Redding CA finishing service

[Seaweed02]

I am looking for a person, not a gun shop or FFL, to teach me how to cerakote or hot blue a home built AK.

Please PM or email if you do this kind of service in NorCal

[kcstott]

Well in most cases you would not hot blue a AK. It would look like crap.
Cerokote sure and parkerizing but not Hot bluing.

[Gunsmith Dan]

Depends on the type of bluing job done.

Cerakote is not the type of thing you want to paint in your garage because the type of solvents used is alot stronger and more toxic than normal automotive or duracoat paints.

While there is people that paint Cerakote that way it is not healthy or safe unless you build a actual fully enclosed and filtered ventilated paint booth.

If you are wanting to learn something to make money take the Cerakote training class and pay the $750.00 and get certified. The benefit is every time someone calls in your area that wants cerakote done they will give them your info.

I am planning to do this myself soon as there is very few in my area.

Hot bluing in a home setting in CA will get you into nothing but trouble as it requires alot of setup and close attention to detail. You are dealing with a highly corrosive and toxic chemical that is heated to 295 degree ... so even a drop of water hitting the surface could cause a small steam explosion splattering corrosive material around. Which during bluing you are always adding water and praying you don't spill any on the surface.

[Arisaka]

Rust blue it!!

[Gunsmith Dan]

Yes slow rust bluing would be something someone with alot of patience could do at home without blowing anything up

[Gunsmith Dan]

Yea but you still dealing with a pot/tank full of acid instead of a small bottle and swabs with a pot/tank fof just boiling water. While alot of people/build parties do Parkerizing it still better in a fixed setting made just for that purpose .... those fumes not good on a long term basis.

Plus slow rust bluing done correctly is a more durable coating than parkerizing is.

[Arisaka]

Or check this out!!! http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1...MTMxMDAzNDE4S0

[monorailboy]

Finish it in Brownell's Alumahyde II Matte Black. Awesome finish, nice dark park look and expoxy based. Extremely durable !!

[Seaweed02]

I found someone in Redding

Thanks for all the replies fellas, and the advice. It is greatly appreciated.

I was going to have about 4 maybe 5 rifles durakoted but that fell through. So I found someone in Redding who knows how to Cerakote. So I think I am going to have it Cerakoted in graphite black with some extra hardener to give it a slight shine. I am going to start with the Hungarian SA 85M that I am having the GB and FSB switched out to put the rifle back in a decent AK configuration. I already received, refinished, and fitted an Ironwood Stock set for it, and removed the sporterized thumb hole stock set that it came with.

If I like the way it looks I think I am going to do my Yugo M70b1 build in Cerakote as well. But I think I will try mixing half Graphite Black and half Socom Blue, with a little extra hardener to get some shine of course. What do you guys think?

[Gunsmith Dan]

Cerakote H-238 Midnight Blue is the closest color they have to copy the Black/blue of high quality blued finishes if that is what you are shooting for.

[redcliff]

I'd check with Larry Mears Gunsmithing at Olde West and see who he recommends.

I had a good friend that used to own and operate Hot Flash gun blueing when it was it in Manton, but he sold the business several years ago to someone that operates it in Whitmore now and I don't know the quality of their work or any of the personnel involved5.

[Seaweed02]

You're right

Cerakote H-238 Midnight Blue is the closest color they have to copy the Black/blue of high quality blued finishes if that is what you are shooting for.

You are absolutely right about that. I did the email thing to the company and asked for samples, explaining that I wanted to have 5 rifles cerakoted. The mail man brought me an envelope from Cerakote today that had an example of Graphite Black, and a sample of Midnight Blue. The Midnight Blue looks so right, and it looks very very black and has a sheen to it without being glossy. At least on the sample. This surprised me because if you go to the Cerakote website and use the virtual samples, the Midnight Blue is lighter than the Socom Blue, and it actually looks blue to me. I am going to use the Midnight Blue on the first rifle and see how it turns out.

[Gunsmith Dan]

glad to help