After reading threads online, I decided to strip the paint off of this upper with KleenStrip paint stripper, and decreased it… This is what it looks like now. It’s a swirly gray, no longer black, even after being re-oiled.
Thoughts?
Stripping complete. You leaving it as is or planning to refinish?
Not sure. I have some cold blue I could use, but this isn’t going to be anything special, so I don’t want to put money into getting it cerakoted or anything.
The gray finish is weird. What would cause that?
Bare metal, you stripped all the finish off.
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Yep. Just marks from the manufacturing process.
Ok, I’m fine with that. I have some cold blue in a bottle, do you think that that would be adequate? I don’t really want to spend any money on a special finish or anything. Just want to protect the metal a little.
I dont think cold blue offers any tangible protection.
I expect keeping corrosion at bay Will be a constant struggle.
Agreed.
Krylon it with high temp paint. Reapply as spots appear to burn off or discolor
Without any nitriding or parkerizing, you may be in for a regular battle.
It is fine. A little finish still in some pores isn’t a big deal.
You didn’t strip off parkerizing or nitride, so you don’t need to worry about that.
If you want, you can heat it up with a heat gun or even a hair dryer to let oils soak in better. In the big scheme of things, I personally wouldn’t worry, that is just how a lot of things look after stripping paint. Spray it with high heat paint if you want, but make sure you heat and cure it before you expect it to hold up at all.
Ok cool. I have a heated ultrasonic cleaner and oiler, so I can get it hot to soak in oil.
So you wouldn’t do the cold blue? Just leave it?
What is your end goal? Ro you have a certain finish in mind? I’m curious, why did you stripped it in the first place?
Cold blue is pretty much worthless.
I’m building a cheap frankengun for my wife’s sister. This was an upper that I got for basically free, but it was covered in hideous paint.
She’s not paying me, I’m doing this as a favor, so I don’t want to dump money into it.
Op, can you link to the product used?
It seems kleenstrip makes different stuff such as turpentine.
I read somewhere its phosphoric acid, which will likely remove parkerizing, but stickmans comment had me resesrch it: if its an organic solvent, the parkerizing will still be there, you just stripped the dyes out- which is good feom a corrossion standpoint.
You could always just paint it with duracote or one of the spray cerakotes. I have even heard of people using grill paint to finish them. Aluma-hyde, Gun-Kote there are lots of options
After posting yesterday, I was going to return and ask about the Nitriding/Parking process.
It took me a whole few minutes to remember that those coatings are usually embedded in the metals itself. I was hoping that after I inquired about that, someone more in the know, would clarify for us.
Thanks for chiming in with your expertise, as you answered the questions I had as well after posting.
Thanks for the help guys. As long as it’s still safe and not rust prone, I’m fine with it. The color doesn’t look bad, and I don’t think that she’ll care really, but I don’t want to give her something that’s gonna be covered in rust after sitting in her closet for a month.
I’ll make sure that it’s given to her very well oiled regardless, though.
It’s just their regular paint stripper. In hind sight, maybe I should have spent $3 more for Citristrip, but oh well.
Does baking soda fizz if you mix them (just try a pinch in a capfull). If not, your fine.