Removing Cerakote

[Captain Kirk]

I had a few items I purchased that had been coated in Cerakote such as a barrel and mags, I wanted to strip the paint but not damage the parts under finish. Keep in mind, original finishes are hard melonite, parkerized and anodized finishes. I was able to use automotive paint reducer, which is effectively a fairly aggressive thinner, with a sponge to apply the reducer and a bristle brush to get into the cracks, the Cerakote is easily removed. I also soaked a few small parts for a few minutes, which made removal easier.

I have about 20 mags I still need to strip the Cerakote off of, I'll post up pics of the process with more details about the product used.

 

[blackriflecollector]

I'm surprised that you were able to remove Cerakote with the reducer. Was this oven cure Cerakote?

I believe in their instructions, NIC says the only way to remove it after curing is via abrasive blasting. Looking forward to more info on your process.

 

[deadeye]

Properly applied Baked Cerakote or GunKote will require blasting to remove. If you were able to remove it as you said, then I would suspect this is not CeraKote or GunKote.

 

[derrekmorehead]

Acetone is a stronger solvent than any thinner. Try soaking your parts in that for a length of time to soften it, then scrub with a stiff bristle brush. If I remember correctly Cerakote lists some sort of info on an acetone soak time for their product(not just for prepping but for durability).

 

[RangerU]

I know when I had to remove powder coat from a bunch of car parts, I used Eastwood Powder Coat Remover, and it worked great. Not sure how it would work on cerakote, but I'm sure it would work better than acetone

 

[pyrofx]

Before i built my pid controlled oven , I used a bimetallic thermometer . Worked gret , ...... Until it didn't.
i was doing my Surgeon 338 in satin mag. After talkimg to Cearkote , the resins cook at 400 degrees. Thats exactly what happend . My satin mag turned burnt bronze.
It took 20 mins with 140 grit AO @ 100 psi to get the stuff off. Toughest damn stuff I have ever used!

reshot it in graphite black @20-1 . Baked in the new oven and perfect.
greg

 

[Bloody_Tailgate]

I've soaked my spray gun in acetone a few times trying to get the air cure Cerakote off that dripped down when a seal went out...three days in the acetone and it still held strong. That is on a part that was not prepped at all, and I obviously had oils from my hands on it.

Good stuff!

 

[RJN]

Properly applied Baked Cerakote or GunKote will require blasting to remove. If you were able to remove it as you said, then I would suspect this is not CeraKote or GunKote.

So, is this the end all? Is bead blasting the only way to go?

 

[deadeye]

So, is this the end all? Is bead blasting the only way to go?

I have not tried bead blasting - I use aluminum oxide 120 grit - that is what KG recommends for the prep work.

 

[RJN]

Thanks deadeye. I have a barreled action I might have to strip and recoat. I'll be doing the all research at that point.

 

[ZombieSlayer]

So, is this the end all? Is bead blasting the only way to go?

I wet bead blast to remove cerakote, blueing, anodizing etc for no other reason than it seems to work faster than the dry blast with garnet I use to prep for Cerakote. Might be the different setups the wet blaster having a much better air supply than the dry blast cabinet I use tho. I've wiped H series cerakoted parts down vigorously with acetone, degreaser, thinners, carby cleaner, (pretty much whatever I had laying around at various times) and a rag to clean them with no sign of Cerakote removal. Haven't used it on any C series after cure.

 

[momule]

Properly applied Baked Cerakote or GunKote will require blasting to remove. If you were able to remove it as you said, then I would suspect this is not CeraKote or GunKote.

Not really. There are strippers that would remove both finishes.

 

[momule]

Acetone is a stronger solvent than any thinner. Try soaking your parts in that for a length of time to soften it, then scrub with a stiff bristle brush. If I remember correctly Cerakote lists some sort of info on an acetone soak time for their product(not just for prepping but for durability).

Acetone is what your wife uses to remove the fingernail polish shes uses. That aint strong in my line of work. Blasting or striping you have about the same repair time and have to strip the gun either way.
FYI
Keytones are much hotter than acetone.
Try MEK -methyl ethyl ketone
Or

MAK - methyl amyl ketone
or

MPK - methyl propyl ketone

 

[UNCIVILIZED]

There are strippers out there that'll turn 2-part epoxies, & or Devcon into expensive, messy goo. And while I've not tried them on Cerakote, I'm guessing they're strong enough. It's just chemistry. When I spoke to ITW about removing a scope base which was glued on with Devcon, he told me to use Methelyne Chloride. And that they have it at Home Depot & various other places.
Not sure that I have the spelling correct on the afore mentioned solvent, and it'd be wise to make some calls & do some studying prior to using such serious chemicals, but... it's worth a look. Ditto on finding out what they'll do to bluing first, as well.

Also, +1 on MEK most likely. It'll banana peel (read melt/dissolve) your rubber gloves at times when you're working with it. And that this solvent is one of the things which will sometimes dissolve red Loctite enough to free up things stuck together with the latter. [MEK, or Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide. I'm not 100% certain on which for melting Loctite.]

Once you get the Cerakote off of the offending parts, make sure to clean'em good with something "mild", like say, virgin Acetone.

'course, then there's the obvious... wear the appropriate protective gear when working with "X". After having read all the relevant safety info & how-to sheets on the stuff etc. And I only mention such in this case, as a LOT of these chemicals can be absorbed directly through the skin. In addition to the other usual dangers associated with coatings & solvents.
As a friend once said "save your liver for something important... like drinking" ;-)

 

[deadeye]

Not really. There are strippers that would remove both finishes.

Enlighten me please.

Tell me what actually works - I would love to purchase it to keep on hand at the shop.

Not interested in what "should" work but what you have actually used and how well it worked.

By the way - none of those ketones will touch it. Not even a 5% solution of HCL will hurt it.

Dan

 

[ARP]

I haven't found anything yet that will remove properly applied cerakote short of blasting so enlighten me as well and I have used about everything from the stores including MEK. Removing Duracoat is very doable. Removing Krylon is very easy. Cerakote, not so much.

 

[komishe]

Why would you bother to strip and scrub something that will just be left with an abrasive blasted finish anyways? Blasting it again would be a lot less work.

This thread should have just stayed dead.

 

[thespecialist]

I haven't found anything yet that will remove properly applied cerakote short of blasting so enlighten me as well and I have used about everything from the stores including MEK. Removing Duracoat is very doable. Removing Krylon is very easy. Cerakote, not so much.

I've tried numerous chemical strippers to remove Cerakote as well, haven't found anything yet that will remove it except blasting it off. I powdercoat as a profession and have access to some absolutely nasty chem strippers, nothing I have will remove Cerakote. Some of the stuff I have will dissolve powdercoating on contact, give it 2-3 minutes and I can wash the powder off wish a water hose........made Cerakote a little sticky after 30 minutes submerged in it, hardened back up after being hosed off.

Wet blasting with garnet is the absolute fastest way to remove the stuff, the water makes the media heavier so it impacts the surface with more force. We've actually been demoing a couple of large wet blasters at work and they are impressive to say the least.

OP, you're not going to remove properly applied heat cured Cerakote short of blasting it. If you removed it with paint thinner, I'd suspect it was either Duracoat or some other paint, but it was definitely not Cerakote.

 

[brwn bggr]

Post not needed...

 

[The King]

I use Dasco Expoxy Remover for all my paint removing stuff. It does work on oven cure moly resin, fyi. Never tried on Cerakote. Just be SUPER careful using this shit. Face mask. Gloves. Tyvek suit.

I got a DROP of it on my skin and it took me out of the fight for a bit until the "burned with a soldering iron" level pain went away. It works so good duracoat will wash off after a few mins.

Available at Home Depot.

 

[Cascade_Sherpa]

Anyone know if a walnut media in a blaster is abrasive enough to remove cerakote? I have access to a smallish media blaster that currently has crushed walnut shells as the abrasive media and it works fairly well on common painted parts. I'd like to get into coating easy things like knives and simple parts before stepping up to a firearm.

 

[thespecialist]

Walnut isn't going to be abrasive enough to do the job. Aluminum Oxide or Garnet media will take it off, but you'll need some patience if the parts were prepped correctly.