Can Sandblasting Remove Cerakote®?

Abrasive blasting is an effective and common method to remove layers of Cerakote® from a surface. There are several different types of blast media you can use to accomplish this, ranging from aluminum oxide to garnet and superoxalloy.

Cerakote is commonly used as a protective and durable coating on firearms. Eventually, Cerakote may show signs of wear and need to be removed and reapplied. It’s essential to choose a method of removal that doesn’t damage the underlying surface so your gun stays in good shape. Keep reading to learn which blast media is best for removing Cerakote.

What Is Cerakote?

Cerakote is a ceramic-based coating that is used to protect against wear and corrosion. It’s typically difficult to remove without using abrasive blasting. For example, trying to remove Cerakote in a burn-off oven might result in a thermally damaged firearm — not a good outcome!

To use a sandblaster, you need an abrasive like garnet, aluminum oxide or a superoxalloy. The best grit sizes range from 70 to 120, with a blasting pressure between 35 and 70 PSI. Once you have finished blasting all your parts, it’s a good idea to clean each part with acetone and follow the instructions from Cerakote to prepare the surface for the new coating.

Abrasive Blasting Options for Removing Cerakote

Aluminum oxide blasting is commonly used to remove tough coatings and corrosion from project materials. Because it’s so tough, it can be reused for multiple blasting applications. It also creates less dust than some other blasting media.

Garnet and glass blast media also have advantages. Glass bead blasting is more gentle, so it works well for projects that might be over porfiled by harder abrasive materials during the blasting process. Garnet is affordable and also produces less dust than some blasting media.

The Best Way to Remove Cerakote

However, the best blasting media to use for Cerakote is a superoxalloy abrasive. This type of blast media has been specially formulated to remove coatings without damaging the underlying material. It’s tempered and tough, so it can be reused many times before it needs to be replaced.

Superoxalloy abrasives are also safer for blasters to use because they are biosoluble, unlike competing abrasives. They also create less dust, making it easier to protect workers from inhaling dust.

Choose Superoxalloy Abrasives From 10X Engineered Materials

10X blast abrasives have been shown to be cost-effective and “clean” in many blasting applications, including Cerakote removal. After you use a superoxalloy to remove Cerakote, it will leave the substrate virtually free of embedded particles so it’s ready for a new protective coating.

At 10X Engineered Materials, we’ve created three effective lines of superoxalloy blast abrasives — EpiX, DynamiX, and KinetiX. Both of these blast media have high performance, are reusable and keep dust down while doing an incredible job of scouring materials. Most of our customers who apply Cerakote® are using EpiX-MP as this prodcut’s particle size distribution is ideal for removing Cerakote® without damaging the substrate.

Find out more about our blasting media products by calling us at 260-253-2278 or filling out our online contact form. You can find our blasting media at U.S. abrasive distributors or order EpiX blast media directly from our website.