What would be the best type and way to parkerize and or paint a bare metal de-blued  AK?

Spritz it hanging with K-Phos until it is dripping and then spray/bake with Gunkote

+1 for GunKote, if you don't have an airbrush you can get aresol cans at Brownells.

Just paint it with flat black BBQ-Kote and call it day....., it's only an AK!!

Sandblast with aluminum oxide or silica sand (where a respirator!) ... Then Park it and then gunkote it.  I've done the K-phos then gunkote - turned out ok...But, the cadillac of finish is Gunkote over Park...Doing a maadi right now...I'll be posting pics over in the egyptian section starting tomorrow. I just blasted it tonight.    That finish is tough as nails.  I do my FALs in that finish as well.  Kphos and Park are the same premace - I just think actual park makes it tough as nails.

2nd the guncoat- matches most original finishes quite nicely.

Thanks for the replies.  

Ditto on GunKoat - but airbrush the KPHOS on, then wait an hour.  NOW paint.

MolyResin is good durable stuff too.

Chrome or gold plate!

Ok, serious stuff now. How easy is Gunkote to apply at home? And is the aeresol version different than the stuff you have to have an airgun for, or is it just in a can and more expensive?

This is how I did it and it worked great ...
(I copied my post from the other thread on refinishing so I wouldn't have to write it all again)

You will need :
A) An air compressor
B) Go to Home Depot and get a Husky sandbaster gun for about $12, an extra screw in type male connector with a hose clamp and a nut that will screw on the connector(nut is in the plumbing dept.), a five gallon bucket and a $6 bag of blasting sand.
Drill a hole in the side of the bucket at the bottom, screw in the air connector and tighten it down with the nut on the inside of the bucket. Attach the black hose that comes with the gun and tighten the hose clamp. Fill bucket with sand.
Voilà -Instant sandblaster for under $20 ...
I use a face shield and a big plastic trash can to catch as much sand as possible for reuse, use a piece of sreening to screen out any debri that gets mixed with your sand ...
C) A $20 airbrush from Harbor Freight works fine to spray K-Phos and Gun Kote ...

Quoted: Chrome or gold plate! Ok, serious stuff now. How easy is Gunkote to apply at home? And is the aeresol version different than the stuff you have to have an airgun for, or is it just in a can and more expensive?

It's the same stuff.  The only problem that I've found with it is that the canned stuff is harder to get an even coat with than it is with a GOOD quality airbrush.

Quoted:  use a piece of sreening to screen out any debri that gets mixed with your sand ...

Very important step.