Railey’s KITH for DeMo (WIP)

Chris Railey said:
New ferric chloride is here and I have a little time so into the etch until I like it. While the blade is etching I set up for the Gun Kote.
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I begin by shaking the stuff up for five minutes. I actually set a timer and shake for 5 minutes. I had a few problems when I first started using it and that was the advice I got from KG. Since I started doing that, I have had no trouble. After the shake up, I get my air brush ready. Ed is the one who taught me how to do Gun Kote and he uses an air brush so you can adjust spray volume. I do not want the knife to look like its coated in plastic so I use a fine, fine mist so you can just see the stuff coming out.
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The cheapo HF one works fine. Once the knife is etched I neutralize the acid and hose it off with water. After water I flood it with rubbing alcohol and finish by blowing air from my compressor. Then spray it with the Gun Kote. I have made a simple holder so no parts of the knife are touched during the curing process. 2 hours at 300f.
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Into the kiln for 2 hours at 300f.
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Good instructions on how to GunCote - thanks. that holder is perfect, amazingly simple, but nothing could work better. I'm sure thinking about ordering an air brush and trying that. Without sometype of treatment we all know how much a Damascus pattern can fade over time.

edit: I just placed an order for an air brush, and 4 oz of GunKote. I had to get "2409F flat clear" my only other choice I found was the "2409SC Super Clear" which I think was glossy. I didn't find your "satin clear" pictured above.
 
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KenH said:
Good instructions on how to GunCote - thanks. that holder is perfect, amazingly simple, but nothing could work better. I'm sure thinking about ordering an air brush and trying that. Without sometype of treatment we all know how much a Damascus pattern can fade over time.

edit: I just placed an order for an air brush, and 4 oz of GunKote. I had to get "2409F flat clear" my only other choice I found was the "2409SC Super Clear" which I think was glossy. I didn't find your "satin clear" pictured above.
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I am glad you said that Ken. I actually like the Flat clear better. They were out of flat clear when I ordered last and only had satin. The satin is not bad but I prefer the flat.
 
Looks like I lucked out then. BOth the GunCote and airbrush came today. Now to learn how to use an airbrush. Trying to decide if my air supply will be from the small oilless compressor used for shop. OR, perhaps use a SCUBA tank with the first stage regulator to drop pressure down so the next regulator can control the pressure. I know the SCUBA air is clean 'n dry. The shop compressor being oilless and a couple filters and water separators would be pretty good also.

It's all a learning experience. As long as we're learning, we're still living :)
 
KenH said:
Looks like I lucked out then. BOth the GunCote and airbrush came today. Now to learn how to use an airbrush. Trying to decide if my air supply will be from the small oilless compressor used for shop. OR, perhaps use a SCUBA tank with the first stage regulator to drop pressure down so the next regulator can control the pressure. I know the SCUBA air is clean 'n dry. The shop compressor being oilless and a couple filters and water separators would be pretty good also.

It's all a learning experience. As long as we're learning, we're still living :)
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I've used DuraCoat with an airbrush. Duracoat is very similar to GunCote. It's actually fairly easy. I started on some cardboard to get the feel and after that I went to using it on a AR-15 I built. I didn't bake it. I believe GunCote requires you bake it. Duracoat doesn't. Though you can if you want. However I handled it sooner than I should have and thus the scratches that you see. Since then the coating has held up well. I would use either product again.

I used a very small compressor that had a filter for collecting water. I seem to recall that was fairly important.

https://imgur.com/DLcKQEH
 
Looks good - I've got a couple of AR platforms that have bare aluminum on the lower. I'm going to order a flat black to GunKote them with. While I've got accustomed to the bare aluminum look, it would be better for it to be black and match rest of gun.
 
Sean, Chris - since both of ya'll are more familiar than I am, which color black would be best to use to cover the bare aluminum on the AR platforms I have? They have "flat black", "Deep flat black" "black CR" "Satin Black" and several other blacks. I wouldn't think any of the gloss blacks would be good. Which would ya'll suggest for the AR platform so it would blend with the upper, handguard, stock, etc.

Sometimes they give so many choices it's hard to know what to get.
 
KenH said:
Sean, Chris - since both of ya'll are more familiar than I am, which color black would be best to use to cover the bare aluminum on the AR platforms I have? They have "flat black", "Deep flat black" "black CR" "Satin Black" and several other blacks. I wouldn't think any of the gloss blacks would be good. Which would ya'll suggest for the AR platform so it would blend with the upper, handguard, stock, etc.

Sometimes they give so many choices it's hard to know what to get.
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I really do not know but I bet if you call the company they will know exactly. My guess would be flat or satin.
 
Time to make my guard. Sorry DeMo I am out of bronze it has to be brass. I use
simple tools to fit my guard. I start by using my calipers to scribe a center line on the brass. Then I measure the width of my tang with the calipers and a straight edge to mark where to drill my holes. Pretty simple.
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Chris I make guards the same way. Usually. I like using brass, so you are good with me. I have enjoyed following along. Keep going…
 
I forgot. Do that a lot at my age. I like to use blue dykem so I can see the lines a bit better. Still the same concept.

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KenH said:
Sean, Chris - since both of ya'll are more familiar than I am, which color black would be best to use to cover the bare aluminum on the AR platforms I have? They have "flat black", "Deep flat black" "black CR" "Satin Black" and several other blacks. I wouldn't think any of the gloss blacks would be good. Which would ya'll suggest for the AR platform so it would blend with the upper, handguard, stock, etc.

Sometimes they give so many choices it's hard to know what to get.
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Ken,
In Duracoat what I used is called "Tactical Black" :rolleyes:
However I parkerized mine first. If you can I would recommend parkerizing first on a rifle. Your coating will adhere better.
Hope that helps.

Railey, sorry for derailing your thread.
 
Good news DeMo. What I thought was a big fat piece of brass turned out to be bronze. I taper my tang in both dimensions except for the last quarter inch or so which I leave parallel. I file the slot until I have to drive the guard over that parallel part. I clamp it in my vise using wood pieces to keep it from moving while I use a piece of pipe and a hammer to drive the guard on. After the guard is fit I trace the tang on my frame for the handle and cut it out.
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Dennis Morland said:
Chris - Not to get too far ahead. But, how do you attach the frame to the knife??
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My frames are Mig welded to the tang. I have refined my process to the point where I can weld them without letting the heat get to my blade. I plan to show that hopefully today after Church. When I attach my handle the tang gets a pin and the frame gets a pin too.
 
This is what I shoot for. Fairly decent fit with the tang. I clamp everything together and weld in small spots. Then I go do something else and let it cool. You can see from the pictures the heat stays fairly local if you weld small spots and let it cool. You also avoid warping your handle frame. Ask me how I know. Also, no making fun of my welding. I am not a welder. The clamp is a heat sink, the guard is a heat sink and I have it between two big fat aluminum plates too. I also do not weld the entire tang and frame just a few small spots. I have beat the the crap out of framed knives I do this way. I just like to do it like this.
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