CZ82 Refinish options

marine6680 · April 18, 2017, 01:23 AM

So here is the story, and what I have managed so far... I acquired a CZ 82 a while back from a friend.

Mechanically in good shape, smooth trigger. The finish was rough.

The slide looks like it may possibly been stainless and unfinished, if not, the blueing wore off fully.

The frame blueing is gone on the front and backstrap, and doesn't look pretty most other places. It also needs new grips, as one side broke at the top near the safety.

The slide and areas of the frame had rust in places. Not really the flake red rust, but the dark patina like rust. A bit of the reddish rust seems to be in the cocking serrations though... A bit of light/minor pitting is evident in some spots as well.

It wasn't the worst I have seen, but I know some kind of finish would go a long way to protect it long term.

After a detail strip, the internals are in good enough shape, but had a good bit of caked up old lube.

My work has a media blaster, and I removed the rust. The media was the plastic beads (I think) Either way, enough to remove light rust and paint, but didn't do anything to the metal itself. It wouldn't remove any of the remaining old bluing at all.

I was hoping to take the frame, slide, controls, and other visible parts, to the bare metal. Using a media blaster, it would be a matte finish, and it would smooth out the little pitting there is... And matte is fine with me. As it stands, I would need to find somewhere that lets you rent time on a blaster.

Now as far as the main part of the question...

What should I do for a finish on the parts?

If I can get the parts stripped and ready for finish myself, I can get some cold blue solution and do it at home... But cold bluing is not very durable.

If the slide is stainless and started out as a two tone I would leave it as such.

I can take the parts to a local Smith and have them remove the old finish from the parts, and blue them. Not sure the cost on this option.

I can have a shop cerakote the parts... This would allow me to pick some custom colors... But I prefer simple in my pistols, so it would be darker muted colors, even if I went two tone. Though I am not sure what colors to go with right now.

I can also leave it as is, now that the worst of the rust is gone. Minus some in the cocking serrations, that I think needs out if possible. Maybe hit the slide with a more aggressive media...

Any thoughts?

Bill DeShivs · April 18, 2017, 03:09 AM

The slide is not stainless.
Cold bluing doesn't offer any protection for the metal.
Bluing offers little protection from rust.
Ceracoat, properly applied will protect the gun. Unfortunately "properly applying" Ceracoat generally costs nearly as much as industrial hard chrome plating or nitriding.
Hard Chrome or nitriding are truly lifetime metal finishes.

marine6680 · April 18, 2017, 09:45 AM

Yeah, I want the metal protected at least a bit.

Unfortunately I doubt there is any local place that can do intruding... And I'm not up for paying sipping and transfer fees on this pistol.

Bill DeShivs · April 18, 2017, 01:56 PM

Even nickel plating will offer much more protection than bluing.

**Aguila Blanca** · April 18, 2017, 05:53 PM

The CZ-82 was not blued, the finish is a black polycoat (i.e. "paint"). The civilian CZ-83 is blued.

Tidewater_Kid · April 18, 2017, 07:15 PM

I have seen a bunch of these that have been Duracoated. I always thought this one looked nice.

Might have to try that one.

TK

marine6680 · April 19, 2017, 11:01 AM

Black polycote... that explains the black stuff under the rear sight, I thought it might be a staking compound to prevent it from shifting.

I knew the new CZs use polycote but not the older ones.

So I may just go with cerakote, and that OD green and black combo looks good.

DT Guy · April 19, 2017, 03:02 PM

If you've got access to a blaster, you're half way to CeraKoting stuff yourself. Cheap airbrush, some correct media and some practice, and you can coat every gun you own for $10 each, or thereabouts.

Larry

marine6680 · April 19, 2017, 04:52 PM

I would give it a shot, but I can not swap the media in this blaster.

It is at work and is set up for our uses here.

April 18, 2017, 01:23 AM	#1
marine6680 Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2012 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 4,594	CZ82 Refinish options So here is the story, and what I have managed so far... I acquired a CZ 82 a while back from a friend. Mechanically in good shape, smooth trigger. The finish was rough. The slide looks like it may possibly been stainless and unfinished, if not, the blueing wore off fully. The frame blueing is gone on the front and backstrap, and doesn't look pretty most other places. It also needs new grips, as one side broke at the top near the safety. The slide and areas of the frame had rust in places. Not really the flake red rust, but the dark patina like rust. A bit of the reddish rust seems to be in the cocking serrations though... A bit of light/minor pitting is evident in some spots as well. It wasn't the worst I have seen, but I know some kind of finish would go a long way to protect it long term. After a detail strip, the internals are in good enough shape, but had a good bit of caked up old lube. My work has a media blaster, and I removed the rust. The media was the plastic beads (I think) Either way, enough to remove light rust and paint, but didn't do anything to the metal itself. It wouldn't remove any of the remaining old bluing at all. I was hoping to take the frame, slide, controls, and other visible parts, to the bare metal. Using a media blaster, it would be a matte finish, and it would smooth out the little pitting there is... And matte is fine with me. As it stands, I would need to find somewhere that lets you rent time on a blaster. Now as far as the main part of the question... What should I do for a finish on the parts? If I can get the parts stripped and ready for finish myself, I can get some cold blue solution and do it at home... But cold bluing is not very durable. If the slide is stainless and started out as a two tone I would leave it as such. I can take the parts to a local Smith and have them remove the old finish from the parts, and blue them. Not sure the cost on this option. I can have a shop cerakote the parts... This would allow me to pick some custom colors... But I prefer simple in my pistols, so it would be darker muted colors, even if I went two tone. Though I am not sure what colors to go with right now. I can also leave it as is, now that the worst of the rust is gone. Minus some in the cocking serrations, that I think needs out if possible. Maybe hit the slide with a more aggressive media... Any thoughts?

April 18, 2017, 03:09 AM	#2
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,985	The slide is not stainless. Cold bluing doesn't offer any protection for the metal. Bluing offers little protection from rust. Ceracoat, properly applied will protect the gun. Unfortunately "properly applying" Ceracoat generally costs nearly as much as industrial hard chrome plating or nitriding. Hard Chrome or nitriding are truly lifetime metal finishes. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

April 18, 2017, 01:56 PM	#4
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,985	Even nickel plating will offer much more protection than bluing. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

April 19, 2017, 11:01 AM	#7
marine6680 Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2012 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 4,594	Black polycote... that explains the black stuff under the rear sight, I thought it might be a staking compound to prevent it from shifting. I knew the new CZs use polycote but not the older ones. So I may just go with cerakote, and that OD green and black combo looks good. Last edited by marine6680; April 19, 2017 at 11:09 AM.

April 19, 2017, 03:02 PM	#8
DT Guy Senior Member Join Date: February 4, 2001 Posts: 959	If you've got access to a blaster, you're half way to CeraKoting stuff yourself. Cheap airbrush, some correct media and some practice, and you can coat every gun you own for $10 each, or thereabouts. Larry __________________ He who fights and runs away had better run pretty damn fast. Government, Anarchy and Chaos

April 18, 2017, 09:45 AM	#3
marine6680 Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2012 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 4,594	Yeah, I want the metal protected at least a bit. Unfortunately I doubt there is any local place that can do intruding... And I'm not up for paying sipping and transfer fees on this pistol.

April 18, 2017, 05:53 PM	#5
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,468	The CZ-82 was not blued, the finish is a black polycoat (i.e. "paint"). The civilian CZ-83 is blued.

April 18, 2017, 07:15 PM	#6
Tidewater_Kid Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 925	I have seen a bunch of these that have been Duracoated. I always thought this one looked nice. Might have to try that one. TK

April 19, 2017, 04:52 PM	#9
marine6680 Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2012 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 4,594	I would give it a shot, but I can not swap the media in this blaster. It is at work and is set up for our uses here.