Armory Sponsor
Posted: 10/22/2016 4:07:07 PM EDT
| I'm wanting to remove the anodizing from a maverick 88 receiver and polish it, I've seen it done once. The mothers mag polish I bought says not for use on anodized aluminum. So what I want to know is, is I sand it until the black is gone and it looks like bare aluminum, does that mean all the anodizing is gone? Or does it go deeper into the metal? |
|
The anodic layer (anodizing) "grows" on the existing aluminum (but it does penetrate a very slight amount to take "root"). The layer is a microscopic, honeycomb-like structure. The anodizing itself is basically colorless, but a dye is absorbed into the honeycomb and then the ends of the honeycomb are sealed, either by heat or chemically (or both). This is what keeps the dye locked into the layer. If you remove all the "color" you have removed all of the anodizing.
Here's a drawing to give an idea (you can see the aluminum at the bottom, the honecomb structure, and the holes in the honeycomb where the dye penetrates): 
|
|
Lye will remove anodizing.
Lookup home anodizing and you'll find a lot of good information. The warning on the Mother's can is because if you rub enough, you will go through the anodizing and end up at bare aluminum. Keep in mind the anodizing isn't just color, it's harder than the aluminum so it's a wear and corrosion inhibitor. If you use a chemical means to remove the anodizing, it will remove it everywhere. Including the inside where you want to keep it. While tedious, sanding will work for what you want... - Chris |
Armory Sponsor