Ceracote or Duracote? Recommendations?

In for the info.

 

+1 for Cerekote. My experience with Duracoat was unacceptable. The Cerekote pistols I own and carry, look great & wear pretty darn well!

 

Go with Cerekote. It's very durable and looks great. Duracoat, not so much.

 

What is the thickness of Cerekote? I had my STI duracoated, and I couldn't even put the pistol back together because nothing fit. Had to scrape/blast it all off.

I was told I built the pistol too tight...

 

0.001

 

The guy who finished it put it on to thick.. Shouldn't barely change dimensions if at all. Thin layers and it doesn't wear too bad if you let it cure at least a month.

 

Cerakote does wear a bunch better.. However the biggest problem with DuraCoat is when it is applied to thick, and not given ample time to cure. I think they shoot themselves in the foot by saying can handle normally in 48 hours, because if you really read into it, it doesn't fully cure for 30 days. I have done some pistols in duracoat and allowed the 30 days to go by and those guns did not do terribly bad in the wear department. But, most never let it properly cure. Plus 3 light coats and oven cure can be and should be used on this coating as well. They have a product now called Durabake. But, again if your gonna compare the two. Cerakote is much better. But, also needs to be applied in 3 thin layers.

 

So, who does a good job Cerekoting?

 

BEC and others; Lou did two of my pistols and the work was flawless.

 

I personally don't do either any more, for what you pay for a Cerakote job "a good one" you can get PVD, or even a much better all around finish anyway. Unless you get someone like BEC or Chuck Rogers who have been doing them for years. The Mom and Pop shops unfortunately are hit or miss.

 

I haven't done enough to feel confident in it and lack a few of the supplies to do as good of a job as I would want to do. I plan on doing one to a personal build before long. but only because I had already bought the materials to do so..

 

Lou is the best in the biz.

 

Thanks guys. I think I'll stick with my current plan of doing electroless nickel when the time comes. I'll probably use the Caswell kit.

 

Let us know how that comes out, I have used some of their Nickel and Gold plating kits on parts with okay results, but have wondered about some of their other kits and finish materials as far as the quality and performance...

 

Will do.

 

Please decode "BEC" for me.

 

Business End Customs.