Cerakote South Africa

Cerakote South Africa operates as the only accredited gunsmith and Cerakote applicator in Africa holding both Cerakote Firearm and High Temp Factory Certifications from NIC Industries (USA). Founder Piet van Wyk de Vries has completed over 5,000 firearm projects with experience and training spanning three continents, backed by complete manufacturer support.

• •Handguns — Complete pistols, slides, frames, controls, magazines, and special platform services for Glocks, CZ-75, Vectors, Berettas, Browning HPs, and 1911s

• •Rifles — Bolt-action rifles (short and long), tactical/carbine platforms (AR-15 specialists), lever-action rifles, and complete assemblies

• •Shotguns — Complete shotguns, barrels, actions, and stocks

• •Accessories — Scope rings, mounts, scopes, suppressors, flash/recoil suppressors, bipods, and custom knives (quoted individually)

Cerakote is applied at 12.7 to 25.4 microns (0.5–1.0 Mils) and verified with a Digital Coating Thickness Gauge before sign-off. All coatings meet manufacturer specifications.

The shop can deliver finishes from full gloss through silky satin to chalkboard matte, with control over sheen during preparation.

• •Rust Prevention — Class-leading chemical resistance; Cerakote is the World's #1 Firearm Finish for corrosion protection

• •Hardness — One of the hardest coatings available; wear-resistant (not wear-proof). After 10–20 years of hard use, a Cerakoted gun remains pristine underneath while other finishes develop pitting and rust

• •Longevity — Does not fade or age unless worn down by use; will remain as-finished for life with reasonable care

• •Guarantee — 100% lifetime guarantee against technical coating failure, flaking, peeling, and cracking. Does not cover wear and tear from use or environment

• •Contact by email only — [email protected] (allow 1 working day for replies)

Include: firearm make/model, desired colors, specific parts to coat, pictures if describing patterns, and any turnaround requirements.

• •Turnaround times — Range from 12 hours to several months; longer timelines cost less. Pre-booking with finalized brief shortens turnaround. Rush projects (drop-everything-do-this-now) incur 50% surcharge.

• •Drop-ins accepted — Walk-ins welcome but may face longer turnaround. Call to confirm workshop availability before visiting.

• •Disassembly policy — The shop handles full disassembly and reassembly (critical for quality control and function testing). Clients MUST fully disassemble scope rings, scope mounts, and non-firearm items themselves; non-compliant items result in project cancellation.

• •Payment — EFT, card, or cash. Payment timing depends on project scope; typically invoiced after completion, sometimes required upfront.

RAM Couriers legally transports firearms in South Africa. Clients arrange and pay for courier both ways. Many authorized dealers throughout South Africa can transport to the workshop—email to confirm if a dealer near you works with Cerakote SA.

If traveling near Centurion on specific dates, contact the shop to arrange scheduling.

• •Primary location — Workshop 1 operates on the premises of Shooting Stuff in Centurion, South Africa's trusted Dillon specialist and exclusive agency dealer for premium international manufacturers.

• •Additional facilities — Three additional cat-free workshops include a dedicated Design & Stencil Cutting Studio, R&D Lab & Workshop, and complete Spares Shop with duplicate machinery for instant replacement and maintenance.

Piet van Wyk de Vries retired at age 40 from a career as a songwriter (EMI Music Publishing), graphic designer, military modeler, and technical historian to pursue firearms refinishing full-time. He is a former SAP Unit 19 veteran and founder of sas1946.com, the world's largest independent forum for Russian IL-2 flight simulator modification and design (voted one of the 20 best war games by PCGamer in 2015).

• •Internationally connected — Senior member of elite international firearm refinishing guilds; mutual exchange of experience keeps the shop ahead of standard developments.

• •First South African to attain both High Temp and H-Series NIC Factory Certifications and holds the most firearm projects (5,000+) of any ceramic specialist in South Africa.

Testimonial: "Piet does excellent work! Colour is solid and everything fits together again afterwards. No lapping and scraping to get paint out of nasty places." — Alexander Schweickerdt, Truvelo Armory Division

Testimonial: "Piet Van Wyk De Vries is the best in the business you wont be sorry." — Ryan Swinton, Pretoria, South Africa

Yes. Coating can be blasted off and redone, or another finish applied. Polymer and plastic firearms must always remain coated with something once Cerakote is applied.

Mostly yes, but factory warranties are lost. Risk of scope damage exists (never occurred at this shop, but possible). Verify necessity before proceeding.

Cerakote works on steel, aluminum, stainless, fiberglass, plastic, and wood. Not compatible with rubber.