Parkerizing

andrewsharpshooter · January 7, 2011, 12:24 AM

Does parkerizing make your gun black, or just darker?

Buzzcook · January 7, 2011, 12:34 AM

It depends. Parkerizing is not a single process. Different materials are used that end in different colors. It can vary from light gray to black depending on the materials used.

Some parkerized guns turn green with age.

T. O'Heir · January 8, 2011, 12:17 AM

The colour of parkerizing depends on the chemicals used. Manganese based solutions give black. Zinc based solutions give shades of grey depending on the metal it goes on.
"...turn green with age..." Only after long term storage in cosmoline.

andrewsharpshooter · January 8, 2011, 12:19 AM

Will it make it shiny or dull?

**4V50 Gary** · January 8, 2011, 12:33 AM

Parkerizing requires the metal to be dull for it to successfully take. This is opposed to a highly polished metal required for a first class blue job. So, one may bead blast a gun in preparation for parkerizing it but must buff it for bluing. This said, parkerizing results in a dull, phosphate coating on the firearm. You can darken a parkerizing finish but putting grease in the final dipping tank. We did that at Lassen College to make our guns a bit greener.

andrewsharpshooter - are you into history? I know there were two companies of Andrew's Sharp Shooters that served during the ACW.

andrewsharpshooter · January 8, 2011, 11:10 PM

No im only 13.

January 7, 2011, 12:24 AM	#1
andrewsharpshooter Junior Member Join Date: December 17, 2010 Posts: 9	Parkerizing Does parkerizing make your gun black, or just darker?

January 8, 2011, 12:17 AM	#3
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	The colour of parkerizing depends on the chemicals used. Manganese based solutions give black. Zinc based solutions give shades of grey depending on the metal it goes on. "...turn green with age..." Only after long term storage in cosmoline. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

January 8, 2011, 12:33 AM	#5
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,841	Parkerizing requires the metal to be dull for it to successfully take. This is opposed to a highly polished metal required for a first class blue job. So, one may bead blast a gun in preparation for parkerizing it but must buff it for bluing. This said, parkerizing results in a dull, phosphate coating on the firearm. You can darken a parkerizing finish but putting grease in the final dipping tank. We did that at Lassen College to make our guns a bit greener. andrewsharpshooter - are you into history? I know there were two companies of Andrew's Sharp Shooters that served during the ACW. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

January 7, 2011, 12:34 AM	#2
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	It depends. Parkerizing is not a single process. Different materials are used that end in different colors. It can vary from light gray to black depending on the materials used. Some parkerized guns turn green with age.

January 8, 2011, 12:19 AM	#4
andrewsharpshooter Junior Member Join Date: December 17, 2010 Posts: 9	Will it make it shiny or dull?

January 8, 2011, 11:10 PM	#6
andrewsharpshooter Junior Member Join Date: December 17, 2010 Posts: 9	No im only 13.