Questions on bead blasting and parkerzing

--Terry--

--Terry--

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Hi,

Didn’t want to hijack any existing threads, so I’d like to post my several newbie questions here. I am also considering doing my very first parkerizing job on a blued 1911. I have read some old threads, but did not get all the answers I need. Here are my questions:

1. Is bead blasting absolutely necessary before parkerizing?
I see that some people use acid to strip the bluing from the gun, and then go straight into parkerizing. Are there any benefits in doing bead blasting compared to acid stripping, besides a more matte finish?

2. Anti-rust measures after bead blasting?
I don't have access to any bead blasting equipment, and I may have to drive 80km+ to a DIY U-Blast shop to do the blasting, and come back home to do parkerizing another day. What kind of anti-rust measures do you suggest that I take? Any oil/treatment that I could spray on the parts right after bead blasting to keep them “fresh” for a couple of days?

3. Sights on the pistol:
When I do bead blasting and Parkerizing, should I remove the front and rear sights on the slide? I’d prefer not to, because I don’t have the tools and skills to work on sights yet. But if I have to, I will have to figure out a way to do it…

4. After Parkerizing:
Am I supposed to use tap water to wash the parts right after I remove the parts from the Parkerizing solution? Or should it toss them into something else say WD-40? Any suggestions here?

5. Getting rid of the used Parkerizing fluid:
I live in an apartment building. Is there a safe way to dispose of the used Parkerizing fluid? Should I just pour them into the toilet? Are they corrosive to the pipelines?

6. Choosing the right chemical:
Could anybody tell me where in Canada I can order the Parkerizing solution that makes a black finish instead of a green/grey finish?

Thanks a lot for any answers provided.

Have a good day,

Terry
 
I have always blasted. An acid dip could etch the surface, but I have no experience with it. Blasting is readily controlled. Acid washed parts can start to rust very quickly. Dip, rinse, park.
Freshly blasted parts will be very clean, with no corrosion resistance. You could try immediately sealing the parts in ziplock bags. If any tarnish appears, it will show in the finish. Do not touch a blasted part with bare hands. If you apply a preservative, you will have to remove it before parking, and bring the steel to a chemically clean state. TSP and a thorough rinse should work. I've always parked right after blasting.
Leaving the sights on shouldn't be a problem. If you are going to resight down the road, it would be better to change the front sight before parking, because of the risk of marking the matte parked finish when rivetting the sight in place.
Rinse, dry, apply a preservative. WD-40 is a Water Displacing product, but not a good preservative. A good oil would be fine after the WD-40.
Parkerizing solution is not as harmful as bluing salts, etc. I suppose the acid could be neutralized according to a litmus test. Well diluted, it isn't going to damage plumbing. Parkerizing solution can be reused. You might want to keep it in a plastic jug.
Radocy is a brand of park. available in Canada. It produces a nice black finish, and is very easy to use.
 
Thanks for the quick reply.

After bead blasting, if I spray WD-40 or Breakfree, and seal the parts in Ziplock bags, will the surface survive for maybe 2 days? If they can't, what is better protection after blasting?

And could the usual de-greasing products remove all the WD-40/Breakfree for parkerizing?
 
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