Definitely not the same thing but I cerakoted a DGFM for a member years ago. Came out pretty slick. I think alot have went to cerakote. Parkerizing is definitely more original looking and feeling.
Duracoat sells solution and equipment for such.
If it’s done correctly, bead blasting isn’t going to harm any of the frame markings. Good luck with doing it yourself, it sounds like you’ve got some experience with it. I’d love to see how it comes out when you’re done. It’s really satisfying to see them come out of the tank.
The gun I am "restoring" I documented in another thread, but it was a RR of 1944 make, later turned into a bullseye gun, and then later wrecked by an inept rear sight swap attempt...but, past really decent stippling, 100% GI, and I had an old 1960s superior steel/heat treat GI slide gathering dust from prior 1911 building, and me being a hardball shooter, anyhow, a perfect match. Also as mentioned elsewhere, no few match guns were de-matched and issued, so frame stippling not unknown, and I'd like the still crisp original marking to stay crisp, and blasting does show on rounded mark edges and down in marks...really moot on a rebuild, even an arsenal rebuild, just a personal desire making sure marks last as long as possible, I guess...
If you media blast with aluminum oxide powder it doesn't effect the markings. Thats what I mainly use in my blast cabinet. Takes a Lil more time but doesn't pit or harm any metal or poly.
I have had great experience with the epoxies, this is just a 100% GI parts gun where it is going to stay parkerized, where I also have had great experience so long as the spongy coating periodically resaturated with oil (which epoxy skips but which epoxy at very best over parkerize).
Not that this gun needs any blasting, but, that sounds interesting...so, even under magnification, you see no difference in the surface? And if that is true, then how does it help parkerizing adhesion?
Under heavy magnification you will always see some sort of abrasion during the blasting process. It is definitely alot less than sand or glass beads though. Tremendously less. Lol
I am just being anal on this gun, but, we used to spend a lot of time with magnifiers looking for unsharp edges to stamped marks and frosting down in bottoms of marks. Many of the marks on a 1911 were applied after surface prep or even parkerize, and so am just leaving as original appearing as possible...somebody in the future will appreciate those sharp marks as I do now.
Yep, and can think offhand of at least 3 other outfits that do or did, and am sure there are others. This small a project, the supplies are not the problem, but doing it right and NOT in the kitchen is what runs it up, an outside burner which I lack, phosphoric acid for prep, stainless pot needing purchase, ground shipping on etc etc....but, under $50 not counting shipping easily gets degreaser/solution/neutralizer.
