Parkerizing a 1911 frame - Which option is cheaper?

[doctorj77]

Looking at getting a 1911 frame parkerized. Finish is coming undone and will have to get stripped first, but am curious which is cheaper, get the chemicals and do self? Or pay someone to do it? It literally is just the frame that needs done.

[Coctailer]

Depends on your time.

Email Support@AR15Sport.com and Johnny can give you an idea what he would charge.
Tell him Andrew sent you.

[Moleman-]

Likely it will be cheaper to have it done. You'll need to degrease, abrasive blast the frame, degrease again and put in 175-190 degree ish solution and agitate occasionally to knock off the bubbles that will form on it that will leave the finish blotchy or unparkerized if in an area that could trap the bubbles. Once it stops bubbling, dunk in cold water, inspect if good spray off with WD40 or buy the fancy Water Displacing oil the parkerizing companies $ell. The pot you use can't have any exposed aluminum or copper/brass. I've used SS and even a porcelain pot. All steel will work (no galvanized), but will also parkerize which will use up some of your solution. I'd never use that pot for food again. So if you've got or have access to a abrasive blast cabinet, outside stove or turkey fryer with a SS pot, Palmetto Enterprises makes some great solution. Keeps for years if you don't let it freeze (use distilled water) Managnese solution is darker and zinc is more gray. Only the iron parkerizes so as long as the frame is 4140 or so it will work well. Some older gun parts will have a higher amount of nickle in them and may not color at all. The alloy, hardness and solution strength will determine how dark the part comes out. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Manganese-P...-/273226409835

[doctorj77]

Depends on your time.

Email Support@AR15Sport.com and Johnny can give you an idea what he would charge.
Tell him Andrew sent you.

Appreciate that, I will do so. Even if it works out to double the price vs doing it myself, I can probably take assurance it will be done right at least.

Likely it will be cheaper to have it done. .................

I probably could leverage some time on someone's cabinet but unsure which media they'd have. I do have a turkey fryer I've used in the past for boiling out cosmoline on milsurps. Might take a second glance at that, but I probably would have to degrease the pot well before any type of use. In the end, just a little time and money is all. Will see what the gentleman mentioned above come back in pricing first to at least get an idea.

[Moleman-]

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If they come through, here's a few things I did with the Palmetto Manganese solution a couple weeks ago. The barrel in the tank pic is from 5-6 years ago.

[Moleman-]

Let me try again

[dirtmcgirt76239]

unless you do more than one and plan on doing this a bunch of times I think you will come out ahead just subbing the whole thing out.