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What is a "Cerakote" finish?

asopasop Member Posts: 8,910 ✭✭✭✭
edited June 2019 in Ask the Experts
My son bought a Colt Defender Series 90 Lt. Wt. .45 that's in pretty good shape (mfg. aprox. 1997). Seller told him the finish is Cerakote! What is this? Thanks
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    charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A spray on finish. https://www.cerakote.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIruCw-rLJ4gIVj8JkCh195AxREAAYASAAEgJwuvD_BwE

    I like old school hot salt bluing or hard anodizing. But the spray and bake is easy to renew.
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    He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 50,951 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It is a combination polymer/ceramic finish, matt, not gloss. Durable, but to my eye not as attractive as blued or even stainless. It looks rather like anodizing on aluminum, but is a different process altogether.
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    nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Most everything as above except Cerakote is available in Gloss and Matte and you can vary those two by degrees when you modify the amount of hardener you add when mixing. We get a subtle satin finish by this modification. Like lumber there are two versions of this coatings by drying; Air and oven (kiln). Metal parts can go in the oven while stocks and such have use the air dry formula Cerakote. It can be applied by small airbrushes up to detail paint guns depending on the amount of work which needs to be coated. It can also be applied by hand with brushes or even sponge texture if you want. Just be aware that like any coating, Cerakote has a thickness to it, not a lot but on parts fitted to close tolerances, Cerakote is not recommended. Bolts for bolt action rifles can be treated with new deposit techniques to make them slippery without the dimensional build up of Cerakote.

    Best.
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    asopasop Member Posts: 8,910 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Your expertise here is very informative and much appreciated. Thank you
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    Bill DeShivsBill DeShivs Member Posts: 1,264 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's paint. A tough, two-part paint.
    And it looks nothing like anodized aluminum.
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    wpageabcwpageabc Member Posts: 8,760 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    https://www.cerakote.com/
    "What is truth?'
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    nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's paint. A tough, two-part paint.

    I find it very hard to determine the tenor of some posts and this one is an example. As I read it, the member is downplaying the product in favor of a product or process they are more familiar with or just plain prefer. I could be wrong though. ;) But...

    Cerakote is far more than paint in the first place and far more than a 2-part paint in the second place. Please take a minute to read the link to the Cerakote website which will explain the technology in detail. I understand that the traditional refinishers will take a set against this type of technology but there is more to refinishing than hot blue, walnut and stainless steel.

    I personally prefer rust blue when the firearm is suited to that application but not every firearm is. I also have an affinity for the hot blue and finely finished high quality walnut. But that certainly doesn't deter me from using Cerakote for some types of firearms where it is applicable. I try to choose the process which favors the client and his/her firearm rather than blanket condemnation of any process or product.

    Best.
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    Bill DeShivsBill DeShivs Member Posts: 1,264 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sorry. "it's paint' is a very simple explanation.
    "A tough, 2 part paint" expounds on the above.
    I'm not downplaying anything. Ceracoat certainly is a more durable finish than any bluing process.
    But, it looks nothing like aluminum anodizing.
    Ceracoat is not my favorite finish, but only because having it properly applied costs as much as hard chroming or nitriding-which are far more durable finishes.
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    TRAP55TRAP55 Member Posts: 8,270 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    He Dog wrote:
    It is a combination polymer/ceramic finish, matt, not gloss. Durable, but to my eye not as attractive as blued or even stainless. It looks rather like anodizing on aluminum, but is a different process altogether.
    CritterGitter did a late model Win 1894 with the sintered steel receiver. Laid in the bottom of the Boise river for two weeks and came out with the receiver badly pitted. Cleaned it up, used liquid steel for bondo filling the pits, and used this on it:
    https://www.cerakote.com/finishes/?tab=coatings&cat=POLISHED
    Came out looking like one of the factory plated commemorative models. A little polishing and it looks like it was nickle plated. They didn't have the color selection they do now, I'm curious to see how the gloss black looks. It's not my first choice in finish, but it's pretty handy for things you just can't blue.
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