1917 DWM Artillery Luger Restoration-BAD BAD DOG-YIKES!!
 

A local collector/Luger Shooter got this beauty at a local shop. He got it for $450, but I gets to purty it up! Talk about your "sows ear"!!
:o Lots of holes in this old gal! Not enough paint/bondo to make her look right! Lots of work! My fingies are sore!!
:banghead:
BEFORE PICS:
http://members.rennlist.org/lugerman/P1010070.JPG
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http://members.rennlist.org/lugerman/P1010075.JPG

Thats a lot of pits but at least the proof marks aren't damaged! Thor, a couple of questions if you don't mind. Do you weld/build up any of the really badly pitted surfaces or do you just carefully resurface the metal? Second, is there any chance you could photograph your work on this project as it progresses?

You do beautiful work and it would be a real education to see the progressive steps. I reworked a S&W revolver that had pits like that and know and appreciate the immense labor involved.

Thanks

Charlie

The frame and barrelled receiver are already finished. I will try and put a couple of AFTER pics when I get the grips back from Hugh and get it assembled. The ejector was totally toast so I have another one coming from Tom Heller (Lugerdoc) It was nice the acceptance stamps are in good condition.
I dont talk about methods (specifics), sorry, my business policy.

I wasn't asking for specifics since I do restorations myself; no need for an apology, I wasn't trying to pry. Will look forward to the after photos.

Charlie

Charlie, Because you asked for some progress prints, here is another project that was badly pitted and I did take before, DURING and after pics. A Code 480 P.38
http://members.rennlist.org/lugerman/JB480B1.JPG
http://members.rennlist.org/lugerman/JB480B2.JPG
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http://members.rennlist.org/lugerman/JB480A1.JPG
http://members.rennlist.org/lugerman/JB480A2.JPG

Ted,
I am really glad to see you back on an active basis. Your work is masterful and we enjoy seeing the end results. I keep wondering where you find the bondo that you can rust blue?!!!:)

Ted, thank you for the photos of the P38. The surfaces are extremely clean and crisp. It reflects many many hours of hand work to achieve such a fine finish. You certainly deserve the fine reputation that you have. Thanks for the photos.

Charlie

Ted,

The LP08 will make a nice challenge. Please note that the scratch marks on the left and right frame ears are meant to be there. They are always present on 1917 artilleries, at least and on most 1918 ones. I hope you kept them intact :)

Great work, can't wait to see this one all done!

Another future silk purse!

Got the grips back from Hugh today, great job as usual, nice retention of original color too.

For more examples of Thor's restoration work, see forum group "All P08 military Lugers/K date Luger".

Daddydogg

Thor,

Holy smokes. That is amazing. That p-38 look beautiful.

Spike

Vlim.
Am I correct to say that those scatch marks are also present on 1917 Navy?
Alf.

Alf,

Good question and I must say I have no idea. I mainly observed them on the arty versions. Will have a look next time when I get the chance to see a bunch of navies :)

Just about finished with this old dawg!
Should be done tomorrow! JUST FUR FUN, so dont take this SIRUS!!!
[work in progress]
Thor’s Lair

The Stygian darkness was shattered by a crashing bolt from the dark clouds rolling in with the midnight storm that swirled about suggesting something even more powerful was trapped within that rolling thunder. The winds, unexpectedly strong, tore a gnarled oak tree from its hold on the earth slamming it into the side of the adjacent mountain crag with a crash that no ear heard, for no one dared to be about in this tempuous battle of the night!!

The thunder furnace was ablaze with molten metal that glared with intense heat at anyone that got their face close enough to peer within. That furnace was purging out all the impurities of the metal swirls by the horrible heat that feed its unsatiable hunger. ............... It was almost time!!!

The furnace, among other machines of metal manipulation were anchored there, deep in the roots of the mountain in a cavern below the roaring winds and clashing flashes of lightening and thunder. They worked at the demand of their master, Thor. These sieges of metal work would pummel, flatten and work the metal to its proper surface, curved surfaces, arcs or flats…………without mercy! Cracks, crevices and holes that festooned the forgotten and abandoned metal that may have been as a result of misuse, or from a spill of warrior’s blood, corrosion from salt water from a sea faring quest or from the sweat of a soldier waiting in trench expecting to be overrun in the next attempt to conquer was to be repaired, rendered, rejuvenated, restored to its original beauty and lines................[oh brother!!!!]

http://members.rennlist.org/lugerman/Thor6R.jpg
Like EYE SAYEED, A WURK IN progress so dont take this SIRUS!!!

Just a bit of authoric fun for der thorster!

Thanks to all that put up with my wierd stuff! Perhaps that is why I have been in self exile for a while. :biggulp:

Yes, the "scratch"marks are present on Navy pistols.
Tom A

Tom,

Interesting, thanks. Whoever was 'in charge' of finishing that part of the pistol in 1917, they must have sacked (or shot) him somewhere in 1918, as it stopped around that period. :)

Truth is, that in 1917 the production reached it's peak and pistol production was slowed down again in late 1917 due to overproduction issues. The surviving numbers of 1917 pistols and ammunition are a testament to that.

Vlim, so in 1918 what kind of tool marks are visible on a 1918 Luger?
Alf.

Alf,

Basically the normal shallow, slightly buffed, milling marks you see in the other years. No longer the deep, pronounced 45 degree and vertical 'scratch marks' anymore.

Thor,

First post. Have seen your work. It's incredible what you do; really blessed. Glad to see you back at it.

Good health,

Brent

Awesome work !

- WOT

There is no greater thrill for me than to witness a mans talents and Mastery of his chosen profession. Especially if that profession is a hobby. The P-38 indicates the attention to detail with an eye on Historical significance during restoration. To many, a firearm is just that and History means nothing to them. It's just a gun to shoot (my future son-in-law is that type person). When I see work superbly completed, it makes my eyes tear. My eyes are wet now looking at the P-38. The dedication, research, time and patience involved is far beyond my abilities. I have never met Thor but have seen the results of his work many times. The same can be said about Jerry Burney. I have never met Jerry but have conversed on the phone a few times and seen his Mastery of Leather. Both these men are a tribute to a slowly dieing profession. Their talent amazes me and I'm proud to be associated with them. Even if only in LugerForum.

For some guys guns are just there to shoot and cars just there to drive. Like the restoration of an old classic car, the restoration of a gun needs a lot of passion, professionality, experience and the love for details, too.
I love both: Old cars and old guns.:jumper:

Tom Armstrong was mentioned in the General Discussions section, he is ill and from what I gather improving, great news!:jumper:
That reminds me a few years ago, Tom sent me a bad 1915 DWM Weimar Police Luger to work over. It was pitted everywhere. :eek: Here are a few photos of its journey through TLC. Repo police holster by CMR out of Great Britain.
http://members.rennlist.org/lugerman/TPWP3.JPG
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:typing:

Hi new guy Question here . Years ago i was around a lot of the Oil Fields Off Shore Drilling Operations and the machine shops associated with that Industry.
I saw one of the machinist on his off time use one of the lathes and Mills to help him restore an old 1886 Winchester Rifle barreled receiver, that was pitted as bad ,or worse than that Luger was in those Photos.
He first at cleaned it down to the bare metal and then used a Metalizeing Gun on it ,That device fires a composite of powdered Metal that is the same Rockwell Hardness as the work .
The work is grounded, and the metal from the gun sparks like tiny welding sparks when it hits the work area.
Its used to build up Bearing surfaces that are in a place where not a lot of heat can be used ,and it leaves a uniform area to re-bore the race.
Of course the entire area where its placed has to be milled back down then to Factory Specs .But to my question ,have any of you seen this done to a Luger or a C96 ?
It worked wonderfully on that Winchester Rifle , and the re-blue was uniform and not splotchy.

Is a"Metalizeing Gun" the same thing as a plasma welder?

No , i thought that also when i first heard of one . This thing came with a spindle you mounted in the lathe chuck , it had slip rings in it so you didn't tack or spark through the bearings of the lathe.
The Rifle this guy was repairing went into the spindle that had four independent jaws so it would hold just about anything supported by the tail stock on the other end .
It had a little hopper on top of the gun where he poured the Metal crystals into ,along with some powder he had to mix in with it ,Flux i think.
He could then set it to spay as many thousands of an inch he wanted it to do by the amount it sprayed, along with how hot it needed to be .
It looked like a Sparkler you would see on the 4th of July when it hit the rifle surface.
He put about 1/6th of an inch on it because some of the pits were to deep to cover .
He said you could use one of these on a table top if you didn't want it to rotate.
But after he milled the receiver back down to specs , you couldn't tell it had ever had the pits in it ,and it wasn't all that hot so it wouldn't warp on him.

Neat!! I'm just curious, how much does one cost?

Sorry MFC , i just got back on line because of a job i was on.
I called the owner of the machine shop and asked him about the cost on one of the Machines he had . He said that the one he has is to large to be doing a firearm and the guy who did the rifle had it turned all the way down.
His cost his shop $12,000.00 , it was built in Germany by Vorden Industries and it will do any metal you needed to do including Brass, but not Aluminum.
He called it a" Plasma Core Arch Metalizer " and it payed for itself the first week he had it.
Miller is supposed to be building one if they haven't already , and their smaller one is recommended for Guns and small Projects, and its supposed to come in at $1,100.00.
The bad part is that Two pounds of the Powered Metal and Flux mix cost $350.00 , but a pistol like a luger wouldn't need all that much to repair i wouldn't think.
The Machinist also told me he used it on a 1911 that some clown sand blasted with a grit so course it looked like it melted the metal.
The little parts were toast ,but he saved the slide and the receiver ,but he had to use emery cloth on it where the Ser # was . He thought it was illegal to weld over that number and then try to build it into a working fire arm again.
It wasn't perfect but it did look pretty good after that.