refinishing

[Guest carter]

[color=#222222][font=Arial][size=2]ok...I have an older glock 27...no stippling in the finger grooves...the slide was really worn so I took some 1000 grit sand paper to it and now it looks like a pewter steel of sorts...which isn't that bad but would rather just go back to a refinish black... anyone know of someone close to Murfreesboro that can do this for me... don’t feel like mailing my slide off and waiting for a long turn around time… just want to drop it off and maybe pick it up in a few days…OR has anyone used the Duracoat shake-n-spray kits? [/size][/font][/color] Edited November 28, 2012 by carter

[Dolomite_supafly]

[indent=1]I would use Brownells Gunkote in an aerosol can. Prep is everything with Gunkote. I have used it dozens of times and has turned out great. The wear is good as well as one gun I did was carried everyday for about 6 months without any signs of problems.

If you have a compressor, even a small one, you can buy small hand held media blasters for less than $15 at Harbor Freight or Northern Tool. If not most automotive shops have blast cabinets and would probably let you use it for either a small fee or free if they think what you are doing is interesting. If all else fails then, as you said, you can use sand paper to roughen the surface.

Use gloves and safety glasses for everything. To keep your skin oils off the parts and to keep potentially harmful stuff off of you and out of your eyes.

[b]Here is what I do:[/b]
Disassemble the parts to be coated as completely as you can
Clean and degrease all the parts the best you can using non-chorinated brake cleaner
Media blast or sand all the parts to be coated (I used medium aluminum oxide from Northern Tool)
Bring a pot of 1/2 gallon distilled water and 1/2 gallon Simple Green to near boil
As the bubbles start to form remove from heat, letting it sit for a minute or so to allow the temp to equalize
Place the parts to be coated in the Simple Green solution and let it sit for about 15 minutes
[color=red][b]***Do not breath the steam***[/b][/color]
Stir the parts occasionally to help break any oils loose
At the same time start boiling some distilled water and turn your oven on its lowest setting
When it starts to boil remove from heat, letting it sit for a minute or so to allow the temp to equalize
Remove the parts from the Simple Green solution and place in the distilled water for another 15 minutes
[color=red][b]***Do not breath the steam***[/b][/color]
Remove the parts from the water and place them in the oven long enough for all the water to evaporate
Remove the parts [b]one[/b] at a time, not all at the same time, and coat them according to the instructions[/indent]


**If you remove them all at the same time and the first ones will be warmer than the last ones causing them to look different**


Make sure you spray outside though because it is some pretty nasty stuff, both smelling and bad for you.

After all parts are coated with Gunkote place them back in the oven at the recommended temp for the recommended time. I normally put the parts in then set the temp to the 300 degree temp it requires. Once it gets to temp I time off an hour then turn off the oven and let the parts cool slowly in the oven over the course of a few hours.

Because the finish is already dry when you begin the baking process it doesn't emit any nasty smells in the oven.

This is the down and dirty way I have done it for the last few years and works great. I have only done handguns and small parts but I have went thru at least 4 cans of Gunkote so far. If you have any quesitons feel free to ask.

Dolomite

[graycrait]

I have done much the same thing as Dolomite on an old beater Llama for a friend of mine. The Gunkote turned out well. Degreasing is everything as Dolomite said. I learned this the hard way, but fortunately I had plenty of Gunkote. I can't emphasize gloves enough and fashion some kind of hanger to hang the slide in the oven, to grasp while painting 360 degrees and to hang for curing. Remember - on the Glock slide you have the striker channel liner to get out and you may as well order one to replace the one you will need to dig out unless you have the special tool for channel liner removal. Reusing a banged up channel liner is probably not a good idea for reliability.

Sometimes I am lazy and just use some flat rattle can paint on guns. Just make sure the slide is degreased, follow the directions, allow enough time between coats and give it about 4 coats. That way you can simply tape off the inner working areas of the slide.

Gunrunner32 has cerakoted a number of guns and parts for me. That guy is a pro.

Lastly, the Tenifer steel treatment is probably still intact on your slide unless you used some crazy diamond abrasive and got into the metal pretty deep, therefore it won't rust any more than it would if it were painted, so unless the color of "pewter" steel bothers you function/durability won't suffer.

[Dolomite_supafly]

You would also be surpised how durable Krylon is once it has cured for a month or so. Once cured it is miserable to get off without some sort of blaster. You can soak it overnight in acetone or MEK.

Something else I use a lot is chalkboard paint after another member tried it. My thought f it is durable enough for chaulk then it is durable enough for most guns. It has something in it that makes it very, very durable. It dries to a nice finish and is impervious to heat. I normally spray the parts, let the air dry then bake them at 300 degrees for a few hours.

Dolomite

[MiddTennTaco]

[quote name='carter' timestamp='1354091601' post='851814']
[size=4][font=Arial]ok...I have an older glock 27...no stippling in the finger grooves...the slide was really worn so I took some 1000 grit sand paper to it and now it looks like a pewter steel of sorts...which isn't that bad but would rather just go back to a refinish black... anyone know of someone close to Murfreesboro that can do this for me... don’t feel like mailing my slide off and waiting for a long turn around time… just want to drop it off and maybe pick it up in a few days…OR has anyone used the Duracoat shake-n-spray kits? [/font][/size]
[/quote]

I've got a friend in Murfreesboro who does this sort of work and as well as gunsmithing. PM me if you want his information.

[Djay3]

If you should have to resort to out of town work, I can attest to fine work with prompt turn around from Walter Birdsong's sons "Birdsong's Black T finish". Located in Florence, MS. Mr. Birdsong passed away in 2009 but his sons are continuing the business.