White Markings or No?
 

Like many of you, I have bought some Lugers with the markings whited and others with virgin markings. Now I have a motley mixture and in order to make my collection more uniform, don't know whether to "laquer up"; remove whiting; or just leave my mongrel collection as it stands.

The white markings are definitely easier to photograph and are easier for those of us with worsening eyesight. However as pointed out earlier, they also mask boosted markings, aren't original, etc.

My questions are simply this:

1. Do you laquer/whiten the markings on your collectables?
2. Do you laquer/whiten the markings on your shooters?
3. If you answered "yes" to 1 or 2, what do you use?
4. What are the upsides?
5. What are the downsides?

brownie, I use laquer sticks to make me see the markings better, have generally used white, but bought gold and silver (many collectors made fun of me using gold but oh well ;))

You actually stated the upsides and downsides in the 2nd sentance as i see it.

Many times I will use a light coating of white laquer to photo the markings better, but then take it out and take another picture with out it.

Ed

I have been using white grease pencil because it is easily removable. I have no experience with the Lacquer Stik but note that the advert says it hardens and becomes permanent. Is this true?

Don,

Somewhat... It will soften with an application of gun oil or WD-40. And then can be lightly scrubbed out with a tooth brush with no ill effects.

Ron

Other than photo sessions or pimping with the gold pen, I guess the focal question is: Do you guys mark your keepers or not? :cool:

I do not.

I will even ask an Owner to remove it from a gun if I am serious about buying it and he/she has seen the color of my money.

The only in-fill on my Lugers is the stuff done originally at the factory for the thumb safety markings....where applicable on various models and makes. That stuff is usually a more permanent enamel paint of some sort that sometimes ages yellow with time.

Of course I would not ask a seller to remove that in-fill.

As others have mentioned on the LF, a gun with in-fill everywhere and an seller not willing to removed it for inspection of the stampings below might be well a gun passed by...and your money left in your pockets.

On my first Luger.. I marked ALL stamps and markings, and took pictures of them.

Today, I prefer my Lugers to be without.
So I don't mark them in any way.

Pete,

My recollection is that the specification for the thumb safety marking was white sealing wax. Tough stuff, that.

--Dwight

I do both, many times leaving it, as I like to see the assorted markings fairly quickly. But I have no qualms about taking it out and marking it again.


Ed

Markings? We don't need no stinking markings! :cool:

I only have 8 Lugers, making a paltry collection compared with most here. But none of mine have markings, either applied by me or not. So far, none of the one's I've bought have been marked.

It never really occured to me to do so, but now I'm considering it for my next photoshoot... :)

Steve,

Take a look at these Poll results...owning "only" 8 Lugers is not that uncommon...

http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...highlight=Poll