1911 Finish - The Firearms Forum

neilin · 11-07-2009, 10:38 AM

I have a Springfield Armory 1911-A1 that I carry. Normally, I carry it in my waistband. The parkerized finish tends to give a bit of a drag on the clothing during a draw (also, has some unsightly blemishes), so I am considering removing the parkerized finish from the sides of the slide to give the metal a smooth bright finish. Does anyone have an opinion on the best method to acheive this? Or, an opinion as to whether this is not even a good idea to consider? Thank you for any thoughts.

rocklinskier · 11-08-2009, 10:23 AM

I am NOT an expert on this, others here are better equiped, but I do know a lot guys will just use 0000 steel wool with a very light coat of oil to polish the finishes on guns.
If your finish is rough enough to hang onto clothing, you may need a more aggressive method. Maybe talk to a local gunsmith?

Shooter45 · 11-08-2009, 03:18 PM

Why not just buy a good quality holster and gunbelt and save the finish ?

Bill DeShivs · 11-08-2009, 05:51 PM

Removing the finish is a bad idea. It will leave you with bare, carbon steel-which will rust the first time you carry it in your waistband.
Go with Shooter .45s advice, or have the gun professionally refinished by upgrading to hard chrome or nickel. Bluing offers less rust protection than Parkerizing. Parkerizing offers less protction than nickel. Hard chrome offers more protection than all of them.

muddober · 11-08-2009, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill DeShivs

Removing the finish is a bad idea. It will leave you with bare, carbon steel-which will rust the first time you carry it in your waistband.
Go with Shooter .45s advice, or have the gun professionally refinished by upgrading to hard chrome or nickel. Bluing offers less rust protection than Parkerizing. Parkerizing offers less protction than nickel. Hard chrome offers more protection than all of them.

Ditto. Also taking off the parkerizing is one thing, getting the finish you want is another and if you can't resist and you just have to do it get yourself some 220 wet and dry paper and fold it around a flat file. Once the parkerizing is gone go to what as I recall (getting old) I think the number 340 wet and dry and then 400. The 400 will give you about what a factory blue job finish would look like. DO NOT USE THE FILE AS A FILE but rather just as a sanding block.

Again Bill's advice is really the best advice of all.

Ron

Goneracin · 11-08-2009, 08:30 PM

As i have stated before, i am a metal finisher by trade. I also have a springfield with the mag phos finish. correct me if im wrong, but this is the same as parkerized, just a different term. anyway. we do a lot of mag phos where i work, a lot of it for colt, and most recently ruger. the easiest way to strip this coating is with hydrochloric acid, in a week form is good enough maybe 10 to 15 percent in water. remember that strong hydrochloric acid will etch and start to eat into carbon steel, so the weaker the better in this case.if that is not a plausable way, then use grit blast. we usually use 180 or 500 grit aluminum oxide, depending on the desired finish.

hope this helps, let me know if i can be of any more help.

jacksonco · 11-09-2009, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shooter45

Why not just buy a good quality holster and gunbelt and save the finish ?

I agree 100% with this suggestion. It would also be much safer to carry the pistol secured in a holster rather than just stuffing it into your waistband. I think that is an accident that is waiting to happen.

Bill DeShivs · 11-09-2009, 01:10 AM

Removing the finish is not a problem. Bare steel IS a problem-it will rust, quickly. There needs to be a real finish applied.
No, cold blue is not a real finish.

johnlives4christ · 11-09-2009, 05:47 AM

you didnt state whether or not you use a holster when carrying in your waistband. what i would recommend is sending the gun back to springfield and have it refinished. they will do it right, and i think the cost is a tad less than 200 dollars.

~john

johnlives4christ · 11-09-2009, 05:48 AM

one other thought. are you really fast enough on the draw that you would notice the drag from one type of finish over another?

tex45acp · 11-15-2009, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilin

I have a Springfield Armory 1911-A1 that I carry. Normally, I carry it in my waistband. The parkerized finish tends to give a bit of a drag on the clothing during a draw (also, has some unsightly blemishes), so I am considering removing the parkerized finish from the sides of the slide to give the metal a smooth bright finish. Does anyone have an opinion on the best method to acheive this? Or, an opinion as to whether this is not even a good idea to consider? Thank you for any thoughts.

Yeah,

Call Deb over at the Springfield Custom Shop and ask about the Armory Kote finish they offer. It will still resemble your parkerizing but be much smoother and will protect the gun better from corrosion. It is the same finish they use on their higher end models.

tex

11-07-2009, 10:38 AM	#1
neilin V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Clinton, MO Posts: 116	1911 Finish I have a Springfield Armory 1911-A1 that I carry. Normally, I carry it in my waistband. The parkerized finish tends to give a bit of a drag on the clothing during a draw (also, has some unsightly blemishes), so I am considering removing the parkerized finish from the sides of the slide to give the metal a smooth bright finish. Does anyone have an opinion on the best method to acheive this? Or, an opinion as to whether this is not even a good idea to consider? Thank you for any thoughts. -->

11-08-2009, 10:23 AM	#2
rocklinskier V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 295	Re: 1911 Finish I am NOT an expert on this, others here are better equiped, but I do know a lot guys will just use 0000 steel wool with a very light coat of oil to polish the finishes on guns. If your finish is rough enough to hang onto clothing, you may need a more aggressive method. Maybe talk to a local gunsmith? __________________ Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free ~Ronald Reagan.

11-08-2009, 03:18 PM	#3
Shooter45 Administrator Join Date: Feb 2001 Contributor Posts: 8,791	Re: 1911 Finish Why not just buy a good quality holster and gunbelt and save the finish ?

11-08-2009, 05:51 PM	#4
Bill DeShivs Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Contributor Posts: 1,478	Re: 1911 Finish Removing the finish is a bad idea. It will leave you with bare, carbon steel-which will rust the first time you carry it in your waistband. Go with Shooter .45s advice, or have the gun professionally refinished by upgrading to hard chrome or nickel. Bluing offers less rust protection than Parkerizing. Parkerizing offers less protction than nickel. Hard chrome offers more protection than all of them. __________________ Bill DeShivs www.billdeshivs.com

11-08-2009, 08:30 PM	#6
Goneracin V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 151	Re: 1911 Finish As i have stated before, i am a metal finisher by trade. I also have a springfield with the mag phos finish. correct me if im wrong, but this is the same as parkerized, just a different term. anyway. we do a lot of mag phos where i work, a lot of it for colt, and most recently ruger. the easiest way to strip this coating is with hydrochloric acid, in a week form is good enough maybe 10 to 15 percent in water. remember that strong hydrochloric acid will etch and start to eat into carbon steel, so the weaker the better in this case.if that is not a plausable way, then use grit blast. we usually use 180 or 500 grit aluminum oxide, depending on the desired finish. hope this helps, let me know if i can be of any more help. __________________ Long time Marine, Novice pistol shooter, First time 1911 owner and proud of it. Looking for advice and tips on it all. Going to war without the French is like going hunting without an accordian, you leave a lot of useless noisey bagage behind - Donald Rumsfeld

11-09-2009, 01:10 AM	#8
Bill DeShivs Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Contributor Posts: 1,478	Re: 1911 Finish Removing the finish is not a problem. Bare steel IS a problem-it will rust, quickly. There needs to be a real finish applied. No, cold blue is not a real finish. __________________ Bill DeShivs www.billdeshivs.com

11-09-2009, 05:47 AM	#9
johnlives4christ Former Guest Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,828	Re: 1911 Finish you didnt state whether or not you use a holster when carrying in your waistband. what i would recommend is sending the gun back to springfield and have it refinished. they will do it right, and i think the cost is a tad less than 200 dollars. ~john

11-09-2009, 05:48 AM	#10
johnlives4christ Former Guest Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,828	Re: 1911 Finish one other thought. are you really fast enough on the draw that you would notice the drag from one type of finish over another?