I have two AK kits I need to get together soon, complete with NDS receivers, and I'm trying to figure out how to move forward with finishing the metal - blueing, parkerizing or even painting.
One kit is a Yugo M90A underfolder chambered in 5.56 - that kit is essentially brand new so all I need to do in terms of metal refinishing is to try to match the blueing of the receiver and the rivets to the rest of the rifle.
The other kit is a Hungarian AMMS that I'm going to build on an NDS-1 receiver and convert to a fixed stock. I have a set of beech Ironwood Design furniture ordered for this rifle, so I'm inclined to make the metal look as good as possible so I can get that nice contrast between dark, deeply blued metal and light, blonde beechwood. I've also thought about leaving the metal in this kit alone and trying to match the blueing on the receiver and go for a "battlefield pick-up look" but I think that might be a waste of really nice furniture.
So I was at Bass Pro today and decided to pick up some liquid blue. How would this turn out compared to parkerizing? How about hot blueing? I really don't feel like investing the time or money I'd need to parkerize or hot blue myself, so I guess I'm down to either liquid blueing it myself or sending it out to someone else to be parked/blued. Last option is I could paint it myself, and I am set up fairly well to spray paint, but I'm just not convinced about the durability of the finish.
I'd appreciate any links to metal refinishing web sites or DIY guides, as well as recommendations on local vendors who could do this work for me.
One kit is a Yugo M90A underfolder chambered in 5.56 - that kit is essentially brand new so all I need to do in terms of metal refinishing is to try to match the blueing of the receiver and the rivets to the rest of the rifle.
The other kit is a Hungarian AMMS that I'm going to build on an NDS-1 receiver and convert to a fixed stock. I have a set of beech Ironwood Design furniture ordered for this rifle, so I'm inclined to make the metal look as good as possible so I can get that nice contrast between dark, deeply blued metal and light, blonde beechwood. I've also thought about leaving the metal in this kit alone and trying to match the blueing on the receiver and go for a "battlefield pick-up look" but I think that might be a waste of really nice furniture.
So I was at Bass Pro today and decided to pick up some liquid blue. How would this turn out compared to parkerizing? How about hot blueing? I really don't feel like investing the time or money I'd need to parkerize or hot blue myself, so I guess I'm down to either liquid blueing it myself or sending it out to someone else to be parked/blued. Last option is I could paint it myself, and I am set up fairly well to spray paint, but I'm just not convinced about the durability of the finish.
I'd appreciate any links to metal refinishing web sites or DIY guides, as well as recommendations on local vendors who could do this work for me.
