Is black cerakoat black or more of a "colt grey"

[Serial_killer]

I just recently replaced the RRA Half-quad rail on my carbine with a lighter, shorter rail and sent the old one off to cerakoated by a shop in Ohio I was recommended by several people. I wanted it coated so it was perfect for either a future build or if I wanted to sell it later it would be worth more. The job is perfect, it looks even and no complaints there but its more of a "colt grey" than a dark black, when I placed the order I specified black, again when I send the rail I had a piece of paper in the box with it that I put my contact info and once more specified it was to be black.

Is cerakoat black actually black or is it more of a colt grey? I dont know if I need to be upset with this place that they did something wrong or if it is black and that's just what their black looks like?

If this should be somewhere else-the tech area or somewhere else them my bad.

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I just recently replaced the RRA Half-quad rail on my carbine with a lighter, shorter rail and sent the old one off to cerakoated by a shop in Ohio I was recommended by several people. I wanted it coated so it was perfect for either a future build or if I wanted to sell it later it would be worth more. The job is perfect, it looks even and no complaints there but its more of a "colt grey" than a dark black, when I placed the order I specified black, again when I send the rail I had a piece of paper in the box with it that I put my contact info and once more specified it was to be black.

Is cerakoat black actually black or is it more of a colt grey? I dont know if I need to be upset with this place that they did something wrong or if it is black and that's just what their black looks like?

If this should be somewhere else-the tech area or somewhere else them my bad.

Nope its black and it depends how you mix it. It has to go right into the oven after you spray it. DONT LET IT AIR DRY

[curlyburns5]

Is this the right section to post a question on cosmetics?

[Campbell]

The cerakote black I use is black. The reason my response doesn't help you is because I didn't do your job. Why don't you contact the business instead of a bunch of strangers on the web? I'm not trying to be a jerk, but think about it...

[R0CKETMAN]

Cera graphite black...it's black
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z228/pistolwrench19/Black%20Colt%202011/3.jpg

[DarkJ]

im no expert, however my buddy does all the coating and qa in his shop for stag and a few others, and when him and i were discussing this because i may get mine coated in green he told me it all depends on the diff manufacturers specifications on how the coat turns out. some require more some require less, thats why you see some that are chalky and some that are like a freshly waxed corvette. he went into the whole science of it but im not too good with that stuff so ill just throw my .02 here hope it helps in some way. so maybe that is that shops idea of black.

[scottryan]

This is why you don't refinish stuff unless it is absolutely necessary. You sell it off and get new stuff.

[scottryan]

I wanted it coated so it was perfect for either a future build or if I wanted to sell it later it would be worth more.


Refinishing stuff doesn't make stuff worth more. It makes it worth less.

[Serial_killer]

The cerakote black I use is black. The reason my response doesn't help you is because I didn't do your job. Why don't you contact the business instead of a bunch of strangers on the web? I'm not trying to be a jerk, but think about it...

I was just wanting a general idea if I was correct this isnt black or if I was wrong and it is what cerakoat black comes out as. I didn't want to be wrong and go to the guy bitching if he didnt make a mistake. As a professional if you did everything correct and didnt make a mistake how would you feel of some small time customer came back to you complaining about something that wasn't even wrong? Now that I know black isnt colt grey, and I see the pic someone posted of what black should be, I will be going back Monday to get this straightened out.


Refinishing stuff doesn't make stuff worth more. It makes it worth less.

Yes I understand that but the before condition was very beat up, it was carried daily for years, i dont change out parts for the newest best stuff like some people do/can afford, my equipment sees abuse; parts were literally rubbed bare from where my sling hook beat against it and it was pretty banged up overall, the value before is/was lower than with a GOOD re-coat. Plus I'm not really sure I'm ever going to end up selling it, there's a very good possibility it will end up on a future build.


The whole point of my asking was to know if I was wrong or if I needed to go get this fixed, the consensus is I need to take it back and see what the guy has to say.

[Campbell]

The best thing this site has going for it is the staff doesn't let members bring their grievances/dirty laundry to the public until the business has been contacted and allowed to respond...this is a big deal.

I've sprayed alot of H-series Cerakote. They only have a couple of blacks and they are both black. The sheen of the black can be adjusted to some degree by the amount of hardner[catalyst}used. But this doesn't change the base color of course.

You said the business you used was reputable, that didn't happen by accident.

As far as hurting the value of your AR with a re-finish, wether its krylon or milkpaint...thats silly. Now if we are talking pre-64 Winchesters or Colt SAA, that a different story. Blanket statements often smother the truth. Good luck.