• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Gunsmithing Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

Millennium200

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 8, 2009
90
77
68
nc
I have found out that Shooters Choice bore cleaner will allow you to remove Ceracoat with very little rubbing. Are there any other cleaners you know about that will remove Ceracoat?
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

Who did the Cerakote job?

I only ask because I use Shooter's Choice in my bolt gun and in the year since I first applied the finish SC has yet to remove the DuraCoat from the muzzle area. The metal was blasted by a gunsmith but I did all of the other finish work in my basement so it's not like it's a bake on finish either. To me it sounds like the surface of the metal was inadequately prepared or not allowed to cure long enough. If Shooter's Choice removed the paint then stay away from any solvents with ammonia.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

I did the Cerakote and went by the instructions step by step. I have also had good service from DuraCoat myself. I had hoped that the Cerakote would be as good or better than the DuraCoat.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

Baked on Cerakote is extremely good and at one point I had my rifle done up in OD Cerakote when I first had it all put together...very tough stuff. Did you use air cure Cerakote?
How did you prep the surface?

I forgot to add that when I did my first DuraCoat paint job at home I stripped the old finish off with paint remover and acetone and then roughed up the surface with a Scotch Brite pad. This worked ok but it was far from ideal, the finish came off at the muzzle where I was afraid to get near the crown and was as durable in some places. I highly recommend blasting whenever possible prior to doing a DIY finish like DuraCoat or Cerakote.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

I agree with Millenium--Cerakote on bolt guns has stood up to
all cleaners thus far--was it blasted with AL oxide or just wiped with solvent?
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

I had email conversations with NIC Industries (Spelling) and norrels about this. The answer I received from both places is that if you find a chemical to remove it that either A it was not applied right or B something is wrong with the "mix". I did have a bottle of Norrels that wouldn't cure in the oven. Sent John an e-mail and he sent me out a new bottle.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

I've never had Cerakote come off from chemicals.
I think inconsistant batches come out every once in a while from NIC, or they sat too long, but most likely it was surface prep.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

If the surface was properly prepped (blasted with 120 AO) and cleaned prior to application, then I'd have to say it was either not properly cure or the Cerakote itself was bad.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

Thanks for the replies. The finish was sprayed on a new Rem S/A. I used Cerakotes recommended cleaner and preheated the receiver to 200 then sprayed over the factory parkerizing, then baked at 300 for 1hr. I have had great success with other bake on coatings sprayed over parkerizing. The parkerizing has a good texture for the paint to adhere to.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

Not removing the factory "park" may have been the issue.
I always blast with 120 alum ox before coating. Unless I am coating a scope.

JMHO
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

I didnt know they said to pre-heat with H series. I thought they just said to bake if you want to ensure a dry surface.
I know with durabake, if you put it on a hot surface it wont stay.



Havent tried H yet.
I use C.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

I have had several rifles coated with Ceracoat and haven't found a solvent yet that will touch it. Do you keep the coating chemicals refrigerated?
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: patriotoutlaw</div><div class="ubbcode-body">bead blast </div></div>

Bad idea. Abrasive media is a much better option.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

I preheated per directions to make sure all the cleaner was gone. This batch came from Brownells to me in October 2010 after being back ordered. I do not keep refrigerated but my basement workshop does not get over 65 degrees. I am beginning to think this was a bad batch. But thanks for all of the ideas everyone has given.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

I've never had that experience. The only thing that I can think of is try adjusting your ratios. If you are using one of their older ratios like 1:24 then it may not work all that well. If you did a 1:18 or 1:20 and you heated at the correct temperature for the correct time then you have a bad batch, and should try and get it replaced. I used to drop cerakoted muzzle brakes in a bore cleaner solution for hours at a time and it would not effect the cerakote.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

I used the 1:24 ratio as the instructions recommended. So I guess I got a bad batch. The only thing that annoys me is having to do QC for the company.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

If you didn't blast it with aluminum oxide then it wasn't prepped right. I am quite certain that it says you have to blast the surface and remove any old finish that is on there. I would say the Shooters Choice ate through the park not the Cerakote. I'd suggest bead blasting it till it's all "in the white" then painting it again.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Millennium200</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I used the 1:24 ratio as the instructions recommended. So I guess I got a bad batch. The only thing that annoys me is having to do QC for the company. </div></div>
Try a 1:18 ratio. NIC changed their recommended ratio to 1:18 about a year ago. Which may indicate how old your material is that you bought.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

I have soaked a QD Mount with baked on Cerakote in Hoppes #9 to remove some built up carbon. I soaked it for about a week and never saw any change in the finish.

Of course this finish got "baked" on a regular basis from the heat of the suppressor and barrel on an AR.
 
Re: Ceracoat "vs" bore cleaners

When cerakote goes bad it will get a freezer burn appearance on it (in the bottle).

As long as you keep your ratio somewhere between 1:12 and 1:24 you should be fine.

When NIC re-done their durability testing, the 1:18 ratio slightly outperformed the 1:24 ratio on the marring test ONLY, and this was only marginal. That is THE only reason NIC recommends the 1:18 ratio over 1:24.

Why is this? Using a little more hardener allows the finish to get little bit harder. In return 1:24 will give you the most "matte" finish and 1:12 will give the most "glossy" finish.

As far as chemical resistance and all the other tests NIC performed, everything was equal when you stayed within those ratio's, except the marring test.

If you are wanting to go outside those ratio's, I would give NIC a call and see what they say.