comes right off. Water beads right off too.