# Clear Cerakote



## RPD63 (Jun 3, 2017)

We use Cerakote at work for a clear ceramic coating on some of our valve components.   I was thinking about this application on pen blanks.    Does anyone have any experience with this idea?    If it's been brought up before I apologize.  
Ray


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## thewishman (Jun 3, 2017)

A few years ago someone was posting pictures of guns with different colors of Cerakote. I don't remember anyone posting pens - but I'd love to see some!


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## Wildman (Jun 3, 2017)

Had no idea what you were talking about so went off to have a look.  See where sell something similar product called DuraCoat, not sure same thing but sells for about $33 at amazon.

https://www.youtube.com/user/nictraining

Not really interested in either product but perhaps some folks here want to give it a go.


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## aj r (Jun 3, 2017)

*Interesting idea*

I've been looking at using cerakote for years to use on firearms, but I hadn't heard of the clear until I saw your post. Did a little digging, and found one of their websites that showed a gunstock with the clear on it. Now I'll have to look into it a little more.

Here's the link to the pic of the gunstock. 

https://www.clearcoating.com/gallery/detail/6263/Cerakote-MC160-High-Gloss-Ceramic-Clear/


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## magpens (Jun 3, 2017)

How do you polish Cerakote ?


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## RPD63 (Jun 3, 2017)

magpens said:


> How do you polish Cerakote ?



I'm guessing the same way we do CA.    I have never done it but it seems like a possibility.   When we spray it on steel, it's a very hard clear coating.


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## RPD63 (Jun 3, 2017)

My thought was to dip a finished blank, similar to the way some guys will dip a duck call in Spar Urethane.


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## RPD63 (Jun 3, 2017)

aj r said:


> I've been looking at using cerakote for years to use on firearms, but I hadn't heard of the clear until I saw your post. Did a little digging, and found one of their websites that showed a gunstock with the clear on it. Now I'll have to look into it a little more.
> 
> Here's the link to the pic of the gunstock.
> 
> https://www.clearcoating.com/gallery/detail/6263/Cerakote-MC160-High-Gloss-Ceramic-Clear/



Yep.   That's the stuff except we use the MC156....it has a lower viscosity.


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## keithbyrd (Jun 4, 2017)

The products page doesn't list wood as something it covers.
This is from the web site
-All metal types including polished metals
-Paints
-Composites & Fiberglass
-Plastics
-Hydrographics
-PVD
-Thermal Stability to 500F


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## frank123 (Jun 4, 2017)

Cerakote generally has to be applied to a rough surface (as in bead blasted) for proper adhesion and needs to be cooked after application to cure it (around 250F IIRC).

Best application method would be an airbrush.

The finished coat is usually kept pretty thin (for firearms and such), I don't know how a thick coating, such as from dipping, would turn out.


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## RPD63 (Jun 4, 2017)

frank123 said:


> Cerakote generally has to be applied to a rough surface (as in bead blasted) for proper adhesion and needs to be cooked after application to cure it (around 250F IIRC).
> 
> Best application method would be an airbrush.
> 
> The finished coat is usually kept pretty thin (for firearms and such), I don't know how a thick coating, such as from dipping, would turn out.



Your probably correct about the airbrush.   Not all Cerakote has to be baked.  The company I work for has been using the MC156 for many years and we never bake it.  We spray it and let it set over night.  Hard as a rock in the morning.
Cerakote MC is ambient cured.


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## RPD63 (Jun 4, 2017)

Apparently some Cerakote products can be applied on wood.   Cerakote has become quite popular with the hunting crowd and the businesses that apply it say it can be applied over wood stocks.    I did a Google search when I was wanting to have my 1300 coated and it says it can be applied over wood.   
I will give it a try on a cheap blank.     Thanks for your help.


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## KenV (Jun 4, 2017)

Let us know how it works.   The cost of getting it to alaska is frightful on top of $300 a gallon with hazmat shipping so it is not something easy to get here.

Have seen it on metals and it is an excellent outcome.


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## frank123 (Jun 4, 2017)

I hadn't heard of the MC-156 before so I had to look it up.

Seems like a good idea to try for pen finishes, and I can think of all kinds of other things to use it for as well where there is little tolerance for a thickness buildup.  No cooking is a definite plus, and it seems to be reasonable enough in price to do some experimenting with.   

How rough of a use are the parts your company uses it on intend for?  I wonder if it would be useful to use on polished brass to keep it from tarnishing.

https://www.clearcoating.com/products/MC-156/


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## eharri446 (Jun 5, 2017)

I sent them an email asking if their gloss MC156 and semi gloss MC157 would work for pens using an air brush to apply and using regular acetone to clean up with.

They answer that those finishes would work as long as the would was sealed well. I am planning on ordering a sample of each one and trying it on some different wood pens that I am going to be turning over the next month.

I will post results when I am done.


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## RPD63 (Jun 5, 2017)

eharri446 said:


> I sent them an email asking if their gloss MC156 and semi gloss MC157 would work for pens using an air brush to apply and using regular acetone to clean up with.
> 
> They answer that those finishes would work as long as the would was sealed well. I am planning on ordering a sample of each one and trying it on some different wood pens that I am going to be turning over the next month.
> 
> I will post results when I am done.



That's cool.   Thanks for looking into it.   The downside to this product is the smell.   We spray it in a booth.   A well ventilated area should be sufficient.


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## RPD63 (Jun 5, 2017)

frank123 said:


> I hadn't heard of the MC-156 before so I had to look it up.
> 
> Seems like a good idea to try for pen finishes, and I can think of all kinds of other things to use it for as well where there is little tolerance for a thickness buildup.  No cooking is a definite plus, and it seems to be reasonable enough in price to do some experimenting with.
> 
> ...



The parts we spray are pretty smooth but not polished.     It's plated steel.


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## stuckinohio (Jun 6, 2017)

following.

Lewis


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## eharri446 (Jun 7, 2017)

I made my purchase on Monday, and it was shipped yesterday. It is scheduled to arrive on 6/13/2017.

Once I get it and get a chance to locate my air brush, I will spray one of the pens that I have waiting.


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## More4dan (Jun 7, 2017)

Following.  Look forward to seeing pictures. 


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app


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