If I do another CZ I'll take step by step pics. It's a time consuming process. Removed all excess dirt, rust, and oil/grease. Soak it for 15-30 minutes in acetone. Remove and let dry. Sandblast with 120 grit aluminum oxide or garnet. Back to the acetone. Bake it at 300 for an hour to leech any oil out. If there is any wetness on the metal from oil, it's back to the acetone and repeat. Once sure no oil leeching out, acetone then dry. Spray with cerakote which is a two part paint. Then let site for about 15 minutes and then bake at 250 for 2 hours. Remove, let cool, and reassemble. If a mistake is made with the cerakote such as a run or thick and wavey, it has to be quick cured for like 10-15 minutes, blasted, acetone, reapply cerakote, and baked. Takes a lot of patience, a blasting cabinet, an airbrush or spray gun, a heavy duty big tank high cfm air compressor, and a metal tub for the acetone.
As far as holding up, the cerakote will wear, just not near as fast as other finishes. It's easy to clean. The biggest plus is it prevents corrosion. I can use a cerakoted firearm in the rain, run a patch through the barrel and the rest is good until I get time to clean. Cerakote can be finicky. If it's applied thick it has a tendency to chip easier. Some colors are harder to apply such as the stainless due to metal type flakes in it. I have to recoat the pink pistol at some point. The pink had to be applied thicker to cover up the metal, but I went over the happy medium and it was too thick and has chipped in some places, none of which are visible until the pistol is broken down. Still, it bothers me and I told her if recoat it when I get a chance. Cerakote is a good enough finish Sig Sauer is using it on their firearms as are other companies. My Sig 1911 Scorpion is cerakoted flat dark earth.
