WW2 Parkerization Process

[Dsizzle]

Does anyone know the process that knife makers like Camillus used to Parkerized its blades like the Mk2 and certain Raider Stiletto’s? I have a few relics that I am analyzing but I can’t find anything specific online or in books describing the process. Specifically, I want to know if they would have Parkerized the blade without polishing it first. For example, most Camillus Raider Stilettos have a bright polished finish, but the 500 sent to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion were Parkerized. I will attach a link to pictures show that where the parkerization has worn away from the blade, there is a distinct grain or feathering to the exposed metal. This grain continues over the spine until it meets the factory sharpened edge. Any ideas? Would the stamped tool steel used in these exhibit such strong “fingerprints” or feathering? Would Parkerizing them “in the rough” be the best way for more surface area coverage and Phosphoric Acid adhesion?

 

[Dsizzle]

Does anyone know the process that knife makers like Camillus used to Parkerized its blades like the Mk2 and certain Raider Stiletto’s? I have a few relics that I am analyzing but I can’t find anything specific online or in books describing the process. Specifically, I want to know if they would have Parkerized the blade without polishing it first. For example, most Camillus Raider Stilettos have a bright polished finish, but the 500 sent to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion were Parkerized. I will attach a link to pictures show that where the parkerization has worn away from the blade, there is a distinct grain or feathering to the exposed metal. This grain continues over the spine until it meets the factory sharpened edge. Any ideas? Would the stamped tool steel used in these exhibit such strong “fingerprints” or feathering? Would Parkerizing them “in the rough” be the best way for more surface area coverage and Phosphoric Acid adhesion?

Here is the IMGUR link. The first picture is a naked blade section of a formerly Parkerized blade. The second is a 95% Parkerized Camillus stiletto:

https://imgur.com/a/Dj7McGs

 

[knarfeng]

"Parkerizing" was a process developed by Parker Brothers. It involved dunking the steel in phosphoric acid with other chemicals. Think of it as "patina on steroids". To get good corrosion resistance out of it, you need to apply oil afterward.

Here's a good technical description written by a company which performs it commercially.

Parkerizing - Advanced Technical Finishing

What Is Parkerizing? Parkerizing is a process of treating a metal to produce a Parkerized finish similar to bluing. The Parkerizing process was developed by Parker Brothers Metal Finishing Company, founding members of the Parker family have been involved in metallurgy for nearly 100 years...

advancedtf.com

Here's a "how to" for DIY

How To Parkerize Steel

How to parkerize a gun or any steel object, applying an anti-corrosion and lubricating phosphatized surface treatment."

m1-garand-rifle.com

 

[knarfeng]

Does anyone know the process that knife makers like Camillus used to Parkerized its blades like the Mk2 and certain Raider Stiletto’s? I have a few relics that I am analyzing but I can’t find anything specific online or in books describing the process. Specifically, I want to know if they would have Parkerized the blade without polishing it first. For example, most Camillus Raider Stilettos have a bright polished finish, but the 500 sent to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion were Parkerized. I will attach a link to pictures show that where the parkerization has worn away from the blade, there is a distinct grain or feathering to the exposed metal. This grain continues over the spine until it meets the factory sharpened edge. Any ideas? Would the stamped tool steel used in these exhibit such strong “fingerprints” or feathering? Would Parkerizing them “in the rough” be the best way for more surface area coverage and Phosphoric Acid adhesion?

I've never parkerized steel. But I am fairly familiar wit anodizing and plating operations. IMO, they would have grit blasted or bead blasted the steel to ensure removal of any oxide layer prior to parkerizing. I think they would not have polished it prior to the parkerizing, as the parkerizing would have negated that effort. If they already had the polished items and then wanted to parkerize them, I suppose that's possible. But polishing would not have been part of the parkerizing process.

 

[lambertiana]

"Parkerizing" was a process developed by Parker Brothers. It involved dunking the steel in phosphoric acid with other chemicals. Think of it as "patina on steroids". To get good corrosion resistance out of it, you need to apply oil afterward.

Here's a good technical description written by a company which performs it commercially.

Parkerizing - Advanced Technical Finishing

What Is Parkerizing? Parkerizing is a process of treating a metal to produce a Parkerized finish similar to bluing. The Parkerizing process was developed by Parker Brothers Metal Finishing Company, founding members of the Parker family have been involved in metallurgy for nearly 100 years...

advancedtf.com

Here's a "how to" for DIY

How To Parkerize Steel

How to parkerize a gun or any steel object, applying an anti-corrosion and lubricating phosphatized surface treatment."

m1-garand-rifle.com

The folks at AdvancedTF need to revisit their process; there must be a typo where they say the parkerizing solution includes sodium or potassium cyanide. As soon as sodium or potassium cyanide hits the phosphoric acid, it will quickly be converted to hydrogen cyanide gas, which proved quite effective at Auschwitz.

 

[unwisefool]

I just like to say the word parkerizing. I don't think we say it enough. Parkerizing, parkerizing, parkerizing!


Parkerizing.

Now it just sounds weird.

 

[lambertiana]

I just like to say the word parkerizing. I don't think we say it enough. Parkerizing, parkerizing, parkerizing!


Parkerizing.

Now it just sounds weird.

It does sound cool. My 1911 is parkerized, and it has a slightly greenish tint to it (Springfield); they did a good job with it. I like it - for all weather use parkerized is better than blued.

 

[BillZee]

"Parkerizing" was a process developed by Parker Brothers. It involved dunking the steel in phosphoric acid with other chemicals. Think of it as "patina on steroids". To get good corrosion resistance out of it, you need to apply oil afterward.

Here's a good technical description written by a company which performs it commercially.

Parkerizing - Advanced Technical Finishing

What Is Parkerizing? Parkerizing is a process of treating a metal to produce a Parkerized finish similar to bluing. The Parkerizing process was developed by Parker Brothers Metal Finishing Company, founding members of the Parker family have been involved in metallurgy for nearly 100 years...

advancedtf.com

Here's a "how to" for DIY

How To Parkerize Steel

How to parkerize a gun or any steel object, applying an anti-corrosion and lubricating phosphatized surface treatment."

m1-garand-rifle.com

Thanks for the information.......

 

[John A. Larsen]

Parkerizing was described to me as a matrix which holds on to oil, better than just naked steel, as well as hiding the shiny blade. John

 

[DangerZone98]

"Parkerizing" was a process developed by Parker Brothers. It involved dunking the steel in phosphoric acid with other chemicals. Think of it as "patina on steroids". To get good corrosion resistance out of it, you need to apply oil afterward.

Here's a good technical description written by a company which performs it commercially.

Parkerizing - Advanced Technical Finishing

What Is Parkerizing? Parkerizing is a process of treating a metal to produce a Parkerized finish similar to bluing. The Parkerizing process was developed by Parker Brothers Metal Finishing Company, founding members of the Parker family have been involved in metallurgy for nearly 100 years...

advancedtf.com

Here's a "how to" for DIY

How To Parkerize Steel

How to parkerize a gun or any steel object, applying an anti-corrosion and lubricating phosphatized surface treatment."

m1-garand-rifle.com

May I ask how effective this was at making knives corrosion resistant? I’m guessing it doesn’t make carbon steel 100% stain proof.

 

[JAB]

It does sound cool. My 1911 is parkerized, and it has a slightly greenish tint to it (Springfield); they did a good job with it. I like it - for all weather use parkerized is better than blued.

I remember reading somewhere that the greenish tint was caused by a reaction from the parkerized steel being coated with cosmoline and stored over time.

 

[helobite]

I will bet the only polishing the average gun part, bayonet, knife, or shovel received before parkerizing was a tumbling to remove burrs. Polishing takes time, a surprising amount of time, and of course, polishing material. Pretty things did not last any longer on the battlefield than ugly things.

This is not rough, might have had a finish.

was not much of a difference in surface finish between the modern made Kabar and the WW2 one

 

[knarfeng]

May I ask how effective this was at making knives corrosion resistant? I’m guessing it doesn’t make carbon steel 100% stain proof.

On it's own? Not very.
If you keep it oiled? Pretty fair if you take reasonable care of it.

The resulting coating itself is porous. So it does not form a good barrier to moisture or oxygen in and of itself. But if you oil it, the oil fills the holes in the coating, creating a pretty good barrier to water and oxygen. Glock does a similar phosphate finish on its products. They tell you in their literature to lightly oil those surfaces, then wipe away the excess. Same idea.

 

[RustyIron]

Does anyone know the process that knife makers like Camillus used to Parkerized its blades like the Mk2 and certain Raider Stiletto’s? I have a few relics that I am analyzing but I can’t find anything specific online or in books describing the process. Specifically, I want to know if they would have Parkerized the blade without polishing it first.

I've Parkerized plenty of things in my kitchen and garage. It's super easy, assuming you are capable of basic craftsman stuff. I don't know exactly what recipe Camillus used. If you want EXACT results, you'll have to get them to tell you. Otherwise, you can get GOOD results with any old recipe. Parkerizing is well documented in the gun world. Look there for exact instructions.

I see no point in doing a mirror-like finish on your blade before parkerizing, as the process will roughen it a bit. It's easy enough that if you don't like the finish, you can redo it.

 

[Dsizzle]

Does anyone know the process that knife makers like Camillus used to Parkerized its blades like the Mk2 and certain Raider Stiletto’s? I have a few relics that I am analyzing but I can’t find anything specific online or in books describing the process. Specifically, I want to know if they would have Parkerized the blade without polishing it first. For example, most Camillus Raider Stilettos have a bright polished finish, but the 500 sent to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion were Parkerized. I will attach a link to pictures show that where the parkerization has worn away from the blade, there is a distinct grain or feathering to the exposed metal. This grain continues over the spine until it meets the factory sharpened edge. Any ideas? Would the stamped tool steel used in these exhibit such strong “fingerprints” or feathering? Would Parkerizing them “in the rough” be the best way for more surface area coverage and Phosphoric Acid adhesion?

I've never parkerized steel. But I am fairly familiar wit anodizing and plating operations. IMO, they would have grit blasted or bead blasted the steel to ensure removal of any oxide layer prior to parkerizing. I think they would not have polished it prior to the parkerizing, as the parkerizing would have negated that effort. If they already had the polished items and then wanted to parkerize them, I suppose that's possible. But polishing would not have been part of the parkerizing process.

I've never parkerized steel. But I am fairly familiar wit anodizing and plating operations. IMO, they would have grit blasted or bead blasted the steel to ensure removal of any oxide layer prior to parkerizing. I think they would not have polished it prior to the parkerizing, as the parkerizing would have negated that effort. If they already had the polished items and then wanted to parkerize them, I suppose that's possible. But polishing would not have been part of the parkerizing process.

Thanks for the insight. I’m just curious if the rough texture under the worn away black is normal for a Parkerized blade. It sounds like polishing a blade that is going to be Parkerized is unnecessary.