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Posted: 12/24/2023 4:55:34 PM EDT
A while back I had an AR ceracoated with an god awful gray (MARPAT gray) that pretty much looks like neon gray in sunlight. I used a dealer that I never had coat a weapon before (showing love to a local shop). Anyways, I need to get this off the weapon as it's hideous. Supposedly the parts were boiled, then coated, not media blasted. I'd like to see if the finish underneath the ceracoat is still close to the original. Is there any way to chemically remove Ceracoat? And, is is possible to pick at the coating to lift it off?

Any ideas?
Link Posted: 12/24/2023 4:59:49 PM EDT
[#1]


Glowie pic for attention
Link Posted: 12/24/2023 8:59:47 PM EDT
[#2]
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That is bad. Damn.

AFAIK, properly applied Baked Cerakote or will require media blasting to remove.

But I am far from knowledgeable regarding Cerakote.


@OG1
Link Posted: 12/24/2023 9:48:33 PM EDT
[#3]
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Originally Posted By TGWLDR:

That is bad. Damn.

AFAIK, properly applied Baked Cerakote or will require media blasting to remove.

But I am far from knowledgeable regarding Cerakote.


@OG1
View Quote



Yeah, not impressed. I'm hoping that since it was boiled, their my not be proper surface adhesion. I'll take the 3 prong off and see if I can chip at it with a dental pick. I'm not woried about the steel parts (barrel/FSB, etc) as I can blast those and black oxide them. Its the aluminum bits I'm worried about.
Link Posted: 12/26/2023 3:37:17 PM EDT
[#4]
It won’t come off without blasting. While I prefer to blast, many say anodizing provides an acceptable substrate for application. Many rifle companies offering Cerakote as an option on their weapons Cerakote directly on top of anodizing.

I have done a personal rifle without blasting it has held up with no issues for years
Link Posted: 12/26/2023 11:21:03 PM EDT
[#5]
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Originally Posted By Thor:
It won't come off without blasting. While I prefer to blast, many say anodizing provides an acceptable substrate for application. Many rifle companies offering Cerakote as an option on their weapons Cerakote directly on top of anodizing.

I have done a personal rifle without blasting it has held up with no issues for years
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Agreed.
Link Posted: 12/30/2023 2:25:30 AM EDT
[#6]
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Originally Posted By Thor:
It won't come off without blasting. While I prefer to blast, many say anodizing provides an acceptable substrate for application. Many rifle companies offering Cerakote as an option on their weapons Cerakote directly on top of anodizing.

I have done a personal rifle without blasting it has held up with no issues for years
View Quote
It still has to be blasted to etch a profile that cerakote will adhere to. You just don't totally remove the anodize.

West Michigan Cerakote does OEM cerakoting for some manufacturers, and that's how they taught me when I got certified (along with me watching their process in the other booth).
Link Posted: 12/30/2023 2:38:58 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Eleazer] [#7]
Why not paint it, I would.




The only solution I know of that works is sand blasting.
Link Posted: 12/30/2023 4:54:27 PM EDT
[#8]
Thanks for the info folks. I actually have a blast cabinet and might try media blasting the parts with walnut shells. I'll let you all know how it turns out.
Link Posted: 12/30/2023 10:05:21 PM EDT
[#9]
There is a video on youtube of a guy blasting cerakote off with table salt and leaving the anodizing intact.
Link Posted: 12/31/2023 1:59:59 PM EDT
[#10]
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Originally Posted By AAMP84:
There is a video on youtube of a guy blasting cerakote off with table salt and leaving the anodizing intact.
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I can see that working. Probably doesn't take much to lift the ceracoat off the surface.
Link Posted: 12/31/2023 2:06:42 PM EDT
[#11]
While abrading one finish is easier when using something harder than the finish to be removed, a softer material (walnut shells) could abrade cerekote.  Given enough time and flow, water will eventually abrade rock, so it would make sense that walnut shells would eventually abrade cerekote.
Link Posted: 2/10/2024 11:48:27 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Rooster-X] [#12]
So, I opted to have my local Ceracoat guy deal with the stripping and recoat. Here are my 3 picks. I’m looking for something close to early colt grey.  

Link Posted: 2/10/2024 1:08:36 PM EDT
[#13]
Sniper Gray has always come out closer to black for me in the past.
Link Posted: 2/10/2024 9:56:54 PM EDT
[#14]
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Originally Posted By anachronism:
Sniper Gray has always come out closer to black for me in the past.
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I like it, but for some reason, platinum grey just says old anodizing to me
Link Posted: 2/11/2024 10:05:14 AM EDT
[Last Edit: ankratz] [#15]
OP, you may be interested in this: Norrell's Moly Resin, Colt Grayish-Black

The color is lighter than the swatch shows, so look up some examples online. It would be a closer match to the color temperature of old, light gray anodizing. The Cerakote (while a great product), always comes off a little too blue tone, in my experience.

I've used Norrell's when trying to match anodizing colors and it looks excellent. If you mix the Gray-Black with SOCOM black at a particular ratio, you can match the darker gray of 80's/90's FN A2 rifles perfectly. And I do mean, no shit, perfect. I'll post a photo example when I get back to my desktop.

If your applicator guy can do Cerakote, he can do Moly Resin. Only difference is you pre-warm the parts before coating, and cure at 300 versus 250 degrees.

Link Posted: 2/13/2024 10:05:30 AM EDT
[#16]
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Originally Posted By anachronism:
Sniper Gray has always come out closer to black for me in the past.
View Quote


What he said... I really like it though.  It has some metallic fleck in it as well.  I did a Noveske AR with Sniper Gray and it looked awesome.  Not black, not silver, not gray; just a culmination of all those.
Link Posted: 2/14/2024 12:43:55 AM EDT
[#17]
I'm really leaning towards the platinum gray. I'm looking for "old" colt gray. In my thought process, older colt gray would turn a slight tinge of green.
Link Posted: 2/14/2024 1:16:01 AM EDT
[#18]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By Rooster-X:
I'm really leaning towards the platinum gray. I'm looking for "old" colt gray. In my thought process, older colt gray would turn a slight tinge of green.
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Norrells moly coat also turns that greenish if left too long in the oven.

The person who originally ceracoated that gun needs punched in the dick.

Not sure if you if you can tell by the pic but this upper receiver was done in the Colt gray moly coat.
Attachment Attached File
Link Posted: 2/19/2024 11:23:29 PM EDT
[#19]
I like it

But I like unique things and colors
Link Posted: 2/20/2024 9:02:17 AM EDT
[#20]
Platinum grey for sure!
Link Posted: 2/23/2024 10:43:14 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Rooster-X] [#21]
I did choose Platinum grey, but I want to do the buffer tube and delta ring in a diff color. The barrel, triangle handguards, pistol grip and stock will be the normal black plastic. So I'm thinking instead of black or platinum, I'm thinking sniper grey. It'll break it up a little and give it the differential "anodising" look". I.E- parts A,B,C anodized as a set. Buffer tube and Delta ring sourced from another mfg.

Mind you, this is all theoretical and hypothetical as this weapon was never produced, but my mindset is what if it was? What was available during that early AR time frame?
Link Posted: 2/23/2024 10:46:25 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Rooster-X] [#22]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By Vague:

Norrells moly coat also turns that greenish if left too long in the oven.

The person who originally ceracoated that gun needs punched in the dick.

Not sure if you if you can tell by the pic but this upper receiver was done in the Colt gray moly coat.
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/246790/20230222_140902_jpg-3128530.JPG
View Quote



I can't fault the guy, he only did what I asked him to do. I should have (hindsight) taken the sample card outside and looked at it in bright daylight. The fault can fall on my shoulders
Link Posted: 4/20/2024 9:22:59 AM EDT
[#23]
So....

After a looong conversation with my normal ceracoat guy, we settled on concrete grey. It's very close to early colt grey. I'll end up weathering it a bit as it looks like it's brand new. The "look" I'm going for is something that was tossed around from year to year, .mil dept and agency. Yeah, I know, it's a fake boutique weapon, but I'm bored. Pics to follow once my order from Retro Rifles shows up and I can finish it.
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