What color Cerakote gives the closest look to gloss bluing?

SOCOM Blue is listed as a rich black with a hint of navy blue and a semi-gloss finish... But then again, I've never seen it on a gun.

Is that stuff good? Never used or even seen it. I have a stainless rifle that could use soem colour.


thx

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@ Supercub; http://www.nicindustries.com/firearm_coatings.php

The Cerakote is Very good stuff. I will be offering it when my equipment is finished. (just to let you know) SOON, SO SOON....

The closest to gloss bluing is graphite black with twice the hardner.

Check out my website in my signature, as I offer professional cerakote finishing on metal and stocks. Turnaround time is 1 to 2 weeks.

What adverse effects come from putting "double" the hardner if any?

He just means that it is twice as hard as bluing.

Ah, ok...

He also might mean that he uses the Graphite Black solution with twice as much hardening agent to make it appear darker; hopefully he will clarify, I have a graphite black cerakoted rifle and it certainly does not look like bluing, unless you're twenty yards away.

Here's a pic:



Winchester pre-64 Model 70, graphite black cerakote, McMillan stock.

@ O45 - Thanks for the picture... I've really looked long and hard and can't seem to locate a Cerakote that looks more like bluing (to me) than the SOCOM Blue in pictures but seeing it first hand is a horse of a different color. Those that perform this work will know 1k times more than I and my simply "google" run downs...

Here's a picture I found of the SOCOM Blue and Graphite Black both together...

The slide is SOCOM blue, the frame & controls are Graphite Black...

That really looks like hot blue

pretty sure he's talkin' about adding double the hardening agent, which will add a bit more sheen to the finish.

Does it change your dimensions enough to require re-bedding?



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not for me... I've never had a problem with it doin' it either way.

The cerakote guys told me that socom blue or midnight purple with double hardener are the closest to bluing, but again, hold 5 blued rifles next to each other from different manufacturers and you'll get 5 diff. colors. For that matter hold a pre-64 winchester next to a classic and see how close the bluing is one to the other. There are too many subtle variations to say one is better than another, really personal taste, but I think the socom blue with double hardener is probably sorta close. Also depends on the underlying finish of the gun. In order for cerakote to be applied properly it can't be done on a truly polished out gun like a nice rust blued finish. As a result, you'll likely never get the true look of bluing. To me, Socom blue is sorta close.

As silly as it might sound, I'd want it applied to stainless steel (if possible) to give my rifle a blued look.

Adding twice the hardener will sheen up graphite black and many of their other colors.

Cerakote offers nothing that is going to look like gloss bluing.

Haven't used the SOCOM blue, but it looks pretty good.

@ Eddie: Thanks for the info

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The one reason I'm lookin at the SOCOM Blue is the spec sheet list it as:

H-245 SOCOM BLUE
Gloss Level Semi-Gloss; 45.4 Gloss Units at 60�

Compared to
C-102 GRAPHITE BLACK
Gloss Level Matte; 1.5 Gloss Units at 60�

That and the spec sheet says the SOCOM Blue: Mandrel Bend (ASTM D522) 180� rotation with no coating loss

and the SOCOM Blue shows to fair better in the 5% Salt Spray test.

Just seems to have a lot going for it...

Maybe by adding 1.5 to 2 times the hardner to it will make it really shine??? Then again, it might be like fertilizer - too much of a good thing ends up killing everything.

Eddie's dead on. There's nothin' that's gonna look glossy, but I think the socom blue or the midnight purple with extra hardener is probably the closest you'll get.

@ Mtnman - I think you're right.

I am pretty sure Cerakote offers a clear coat.. As soon as my equipment is complete, I will shoot it and let you all know....

@ Eddie & Brass -
I'm very interested in increasing hardners and clear coats to get more gloss from the cerakote... I don't want a mirror but I want to get as close to bluing as I can.

Run the SOCOM with twice the hardener or the Graphite if you like black sheen more than the blue. I wouldn't clear over it, as your going to stack tolerances. Plus clear is meant as a protection and you aren't going to protect the original cerakote finish any more with putting more over it.

Cerakote is extremely tough when done right.

If someone really wants a blued finish that's as tough as cerakote there is a way to get there.

Have the gun blued by someone that knows what they're doin' and then coated with Ultra Gun Shield.

Doug Burche's new ultra gun shield from Ultra Coatings is clear. It's harder and more durable than cerakote (Baked or Ambi cure) and can be applied over bluing. I've used and applied most of this stuff (cerakote both baked or ambi cured), microslick as well as ultra gun shield and ultra bore coat fairly extensively for my own use and for friends and the new ultra coat is some pretty great stuff.

I've been thinkin' on havin' one of the really pretty blued/wood creations done that cost ridiculous amounts of money and if I do it will likely be a true rust blued gun coated with Ultra Gun Shield and ultra bore coat.

One last comment, I don't know Eddie but having seen the guns he's puttin' out, I wouldn't be the least bit afraid to have him cerakote a rig for me. I especially like what he's doin' with the webbed cerakote stocks along with cerakoted metal. Very nice from what I've seen.

I have no experience with Doug's products, but from what mtnman1 said, it sounds like the clear from Doug would give you what your looking for. That is, if you want to actually blue it.


Look at this way, it mind boggling what to do nowadays, but it sure nice that us sportsmen have so many options!

@ Mtnman & Eddie- The gun I want to build is going to be stainless. I didn't think stainless could be blued therefore I was going with a coating of some fashion...

This guy blue's stainless. If you want stainless and you it blued, it's possible.

http://gunblue.homestead.com/Stainless.html

Terry

TC1, have you used this gentleman?

No, but I have talked others that have.

Terry

I am curious about the same thing except I want a matte or satin finish. Anyone tried mixing Midnight purple, Midnight blue and graphite black? Or would that turn out to be the same as the SOCOM Blue?

The thought of a purple gun just ain't right, but it might be the closest to a rust blue in color.

There may be one other option that I have accidentally stumlbed upon.

I have a custom rifle from Serengeti Arms that has matte black Cerakote.

I was worried about wear on the bolt and bolt handle so I polished the bolt knob Cearkote with a soft buffing wheel ever so gently using only a light machine oil applied to the knob in very small amounts.

The end result is that I polished the Cerakote,it is slick and shiny like high polish blue but blacker in color and has remained so.

It looks kinda cool,if I weren't afraid I'd scew it up.I'd do the whole gun.

As far as I know nobody is doing this but I think it could have some applications. It would be nice to see how the Socom Blue looked if given this treatment.

The polish was done on a jeweler's polish lathe and wheel that I used to use to polish gold dental crowns.