Black paint seems to be the norm for AK finishes. Don't forget that there are many other colors available in flat, gloss, and satin finishes. There is even a gunmetal blue colored paint available from Gunkote.
The following tips apply to just about every paint finish available, including BBQ grille paint, moly-resin, gunkote, baking lacquer, rustoleum enamel, and high-temp specialty paints (like for brake calipers):
Sandblast or chemically etch the metal before applying a spray-on coating and you'll get a nice even finish. This helps hide or remove scratches and improves the bond of the paint.
Use good degreasers (brake cleaner or lacquer thinner) before you paint to avoid fisheyes and paint adhesion problems.
Baking the blasted metal parts before painting can force oil and grease to wick out of cracks and crevices. Repeat this heating and degreasing step until you're satisfied. This helps provide a flawless paint job.
Warm the parts to about 100 degrees F before applying the paint. If you get them too much hotter, the paint can fail or look blotchy. I use a hair dryer to warm everything before and during painting. I reserve the oven for the higher temps of baking.
Bake in the oven at 300 degrees F for about an hour (follow directions on can to be 100% sure of temperature).
And the most important step:
Post pics on the board when you're done! :thumbup1:
