1902 fat barrel discovered

[guns3545]

Originally Posted by cirelaw

What is the process referred to as 'parkerzed' Ive never heard of it? In any event this looks like a job for Dr Ted! Eric

Eric,

Here you go, courtesy of Wkipedia:

Parkerizing, bonderizing, phosphating, or phosphatizing is a method of protecting a steel surface from corrosion and increasing its resistance to wear through the application of an electrochemical phosphate conversion coating. Parkerizing is usually considered to be an improved zinc or manganese phosphating process, and not to be an improved iron phosphating process, although some use the term parkerizing as a generic term for applying phosphating (or phosphatizing) coatings that does include the iron phosphating process.

Parkerizing is commonly used on firearms as a more effective alternative to bluing, which is another electrochemical conversion coating that was developed earlier. It's also used extensively on automobiles to protect unfinished metal parts from corrosion.

Hope this helps,

John