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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - AK Refinishing question

Posted: 8/4/2022 2:01:35 PM EDT

I have a numbers matching Romanian kit with original barrel. Going to send it off to get it built.

Refinishing options are:

1) Bead blast and paint

2) Duracoat

3) Cerakote

This is basically a build because I want a 7.62x39 AK. It will not go to classes, it will not be run hard, etc..

It will probably have 8 or 10 mags shot through it, then set around until I die.

If Russian hot salt bath was an option, I would take it.

Regardless, tell me what you would recommend, and why.

Thanks in Advance,

uxb

Posted: 8/4/2022 2:11:48 PM EDT

[#1]

Unless things have changed....not duracoat. It is just paint. KG Guncoat or Cerakote will last you forever on an AK. Here is one of mine I did:

https://www.ar15.com/forums/ak-47/Sharing-pics-of-my-Polish-11-PKMS/95-165053/

Posted: 8/4/2022 2:13:41 PM EDT

[#2]

I was not impressed with duracoat the two times I used it.

Posted: 8/4/2022 2:21:54 PM EDT

[#3]

High Temp Engine paint and done!

In all seriousness I have used all the above and my 74 that I used engine paint on back in 05 is still going strong and has been run harder than of my other AK's. Key is prep.

Posted: 8/4/2022 2:41:43 PM EDT

[#4]

Either spend the money and ceracoat, or use Rustoleum appliance epoxy. There is literally nothing out there better than these two things, have tried them all.

Other option is not to do a coating, go old school and rust-blue it yourself, absolutely gorgeous finish if done right.

Posted: 8/4/2022 4:33:09 PM EDT

[#5]

All my AK’s are duracoated, I’ve never had a problem with it

Nothing wrong with cerakote

Posted: 8/4/2022 4:40:52 PM EDT

[#6]

I shoot a lot of KG Kote. I tend to use it because it is not nearly as toxic to the painter as Cerakote. That stuff is gnarly. It'll burn your eyes and nose in seconds.

I've KGKoted lot sof things including suppressors. All have held up fine.

Posted: 8/4/2022 6:07:53 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
All my AK's are duracoated, I've never had a problem with it

Nothing wrong with cerakote

View Quote

There is nothing at all wrong with duracoat or rattle can. It is just not resistant to chems. For example, my arsenals that are rattle canned will leave paint stains on me and my close if I were to spray down with brake clean where as KG or cerakote will not.

Posted: 8/4/2022 9:44:46 PM EDT

[#8]

Honestly I would bead blast, park and then paint in a perfect world. Traditional method for a tough finish. Otherwise just cerekote and forget about it.

Posted: 8/4/2022 9:49:28 PM EDT

[#9]

If you want it to be authentic Romanian then just have it parkerized. Romanians were never painted.

Posted: 8/4/2022 9:56:21 PM EDT

[#10]

We use epoxy appliance paint as standard, baked to cure. If they want to pay for it, I have a guy that uses KG Gunkote. Its much more durable than rattlecan, much thinner than cErApAiNt.

Do not rust blue an AK; true rust bluing should only be done on simple parts, barrels mostly. You must card off the rust with a wire wheel, which cannot get into all the crevices in an AK, so red rust would remain. Slow rust bluing was done on barrels with both end plugged because hot salt bluing had not been invented yet. I've never hot salt blued an AK, it wouldn't be that difficult, just need to get all the greases and oils out of all the holes and such.

Posted: 8/4/2022 10:06:53 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
I have a numbers matching Romanian kit with original barrel. Going to send it off to get it built.

Refinishing options are:

1) Bead blast and paint

2) Duracoat

3) Cerakote

This is basically a build because I want a 7.62x39 AK. It will not go to classes, it will not be run hard, etc..

It will probably have 8 or 10 mags shot through it, then set around until I die.

If Russian hot salt bath was an option, I would take it.

Regardless, tell me what you would recommend, and why.

Thanks in Advance,

uxb

View Quote

Russians didn't salt blue after the 50's, they zinc phosphate parkerized with an epoxy paint overcoat.

Posted: 8/4/2022 10:26:27 PM EDT

[#12]

Black paint. Is gloss or semi-gloss not authentic?

Posted: 8/5/2022 8:32:49 AM EDT

[#13]

Parkerizing and then cerakote would be a great finish if sending it off.

If I'm doing a DIY job, I use appliance epoxy and then bake it. Works fine.

Posted: 8/5/2022 4:03:32 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:

Russians didn't salt blue after the 50's, they zinc phosphate parkerized with an epoxy paint overcoat.

View Quote

The infamous squid ink is just lacquer, one of the reasons it comes off so easily with solvents on Saiga and Arsenal imported Russian rifles.

Posted: 8/9/2022 12:05:02 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
High Temp Engine paint and done!

In all seriousness I have used all the above and my 74 that I used engine paint on back in 05 is still going strong and has been run harder than of my other AK's. Key is prep.

View Quote

I forgot which one, you can find details on the Saiga 12 forum, but there is a particular engine paint that is a perfect match for the paint used on Russian AKs. I sprayed my Saiga with that after doing a conversion and it matched perfectly. I need to do it again, but the reason my paint job failed was likely a combination of mediocre prep and the fact I didn't bake it. I've been thinking of getting a used electric smoker to bake AK builds.

Posted: 8/9/2022 3:19:50 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
We use epoxy appliance paint as standard, baked to cure. If they want to pay for it, I have a guy that uses KG Gunkote. Its much more durable than rattlecan, much thinner than cErApAiNt.

Do not rust blue an AK; true rust bluing should only be done on simple parts, barrels mostly. You must card off the rust with a wire wheel, which cannot get into all the crevices in an AK, so red rust would remain. Slow rust bluing was done on barrels with both end plugged because hot salt bluing had not been invented yet. I've never hot salt blued an AK, it wouldn't be that difficult, just need to get all the greases and oils out of all the holes and such.

View Quote

You're partially right, rust blueing may present issues on an already assembled rifle, though I feel there are several easy methods to get around the crevice issue.

But if you're building from scratch, it is absolutely easy and leaves a stunning finish unmatched by any other method, there's a ginormous thread on another forum with dozens of examples. Again, not the hardiest finish (AE is really the toughest IMO, even better than cerakote) but certainly one of the most beautiful.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - AK Refinishing question

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