my new luger and cleaning it

[Lugerdoc]

Batt, Since your 1937 has the "rust blued" finish, your use of steel wool is not too different than the original "carting" off the original rusting using a stainless steel wheel. Don't try that on a later hot dipped luger, as the results would be many bad scratches. I've been told for years the the "white" safety marking was originally done with "white lead" (paint?). IMHO, best to just do a normal after shooting oiling to maintain the original finish. TH

[battering ram]

ive used very fine steel wool and lots of oil to clean up light rust on a few guns...its never scratched, but yes i understand the hot dip blue is a very poor finish, so it could be more of a problem

i also test it out before i go nuts.....never scratched a guns finish yet with it...

i watched a few video's of the rustblue process....its very different and interesting.....this is why i think the brown area's on my gun are normal from lack of oiling....it could be called a patina to some....i wouldnt disagree....im not educated enough to know if long term these patina areas will become pitted rust or just stay brown patina.....im happier with it being black(blued) vs brown....back to the original finish its supposed to have.....

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by Lugerdoc

... I've been told for years the the "white" safety marking was originally done with "white lead" (paint?). ... TH

White lead is used as a white paint pigment. It's mostly lead carbonate and occurs naturally. It does not fade or change color, but it's toxic, so you won't find it available except as artist's oil paint or industrial bulletin paint.

When I encountered a small can of it in my grancmother's basement when I was a kid, it was like a putty--not unlike glazing compound. Probably mixed with some linseed oil to make it safer since powdered form is more "volatile" and more easily accidentally inhaled.

If mixed with the right amount of linseed oil, I think that once applied to the clean GESICHERT it would cure and stick in place for the ages. Subsequent yellowing would be caused by impurities absorbed by the "paint" over the years, and not yellowing of the compound itself.