Industrial "Parkerizing" is not an oil bath, but rather an acid treatment... a phosphate coating. The surface of the steel is converted into an insoluble crystalline phosphate, processed with a dilute acid phosphate solution. This achieves a fairly corrosion-resistant coating, between 0.00015 and 0.0003 inches deep.
Aldo Ross
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <TW406@aol.com>
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Friday, December 08, 2000 7:06 PM
> Subject: Re: Re: [CR]WWII blackened parts
>
>
> > Parkerized parts were used extensively on old Harleys. Basically, the
raw,
> > beaded steel parts are soaked for a period of time in heated oil, then
> > removed and baked again. Its basically a burnt on oil finish. Its really
> > greenish brown, not black. I could copy the recipe from a Harley
> restoration
> > book if someone's really interested; do it in your oven (when the wifes
> not
> > around) or on a hotplate.
> >
> > Ted, my other 2 bikes are Harleys
> > Beautifull, sunny Berkeley