Thread: "Seasonong" Parkerized Finishes

So here are the results. After the process I described earlier I heated up the parts again, rubbed in the grease, and heated them up one last time. After the three hours of cleaning the gun looks great. Darker and not as offensive to the touch. I could not stand the feel of the dry park, it was like finger nails on a black board. I lubed up the rails and gave it a good wipe down with some oil and it seems the park is fully saturated. Not much...

Quote: Originally Posted by The_Drizzle What I have read, and I am no expert, as long as you wipe it down with some oil before putting it away and maybe take it out and wipe it down once in a while, it will be fine. very true. when i bought my SA GI, i was wanting to "cook" it, but i soon learned that it was kinda a waste of time, imho. what i do, is every time i clean my gun, im sure to put plenty of lube/cleaner on both the slide...

Seasoning usually just means soaking it oil so the Park can absorb the oil, it will change the color slightly but "season" to prevent rust. Also, you put it in the over sans grips at like 250 degrees, it is not going to hurt a thing.

I am interested in this thread as I just send my recently-acquired Colt MkIV Series 70 away for parkerizing. Does park really absorb oil/grease?

Parkerizing forms a surface layer of coarse porous phosphates, iron and zinc or manganese, depending on the treatment bath. It will indeed hold lubricants. As said, military weapons' appearance is commonly thought to come from cosmoline, but may be from about any other oil or grease used in the service. Xaviersblog describes coating a SA with common Vaseline and heating it. The final appearance was good, but he said he was wiping off...

This brings up a question I have: Is parkerizing susceptible to rust if stored (in a safe) for a long(ish) period of time without treatment and/or oil?

Why don't you just call up Springfield's tec support and ask what do they reccemmend, if anything on a park gun finish ?

Vaseline works VERY good. Smear a little on and heat with a hair dryer. Wipe off the excess. Occassional treatment keeps the rust away.

It seems to me that you are going through a lot of trouble for nothing. In the military we just used CLP on our parkerized weapons and they were fine. Wipe em down with a rag dampened with CLP whenever you clean it and it will be fine. Parkerizing is a very durable finish and is not prone to rusting unless you get salt water on it and do not wipe it down with CLP. Even then it is just surface oxidation.

OK, here's the drill. Take your new 1911 camping. Next, grab a big stick off an old Oak tree. Stab it through your 1911, then stick a hot dog and a marshmallow on the end of it. Slowly roast over an open campfire. When the marshmallow is getting brown and crusty and the 'dog is starting to get some blackening, your marshmallow and hot dog will be ready for action. Oh, and BTW, your 1911 will be seasoned too. But don't forget the...