Parkerizing question …

[Denny Gibson]

I’m trying to decide if I can use tap (well) water from my home for Parkerizing. I have a whole house RO system that yields very clean water. The water has some sulfur gas entrained. I’m fairly confident that, by the time the water reaches temperature, the sulfur will have evolved from the water (but not positive). So:

Is sulfur an issue in Parkerizing? It is with bluing.

Does anyone have experience with sulfur(y) water and parking?

 

[GRIZ22]

I've only used distilled water. Didn't want to screw up a job to save a couple of dollars.

 

[Denny Gibson]

Me too. It's not a big inconvenience to go buy a few gallons of distilled water but it's not a short drive to the store. Do most folks use distilled water?

 

[Col. Harrumph]

If it's a gas, what is it, SO2? Couldn't you just boil it off to the point you couldn't smell it any more?

 

[Blue68f100]

It would dissolve into the water making a weak solution of acid. Would be my guess. His PH is probably acidic as it is.

 

[Denny Gibson]

Hey Colonel! I think it's hydrogen sulfide. Sulfur dioxide is seriously poisonous. Yes, I think I can boil it off. If a glass of water sits out for 15 minutes the smell is gone. It's the same principle for the cistern I grew up with. The straight well water smelled like rotten eggs but with the pump water set up to take water from the open cistern there was no smell. All that to say that I think the gas will evolve from the water while it's being heated.

Blue68f100 ... the water is slightly acidic. Something I figured out after having all the shiny parts turn brown over time.

I should probably do a little experiment ... just try it with well water and with distilled water. Now to find a suitable piece to risk ruining ...

 

[carbine85]

It's been a long time since I've done any but the instructions said Distilled Water only.

 

[Denny Gibson]

Ok … water processed through my system is very clean. Nonetheless, I agree that distilled water is the safest bet.

I’ll post the results of the experiment.

 

[teerex.otw]

Hey Colonel! I think it's hydrogen sulfide. Sulfur dioxide is seriously poisonous. Yes, I think I can boil it off. If a glass of water sits out for 15 minutes the smell is gone. It's the same principle for the cistern I grew up with. The straight well water smelled like rotten eggs but with the pump water set up to take water from the open cistern there was no smell. All that to say that I think the gas will evolve from the water while it's being heated.

Blue68f100 ... the water is slightly acidic. Something I figured out after having all the shiny parts turn brown over time.

I should probably do a little experiment ... just try it with well water and with distilled water. Now to find a suitable piece to risk ruining ...

You can always do what I did while still experimenting…refinish some old tools, mistakes won’t make much of a difference.
I have a bunch of refinished Crescent wrenches, transfer punches, nail sets, a couple of small c-clamps, and various other homemade tools now sporting a hardcore “tactical” finish !
btw, I just pick up distilled water from DG or Wally World…it’s cheap, available, and it’s what the directions call for.
Good luck !

 

[Denny Gibson]

Just what I had in mind. I started with an old rusty rifle barrel and house water … could only get the last foot or so cleaned up enough to put in the solution. What was treated looks great!

 

[Denny Gibson]

New issue! The Parkerizing tank I’m using is a vertical, cylindrical tank designed for treating barreled receivers. Here’s a problem: It occurs to me the stainless wire I put through the barrel and action to suspend it in solution will make plugging the barrel at either end difficult if not impossible.

I’ve done a little research and find mixed opinions on whether it’s necessary to keep parking fluid out of the bore. Some say it will ruin the barrel … others that a couple of shots through it will return a shiny bore.

What are your thoughts?

 

[carbine85]

I would find another to suspend the barrel and plug it. I used modified rubber plugs to seal the barrels

 

[teerex.otw]

Even if it doesn’t hurt, it certainly can’t help. is there another way to suspend with the bore plugged ?
I did a Rossi revolver years ago, bores in barrel and cylinder plugged with rubber hose and a short piece of nail forced into the hose to compress hose and create a seal…wasn’t sure it would work, but it did (perfectly, no juice in the bores). I never had reason to regret the extra effort…
But what if ?

 

[Roverguy]

What was the impurity that gave rise to the greenish hue in WWII Springfield Armory Parkerizing? (Which I quite like).

 

[Blue68f100]

Use rubber plugs on both ends and use a rod to connect the 2. If you punch the hole small enough it will hold the rod without leakage. Put a bend in the rod on the bottom to keep it from slipping. Then put a hook on the other end to hang it by.

 

[Denny Gibson]

Thanks! I was thinking similarly. How do you punch a hole in the plug?

 

[carbine85]

What was the impurity that gave rise to the greenish hue in WWII Springfield Armory Parkerizing? (Which I quite like).

The green color came from age, oil and grease.

 

[Denny Gibson]

Btw … basic Parkerizing question: after using a batch of solution and storing it for a while does it need to be activated (steel wool or iron filings) at the next use?

 

[teerex.otw]

What was the impurity that gave rise to the greenish hue in WWII Springfield Armory Parkerizing? (Which I quite like).

Years ago when I first got into this, they had 2 basic types of Parkerizing; Manganese (dark charcoal-gray), and zinc (lighter, kinda’ like battleship gray, most of the WW2 stuff was this type).
While you can’t really change color on the dark stuff, seems like there were some instructions for turning the light stuff green, I don’t remember what it entails (it was like 25-30 years ago).
A supplier may be able to supply this info…I get mine from Palmetto Enterprises in S.C.

 

[teerex.otw]

Btw … basic Parkerizing question: after using a batch of solution and storing it for a while does it need to be activated (steel wool or iron filings) at the next use?[/QUOTE

Instructions with the stuff I use don’t mention anything like this…just that it can be reused (filter it thru a paint strainer), and DO NOT let it freeze or you will end up with a big clump of metal in your now-inert solution !

 

[Denny Gibson]

Thanks, Teerex!

 

[Blue68f100]

Thanks! I was thinking similarly. How do you punch a hole in the plug?

Depending on the size a drill bit will work. It will not give you a clean hole but it will seal off. I had access to a special tool for putting holes in stoppers. It's a hand crank drill that used thin tubes that were sharpened on the edge. This allows the removed material to go through the center of the cutter like a hole saw. Some stoppers are pre-punched and all you do is cut the nipple off to use the hole. On rubber stoppers if your going to use a drill bit it's best to freeze the rubber so it's hard and give you a clean hole. If your rod is around 1/8" a dill will work just fine.

Another option is to put the chamber end down. Then use a filler to support the barrel and seal off with a plug. At the top you will still need to punch a hole.

 

[Denny Gibson]

Sounds good! Thanks!

 

[herrwalther]

Better to grab distilled from the grocery store. Also the looks you get from the clerks when you checkout with 12 gallons (my latest project) of distilled water is worth the trip.

 

[Denny Gibson]

My experiment worked … the barrel done in house water looks good but I think I’ll just use distilled. Better safe than sorry.