Yellow colored parts of the 08
 

Hi,


which parts of the 08 were colored in yellow?

I want to restore my VoPo-08, which is a DWM 1913, back to original finish. I'll try to make this with an oven. To "paint" the metal parts to yellow you have to heat them to exactly 230 C.

I will post pics of my 08 in the Owners' Corner soon!!!


Best regards


JF

Re: Yellow colored parts of the 08
 

Does it work in the kittchen oven? How long does it take to heat them? Is 230 C the right temperature? Isn't it too less?

Re: Yellow colored parts of the 08
 

Trigger, takedown lever, safety, magazine release, and ejector.

Re: Yellow colored parts of the 08
 

Hi,


I've never tested it, but a kitchen oven should be enough.


Yes, really 230 C but I don't know, how long. But you can't make anything false because these temparatures won't damage any of the metal parts. I'll try it out and let you know. This method could save you a lot of money because you don't need a gunsmith for reworking the parts.


Best regards


JF

Re: Yellow colored parts of the 08
 

Yo JF - stap me vittles if I've got it wrong, but isn't there somebody on this site who does this sort of thing for a living? But then, I suppose, with sooooo many Lugers just lying around the place, it really doesn't matter if you get it wrong and screw the whole thing up. I seem to remember that you can only heat treat once....


TF

Re: Yellow colored parts of the 08
 

The really nice 'strawing' that we all admire on a nice Luger is not usually the result of someone's home kitchen oven. It is true that one can heat treat parts in a conventional oven but the quality of the finished product is subject to vary if the temperature is not even and well controlled. Trust me, it is hard to get a quality job in a standard kitchen oven. I have seen many 'kitchen gunsmiths' products at gunshows and it is pretty obvious.

If it were that easy...
 

everyone would do it. We'll all be intrerested in your progress.


Dok

Re: Yellow colored parts of the 08
 

Seems that this process has been hashed out several times here. It is not impossible task to do with and oven in the kitchen, a toaster oven or a propane torch. Some of the final look has to do with proper polish and cleaning prior to heat. Straw occurs at about 440 degrees F. Shades of straw vary with +or- of 440. I have been doing it for years for my Lugers and others. I see some advertise to do it for $85. I work too cheap perhaps. Have been charging $45 for years. If color doesn't turn out right first try--it can be done again. Too light---use more heat. Too dark re polish and heat again. The bright blue color on sights springs and pins occurs after straw. Don't be afraid to try it. Straw can even be enhanced to improve what still exists without complete repolish of the part. This should drive the gunshow spy wild!!!!!

STRAW PARTS
 

I was told, years ago, by a real expert in the Pre-War commecial guns, that the temp and time of heating must be different for each part...the size and thickness involved is a variable that must be considered?


Me, I defer to the experts!......my advice to most 'newbys' is "THE BEST THING TO DO IS "NOTHING".


The shadow

Re: It is that easy
 

Hey guys, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Art Buchanan has it right. A common heat source is almost always adequate. I use a propane camp oven and a Taylor oven thermometer that goes up to 600 degrees F. and a flashlight to look into the window as it heats. This is not rocket science ladies and gentlemen. Try it on the common scrap steel you have laying around. This method of hardening steel is discussed at length in Randall Gibson's book Krieghoff Parabellum. Page 51 B. Heat Finishing. Gives the temps and times that the Krieghoff factory used. They suggest 15 min once reaching optimum temp. for strawing, correspondingly longer for darker colors. Like Art says if you don't get it right the first time try try again. Remember a saying from my Airborne LRRP days...Fear is a disabler. Try it you'l like it. Jerry

Re: It is that easy
 

If you are just 'messing around' on a Saturday afternoon and you don't care about how your shooter really looks and you want to try something..you ought to fire blue all the parts (heck, just take the grips off, stick the whole danged gun in the kitchen oven, bake till nicely blued (broil for about 35 minutes ought to do it) and then take them 'weenie-tong things to snatch it out and drop it in a bowl of cranberry vinegarette (don't be put out by the smell). It might look like crap but you can always sand it down, polish it up and start over again (that's the beauty of lower temperatures on older antique guns). Keep it up till the wife comes home and kicks your sorry butt outta the kitchen. Once you get 'real good' at it then it is time to start on your not so hot collectables. One thing you will find is that you can actually cook dinner along with some of the parts if you should choose to disassemble it. Separate containers is a good idea. I once fed an omlette containing a takedown lever to my boss's wife and boy was I embarrassed. Disclaimer: Take Shadow's advice. (No 'dinkum' is fair dinkum).