strawing
 

Dear Experts

Before restrawing the appropriate parts (ejector, hold open, trigger, etc), they apparently must be reduced down to "bare metal." How does one know when it is down to bare metal, and what color is this bare metal? Is it by chance a dull gray?

Thanks!
Jeff

I remembered my first Luger. It's an Interarms Mauser which has strawed small parts. I did not know there was a type of finish called "strawed" at that time, but realized the trigger must be covered by a layer of "ugly" oxidation. So I took it off and sanded it with 800-grit sand paper with considerable amount of energy -- bare metal is silver. I sold it later on..... if I looked back, obviously the buyer had no idea of "strawed finish" either :)

Anyway, I confirm the color of trigger and thumb safety in bare metal form is silver.

BEING VERY CAREFUL NOT TO TAKE OFF ANY ACCEPTANCE MARKINGS OR SERIAL NUMBERS. THAT IS THE TOUGH PART....


ed

Use a product called Evap0-Rust to remove the bluing and lightly polish with 600-800 grit sand paper using blocks to keep things square. Then heat the parts in the oven in sand and either drop in used motor oil or let cool to color. Another method is to use nitre bluing salts that are just barely molten and removefairly quickly as the part starts to get a golden brownish hue to it. See the sticky on strawing first before trying the nitre salt method.