CeraKote question

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Matt Bufford

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Hey guys. Looking from some advice from some of you who have experience with cerakote/durakote/gunkote.

What are the differences between them? Is there any advantage to having it done vs using the rattle can and oven?

I've got a couple tactical builds I'm about to start and the clients are wanting colored stainless blades.


What about marks and etching? Is laser engraving the only good way to put a mark through this stuff? Or is there some way to etch it first, then prevent it from sticking inside the etch during application?


Also, to have it done by a gun smith - what is a fair price range should I expect to pay per blade? I know there are several gunsmiths in my area offering cerakot and durakote, but if it is easy enough and saves me money, I'd be happy doing the rattle can gunkote.



Thanks folks

Matt
 
Cerakote and gunkote are somewhat similar, they're both genuine heat cured thin film coatings with a high amount of solid lubricant in the coating itself. Duracoat's main product is a 2 part epoxy based finish, it goes on a bit thicker than gunkote/cerakote and is not self-lubricating, you can accelerate the cure via an oven but it still continues to cure over a couple weeks. Duracoat isn't as hard as gunkote/cerakote, but still better than something like alumahyde or baking laquer. One thing with the rattlecan/bake on finishes is it's very easy to put them on way too thick, this actually results in reduced coating durability as the harder coatings will chip when they get too thick. The nozzles also get clogged faster than with something like spraypaint because there's a much higher solid content in the finish.

Because it doesn't require heat for 100% cure, duracoat tends to work better on non temperature tolerant plastics and some rubbers. Gunkote does have an air cure polyurethane that's very durable and works well on plastics, but last I checked there were still more colors available in duracoat. To etch, as none of these coatings are particularly resistant to abrasive blasting (due to their thin nature) you can apply a mask like electrical tape over the item and cut out a pattern/letters and blast right through it leaving a crisp etch. Properly applied gunkote is thin enough to leave 120 grit scratches plainly visible through the coating surface, that's after blasting with 120 grit alumium oxide. As long as they don't get crazy with a really coarse grit blast, a deep acid or electrochemical etch should still be visible even after coating.

Gunkote and Norrell molyresin are the easiest to work with. They're 1 part products, just shake well for a minute or two and apply. Cerakote and duracoat are 2 part finishes, you'll need to mix them right before application, and any extra is wasted, you can't just pour it back into the bottle.

edit: If you're going to do it yourself, I'd suggest going with Norrell Molyresin, and a cheap airbrush from harbor freight. I like molyresin better than the different flavors of gunkote 2400 I've tried, it seems to be harder, more wear resistant, seems to cover better and doesn't chip as easily all at the same time. An 8oz bottle goes a long way. Also heed the warning of shelf life, it's good for about a year stored at room temperature, any longer and it starts to react with the bottle that it comes in, it's still usable at this point but the durability isn't what a new bottle is. You can store it refrigerated or request a metal container and it's supposed to last much longer, The clear bottle is nice though since it makes it easy to see when you've shaken it enough.
 
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Any etching or engraving you put on the blade prior to coating will remain after it is coated. Cerakote is applied and baked on. It is a vastly superior product over duracoat or kg guncote. It is incredibly abrasion resistant. You can see the standardized testing in the video below. Standardized tests are utilized such that the playing field is fair and all products are tested on the same playing field. It is also useful to see the other characteristics of Cerakote and that is found here. If you would like a sample blade coated, please PM me.

[video=youtube;ksj-XJzVQik]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksj-XJzVQik[/video]
 
Ok, so next Question. What grit should I sand to for any of these coatings. I have one of the blades currently finished to 220, should I leave it or go finer?

So being that cerakote seems to be the best coating, and I'm just doing it on a couple knives for now, I'm thinking my clients would be best served by me paying a smith to do it. So what would be a fair price to pay per blade?

If I have a good response from these two, I'll probably look at settin myself up to do it. You guys know of any good instructionals covering the application, or is it really as simple as spray and bake?
 
I had a blade Cerakoted recently and it was $30 for just one, but the price was much better for larger numbers.

Cerakote is only applied .001" thick so if you etch or stamp your logo it should still show fine through the coating. Most places will bead blast the blade before coating so the finish doesn't have to be perfect but I have heard that120 grit belt marks can show through, so I would take it up to 320 just to make absolutely sure.

I haven't had a chance to really test the durability of the coating yet, but the knife I had done is a take down with a wrought iron guard and even though the guard fits tight enough that I can't quite push it all the way on by hand, it hasn't scratched through the coating. After over a dozen assemblies while I was shaping and finishing the handle, you can see rub marks on the tang near the shoulders but no scratches and no bare spots.
 
I have read that these coatings will stick to a blade that has either been blasted with 120 grit AO or "roughed up" with 600 grit wet/dry automotive sandpaper. is that correct? I am interested in this stuff, but I would REALLY want to avoid the bumpy "spray on truck bed liner" look that you see on some factory knives. What I would want would be a finish that is smooth, shows the etched logo and won't screw up my temper while baking.
 
320 it is. Thought just crossed my mind... I'm guessing the handle on a full tang should be shaped before coating, just so the coating doesn't get scraped up?

Also, what would y'all think about preening on bolsters before coating, and having them coated along with the blade? Looks good in my head at least.
 
How would you bond the scales on temporarily? This is something I would really like to try, but I haven't been able to get around the issue of the handle. I plan on putting linen micarta on it.
 
Let me just say this...I recently duracoated my new gun...and I will NEVER use that crap again. Cerakote is so much better. The Duracoat is just crap...I'll feel my BP going up already. I better go
 
Calvin Richardson said:
How would you bond the scales on temporarily? This is something I would really like to try, but I haven't been able to get around the issue of the handle. I plan on putting linen micarta on it.
Click to expand...

If you size the pin holes on your scales for a snug fit (7/32 hole for 7/32 pin), they will hold on well enough for shaping. It is kind of difficult to get them out - I carefully tap them out with a small nail amd mallet. It has worked for me on a couple knives I did with mirrored tang edges. Just dont forget to bore out the holes to finished size before it is glued together or you could start cracking scales. Not so much a problem with micarta, but you'll still want a little room for epoxy.
 
Sorry for bringing back an old thread, but is there any issue with cerakote preventing handle scales from bonding to the handle effectively? I don't have to worry about the epoxy letting go do I?
 
I find it extremely hard to believe that a paint has better abrasion resistance than ion bond coating!
I'm assuming "ion bond" is the same process as Tennifer.
 
I have used all of these finishes with great success. Cerakote being the most durable and "professional" looking finish. It just comes out so much smoother looking than the others. Your knife blades will need to be blasted with 120 grit aluminum oxide prior to coating. Make sure that after they are blasted that you do not touch them with your bare hands as the oils will stick to the knife and cause the coating to not bond to it. Professional results require professional prep work and professional tools, don't waste your money on a crappy airbrush. Have fun, post some pics of the coated blades when you can!
 
Call it paint all you want but I assure you its not a paint. The test results speak for themselves.....
 
Any spray-on finish is not as durable as nitriding or hard chrome plating. They are simply over-coats, or "paint."
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Any spray-on finish is not as durable as nitriding or hard chrome plating. They are simply over-coats, or "paint."
Click to expand...

It is not paint... I will agree that nitride, hard chrome and DLC coatings are harder than spray on finishes. However, just because it's hard doesn't make it a better finish. Those coatings are easily scratched, and if poorly done they chip. Spray on finishes are self lubricating and hold up better under areas of high friction (bolts on rifles, pivot areas on folding knives, internal parts on firearms, etc... And last I checked you couldn't get a DLC coating in OD Green. The oven cure Cerakote is the best finish on the market, period. Anyone who says otherwise probably hasn't used it before. And I will say again that professional results require professional prep work and good tools. It's not a finish that should be applied by DIYers at home
 
shotgunner said:
Any etching or engraving you put on the blade prior to coating will remain after it is coated. Cerakote is applied and baked on. It is a vastly superior product over duracoat or kg guncote. It is incredibly abrasion resistant. You can see the standardized testing in the video below. Standardized tests are utilized such that the playing field is fair and all products are tested on the same playing field. It is also useful to see the other characteristics of Cerakote and that is found here. If you would like a sample blade coated, please PM me.

[video=youtube;ksj-XJzVQik]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksj-XJzVQik[/video]
Click to expand...

I have seen this promo before and it's misleading at best.
To say that a paint is more durable than ion bond coating is absurd.
Ion bond is also much tougher than bluing and parkerizing. As a matter of fact, Ion bond is tougher than anything on that list!
 
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