Parkerized finish failing

967 Views 17 Replies 11 Participants Last post by RCACFBilly, Feb 5, 2009

RCACFBilly

Discussion Starter · Jan 20, 2009

The Parked finish on my 3AT is coming off and I am not very pleased. What if anything can be done? I have simply ignored it so far and it isn't rusting yet. I thought about getting the slide and barrel refinished but I don't want to be without it. I do not like this Parked finish and would not buy another with it.

It is not very easy to see where the trouble is but it is on the side of the slide where it rubs on the holster.

Thanks, Billy

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adamsesq

· #2 · Jan 20, 2009

That is called holster wear and is normal with any finish in a weapon that sees a fair amount of unholstering and reholstering. Many just dab it up with a black marker from time to time. Others will refinish and there are a variety of choices for that including a do it yourself parkerization kit.

-Scott

pedro

· #3 · Jan 20, 2009

What type of material is your holster made of? My horsehide Galco hasn't worn my HC P3AT at all as far as I can tell.

RCACFBilly

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 20, 2009

Scott,

Since this is normal wear and not rusting, I could continue to ignore it, right? I also thought about getting some cold bluing for it.

Pedro,

I use a Concealment Concepts leather wallet holster. I don't know how to get the picture here but I will give you a link.

http://www.concealmentconceptsholsters.com/images/wallet-for-web.gif

Billy

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adamsesq

· #5 · Jan 20, 2009

Billy - how much are you playing with that in and out of the holster? I would not have been surprised to see that on a kydex holster or on a daily used weapon but honestly am surprised in the leather. KT's park'ing isn't as thick as some others out there but you still must be using this one a lot!

-Scott

sniper7369

· #6 · Jan 20, 2009

That looks like normal holster wear to me. Even my S&W M&P 9c, and 1911 have some wear on the sharp edges from daily carry and going in and out of the holsters. So does the blue finish on my P-3AT, though all my pistols ride in kydex.
If it bothers you, you can always touch it up with cold blue.

RCACFBilly

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 20, 2009

Scott,

I really don't take the 3AT in and out of the holster very much. The wear is on the pressure point of the holster when I sit down and I figured that may be the cause. I thought the finish was tougher.

Billy

billjohnso20

· #8 · Jan 20, 2009

Even if you only put your gun in the holster and remove it once a day, the finish will wear. It doesn't matter what gun it is. I only carry my XD when I'm wearing a coat but it shows some signs of wear from very limited carry time. I don't know but I've been told that chrome, nickel, or ceramic won't wear like blued and parked guns do. I've wanted to try the chrome and nickel finishes but just can't seem to let go of the money since all I have to do to my blued guns is use cold blue on the wear spots. That works for me.

lfisherjr

· #9 · Jan 29, 2009

It's in your pocket as you walk, sit, & move your gun is doing the same thing so you will get this
mine looks the same way

phousley

· #10 · Feb 2, 2009

I have the blued/olive drab version, and the bluing was wearing very bad and rusting after 3 years of carry. I had the slide chromed. It looks terrible but is functional. The bad guy won't care what it looks like! ;D

TxCajun

· #11 · Feb 2, 2009

RCACFBilly said:
Since this is normal wear and not rusting, I could continue to ignore it, right? I also thought about getting some cold bluing for it.

They make bluing pens that can be used for touch up. It won't match the parkerizing particularly well, but should offer some rust resistance and at least darken the shiny places.

RCACFBilly

Discussion Starter · #12 · Feb 2, 2009

It looks terrible but is functional.

Why does it look so bad? Who did the plating?

Billy

phousley

· #13 · Feb 3, 2009

They did a good job plating it but, with the olive drab, the shiny mirror like finish is ugly. I think I will lightly bead blast it or something to give it a matte appearance.

roadrunner

· #14 · Feb 4, 2009

After a few months of every day carry the blue is wearing on my 3AT. I plan to duracoat it soon. That should wear better than the bluing.

RCACFBilly

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 4, 2009

I thought about a Duracote finish as well. I know nothing about Duracote and I wonder what it will look like when it starts to chip, rub off, wear or whatever it does. I do not want to have my 3AT chrome plated because I prefer the black color. Since there is no rust problem, probably because the holster keeps it polished, I have decided to let it do it's thing and see what happens next.

Billy

Boggs51

· #16 · Feb 5, 2009

DuraCoat:

Have not used it on any of my Kel-Tec's, however, have done the slide on my HK Mark-23. Yes, it does eventually wear off in certain areas, but can be re-applied to just the problem area. No need to do the entire gun [slide] again!

Boggs

Badman400

· #17 · Feb 5, 2009

RCA, to me that looks like unusual wear for a park'd finish.

How long have you been carrying it?

I bought my parkerized P3AT almost two years ago. I have carried it in an Elite pocket holster every day since, and I have no discernable wear on mine. I also have 290 rounds through it. It looks almost as good as the day I bought it, except for the pocket lint. :

In my experience the park'd finishes are tougher than a regular blued finish.
It could be that yours is defective. If so, maybe KT will replace it. I don't think they warranty the finish, but in your case maybe so?

Anyway, good luck.

ETA: I just saw your holster. Leather is rougher on the finish than the soft nylon inside of my Elite holster. Probably why I haven't noticed any holster wear. Here is the Elite with my P-32:

Also you might want to consider having your slide "Jack'd", or nickel plated by Jack Fuselier. He did the slide on my PF-9 for $25:

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RCACFBilly

Discussion Starter · #18 · Feb 5, 2009

My 3AT is about one year old. I have carried it in lots of different ways but most of the time in a leather pocket holster. Sometimes in my back pocket with only the belt clip but I like to wear it on my belt because it is much easier to access from many more positions, like sitting down. It goes with me almost without exception.

I hate all the places where CC is not permitted like the Post Office, schools, etc so I have to leave it in the car. Last year Georgia reduced the number of "off limits" places so there is hope that we won't have to do this as often in the future.

Billy

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