Bluing a Parkerized Rifle?

The Fat Man · September 8, 1999, 12:47 PM

An elderly friend of mine recently purchased a rather abused m-1 carbine. He stripped and refinished the stock; being a retired master machinist he is very meticulous in his work. He has tried bluing the metal parts, but everything he's tried has wiped right off. His theory is that he's just not using the right bluing, but I seem to recall something about not being able to blue any metal that has been Parkerized, as I'm pretty sure his carbine has been.

Anyone have any advice?

Art Eatman · September 8, 1999, 06:26 PM

I don't recall the specific chemistry, but for sure, you can't blue directly onto a Parkerized surface. Your friend would have to grind/turn/polish down to bare metal...

I'm not certain, but I think you can re-Parkerize over that existing surface...

FWIW, Art

Harley Nolden · September 9, 1999, 07:57 AM

Art:
When I was working in a Fed. Gov. firearms maintenance facility, we would "glass blast", found that better than sand, and blue or parkerize most any surface. That is of course the light alloy stuff, ie:m16's and the like.

As you mentioned, the old stuff must be completely removed, then the new process would hold.

HJN

[This message has been edited by Harley Nolden (edited September 09, 1999).]

James K · September 9, 1999, 04:28 PM

There are a fair number of places that do re-parkerizing. They will also remove the old finish, though maybe with less care than your friend might wish. He might want to clean off the parkerizing himself, then just have the parkerizing done.

One nice finish is to blue over sandblast. It looks like dark parkerizing and has a very nice effect.

Jim

The Fat Man · September 10, 1999, 09:16 AM

OK, thanks, guys, for your help.

I'm going to talk to Virgil this evening; I know he won't be happy, but it would help if I could tell him exactly what Parkerizing is...

Any takers? I knew that the military usually did it to their weapons, but that's my limit. Y'all up for a little more help?

orsogato · September 10, 1999, 11:53 PM

Parkerizing is pretty much the bread and butter finish on almost all U.S. military weapons. I know for sure, m1 carbine, Garand, m-14, 1911a1 pistol, BAR, m2 .50 cal, etc.

I would just get the gun reparkerized. The parkerized finish should be pretty rough, and aside from thes sandblasting measures etc. that some people have mentioned, it seems that trying to blue it just might not work very well.

Get it reparkerized

Harley Nolden · September 11, 1999, 06:56 AM

FATMAN:
There's a place in FL that I used for bluing and parkerizing when I was in the business. When the did the job, the serviced the firearm also. On many occasions they contacted me to tell me if a gun needed parts etc and I never had a complaint in 15 yrs of using them. REBEL GUN REFINISHERS. Thats all they do is refinish and repair guns.

Don't have their address or phone anymore, but they use to list in SGN Shotgun News.

HJN

James K · September 11, 1999, 09:56 PM

Parkerizing is a phosphate coating applied to articles like firearms primarily because it captures and retains oil and thus prevents rusting. It does this much better than bluing, which is actually a refined form of rust. Parkerizing is usually gray, but can be black or a greenish gray depending on the composition of the bath used. It can be dyed and can also turn dark from absorbing oil, dirt, or grease. It is a boiling process, not an electrolytic process.

For military purposes, Parkerizing (named after the inventor) has the additional advantage of being a dull, non-reflective coating, which is excellent in situations where a shiny finish could give away a soldier's position to the enemy.

Jim

HankL · September 14, 1999, 08:23 PM

Fatman, If you can get up with Walter Birdsong who is in Mississippi somewhere he can tell you everything there is to know on this subject. I wish I knew how to tell you how to contact him.
Good Luck, Hank

September 8, 1999, 12:47 PM	#1
The Fat Man Member Join Date: February 5, 1999 Location: McComb, MS, USA Posts: 47	An elderly friend of mine recently purchased a rather abused m-1 carbine. He stripped and refinished the stock; being a retired master machinist he is very meticulous in his work. He has tried bluing the metal parts, but everything he's tried has wiped right off. His theory is that he's just not using the right bluing, but I seem to recall something about not being able to blue any metal that has been Parkerized, as I'm pretty sure his carbine has been. Anyone have any advice?

September 8, 1999, 06:26 PM	#2
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	I don't recall the specific chemistry, but for sure, you can't blue directly onto a Parkerized surface. Your friend would have to grind/turn/polish down to bare metal... I'm not certain, but I think you can re-Parkerize over that existing surface... FWIW, Art

September 9, 1999, 07:57 AM	#3
Harley Nolden Staff In Memoriam Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Brunswick,GA USA Posts: 1,884	Art: When I was working in a Fed. Gov. firearms maintenance facility, we would "glass blast", found that better than sand, and blue or parkerize most any surface. That is of course the light alloy stuff, ie:m16's and the like. As you mentioned, the old stuff must be completely removed, then the new process would hold. HJN [This message has been edited by Harley Nolden (edited September 09, 1999).]

September 9, 1999, 04:28 PM	#4
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	There are a fair number of places that do re-parkerizing. They will also remove the old finish, though maybe with less care than your friend might wish. He might want to clean off the parkerizing himself, then just have the parkerizing done. One nice finish is to blue over sandblast. It looks like dark parkerizing and has a very nice effect. Jim

September 10, 1999, 09:16 AM	#5
The Fat Man Member Join Date: February 5, 1999 Location: McComb, MS, USA Posts: 47	OK, thanks, guys, for your help. I'm going to talk to Virgil this evening; I know he won't be happy, but it would help if I could tell him exactly what Parkerizing is... Any takers? I knew that the military usually did it to their weapons, but that's my limit. Y'all up for a little more help?

September 10, 1999, 11:53 PM	#6
orsogato Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 1999 Location: Steeler Country Posts: 628	Parkerizing is pretty much the bread and butter finish on almost all U.S. military weapons. I know for sure, m1 carbine, Garand, m-14, 1911a1 pistol, BAR, m2 .50 cal, etc. I would just get the gun reparkerized. The parkerized finish should be pretty rough, and aside from thes sandblasting measures etc. that some people have mentioned, it seems that trying to blue it just might not work very well. Get it reparkerized

September 11, 1999, 06:56 AM	#7
Harley Nolden Staff In Memoriam Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Brunswick,GA USA Posts: 1,884	FATMAN: There's a place in FL that I used for bluing and parkerizing when I was in the business. When the did the job, the serviced the firearm also. On many occasions they contacted me to tell me if a gun needed parts etc and I never had a complaint in 15 yrs of using them. REBEL GUN REFINISHERS. Thats all they do is refinish and repair guns. Don't have their address or phone anymore, but they use to list in SGN Shotgun News. HJN

September 11, 1999, 09:56 PM	#8
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Parkerizing is a phosphate coating applied to articles like firearms primarily because it captures and retains oil and thus prevents rusting. It does this much better than bluing, which is actually a refined form of rust. Parkerizing is usually gray, but can be black or a greenish gray depending on the composition of the bath used. It can be dyed and can also turn dark from absorbing oil, dirt, or grease. It is a boiling process, not an electrolytic process. For military purposes, Parkerizing (named after the inventor) has the additional advantage of being a dull, non-reflective coating, which is excellent in situations where a shiny finish could give away a soldier's position to the enemy. Jim

September 14, 1999, 08:23 PM	#9
HankL Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 1999 Location: The Sunny South Posts: 2,174	Fatman, If you can get up with Walter Birdsong who is in Mississippi somewhere he can tell you everything there is to know on this subject. I wish I knew how to tell you how to contact him. Good Luck, Hank