Forensic analysis of metal
 

With all the recent discussion of fakery, it got me thinking of how - as a collecting community - we can help deal with this situation.

I'm no expert on this, but it seems that there should be good tools for documenting and analyzing Lugers.

This article discusses the techniques used to analyze metals, principally after accidents when failure and fatigue of metals may have contributed:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensi...als_and_alloys

It discusses both destructive and non-destructive techniques. Clearly, on a Luger we'd only be interested in non-destructive.

A technique like "EDX" could be used to determine the exact elemental balance of the steel alloy used in construction of a Luger.

Surface analysis techniques like "SEM" or Optical Microscopy could let us document surface finish and proof / WaAmt stampings. In particular, there is a new class of "USB Microscope" that might prove useful. They can be purchased for about $30 on Ebay, and have 200x color video and still frame capture.

I've ordered one, and will try posting some photos of proof marks when it arrives.

It should offer the advantage of uniform illumination of surfaces as well as very closeup detail. Using a standard SLR, I have been able to get detail down to the grain of surface metal, but lighting can change the appearance considerably.

Marc

I wouldn't mind seeing a good 200x closeup of an Erfurt toggle stamp...or a Spandau 'stamp'... :D

definitly would be some interesting pctures. I do non-destructive testing, but have not done any of them methods. I know they have a mthod of determining that material make up "PMI machine" - Positive Material identification. I have seen it used in refinerys making sure the materials for piping and welds are the meterials intended for that process. Not sure how that could help in that matter, but interesting to check into.