How do you remove the anodizing on the aluminum grip frame and ejector rod housing ?

[CHEVYINLINE6]

I am re-doing the look of a New Model 357 Blackhawk I have. It is a early New Model without all the junk printed on the barrel. I want to remove the anodizing on the grip frame and ejector rod housing. I want to keep all the original parts as much as possible. I no longer have the use of a bead blaster, so can it be done using chemicals of some sort ?

CHEVYINLINE6.

 

[GunnyGene]

I am re-doing the look of a New Model 357 Blackhawk I have. It is a early New Model without all the junk printed on the barrel. I want to remove the anodizing on the grip frame and ejector rod housing. I want to keep all the original parts as much as possible. I no longer have the use of a bead blaster, so can it be done using chemicals of some sort ?

CHEVYINLINE6.

Yes, several in fact. See this:

I'd recommend using distilled water for the rinse.

How To Remove Anodized Aluminum? - Aerospace Metals

Your anodized parts have become stained and worn out, and they need a little touch-up. If you’re thinking about removing the anodized coating from one of your

aerospacemetalsllc.com

 

[BULL'S-EYE]

Before I had access to a bead blast cabinet, various abrasives and lots of elbow grease got the job done for me. You can soak your parts in Greased Lightning cleaner/degreaser beforehand for 20-30 minutes to break down the anodizing...

 

[CHEVYINLINE6]

Before I had access to a bead blast cabinet, various abrasives and lots of elbow grease got the job done for me. You can soak your parts in Greased Lightning cleaner/degreaser beforehand for 20-30 minutes to break down the anodizing...

Before I had access to a bead blast cabinet, various abrasives and lots of elbow grease got the job done for me. You can soak your parts in Greased Lightning cleaner/degreaser beforehand for 20-30 minutes to break down the anodizing...

That top revolver is the look I am going for. I am adding a Super Blackhawk hammer and maybe a stainless steel cylinder base pin. I may add a free spin pawl if I have the correct one and still need to check which grips to use. I always liked the look of the grips on that lower revolver. I have a set of Wrangler grips that I need to check for proper fit.


CHEVYINLINE6.

 

[needsmostuff]

Older ones are anodized, newer ones are Cerakoted.

 

[tbobcar]

That top revolver is the look I am going for. I am adding a Super Blackhawk hammer and maybe a stainless steel cylinder base pin. I may add a free spin pawl if I have the correct one and still need to check which grips to use. I always liked the look of the grips on that lower revolver. I have a set of Wrangler grips that I need to check for proper fit.


CHEVYINLINE6.

Anodizing is done using DC voltage to force a clear Aluminum Oxide conversion on polished Aluminum surfaces. When the thickness of the Oxide is sufficient for wear purposes the part is dipped in a black dye bath.
The dye and it's base anodized surface is sealed in boiling water.
I have seen dye colors removed by simple reverse current operations which leave the clear anodized surface intact. Contact a local metal finisher and see what they recommend.
Remember that the anodized surface is a very hard durable covering, I'd think twice about removing it, especially without a plan to recoat it with something as tough.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Oven cleaner ... but don't get the non-toxic kind. Needs to have the old fashioned good chemicals.

I used to strip and polish aluminum parts to sell on eBay. Getting the ano off is not the hard part and the bare metal is ugly unless prepped.

 

[BULL'S-EYE]

Ruger switched to powder coating about a dozen years ago, the zinc Wrangler grip frame is ceracoated along with the rest of the gun. I done the two guns pictured above back in the early 90's because the "durable" anodizing was flaked, scratched and well worn, and looked just plain terrible, the bare aluminum has held up just fine with minimal maintenance...And that Single Six has seen untold thousands of rounds since.

 

[32shooter]

I used oven cleaner on the one I did. As Gasguzzler said, will need some polishing to get it to look nice.

 

[Sam Summey]

Sodium Hydroxide based degreaser. Ask me why I know? This product is available at Auto Zone, I don't remember the name, but it is in a purple bottle. (Read the label.) BTW it doesn't hurt steel finishes.

 

[tbobcar]

Sodium Hydroxide based degreaser. Ask me why I know? This product is available at Auto Zone, I don't remember the name, but it is in a purple bottle. (Read the label.) BTW it doesn't hurt steel finishes.

You're correct caustic soda, lye does not hurt steel but it sure is heck on skin and eyes.

 

[Xrayist]

Scotch Brite (sp?) pads and then follow up with some Flitz or Mothers Magwheel Polish to get desired shine. I removed some old non--original parkerizing with the Scotch Brite pads. Worked great and very quick.

 

[tbobcar]

Scotch Brite (sp?) pads and then follow up with some Flitz or Mothers Magwheel Polish to get desired shine. I removed some old non--original parkerizing with the Scotch Brite pads. Worked great and very quick.

Interesting work and informative.
I didn't know Aluminum could be Parkerized. I suppose the Al is used to help lighten a pistol that weighs nearly 2 1/2 pounds. The fine folks at Ruger chose a good aircraft grade of Aluminum,
6061 T6 or the such. That alloy is tough in it's uncoated form and it does polish nicely, but it will scratch. Also, acidic perspiration
will tarnish it.
That alloy can be anodized with a highly polished clear coat offering a great deal of protection from scuffs and stains.

Finally I might mention that caustic (NaOH) stripping of anodizing removes a number of
thousandths of all surfaces outside and internal. If there are close toleranced applications, caustic stripping could ruin functionality.
I don't mean to be gabby, just a few things needed to be offered.

 

[kcsteve]

Before I had access to a bead blast cabinet, various abrasives and lots of elbow grease got the job done for me. You can soak your parts in Greased Lightning cleaner/degreaser beforehand for 20-30 minutes to break down the anodizing...

Nice. I like that look.
I went in a different direction and replaced the aluminum grip frame with a steel grip frame.

 

[CHEVYINLINE6]

Nice. I like that look.
I went in a different direction and replaced the aluminum grip frame with a steel grip frame.

I am also planing on a stainless grip frame, but I need to buy a wrangler first.

CHEVYINLINE6.

 

[Bob Wright]

I prefe removing the aluminum parts and replacing them with steel.

Bob Wright

 

[Sam Summey]

You're correct caustic soda, lye does not hurt steel but it sure is heck on skin and eyes.

I dispose of my victims that way. It's a great way to neutralize used bluing salts. NCIS can't even get a DNA reading.

 

[Hvymax]

You can always brass anodize or plate them

 

[tbobcar]

Nice. I like that look.
I went in a different direction and replaced the aluminum grip frame with a steel grip frame.

You can always brass anodize or plate them

I agree, new electroless Nickel baths provide tough adherent coats. A little used bath popular back in the '70s was a Tin Nickel alloy. It is tougher than Tide, and does not have the yellowish hue.
Again, an electroless bath.
Sn-Ni would be terrific.
I think I'll start a company, naw, who wants to work.

 

[Xrayist]

"I didn't know Aluminum could be Parkerized."

Sorry, should have been clearer. The old parkerizing that I was referring to was on an 1903 Springfield rifle.