Lugers Finished "In the White"?
 

Last evening I was admiring my mint M1909 Arg. Mauser made by DWM, Berlin. The receiver and bolt is finished "in the white" and that was somewhat common in that pre-WWI period.

The "in the white" finish gives a luxurious satin pearly luster. It is quite beautiful. Gives the gun an exotic de-luxe character.

That got me wondering. Were there any Lugers early on that were finished in the white? I'm not talking modern stainless steel repros, but originals. If any were made, my hunch is it would have been before World War I.

Thanks.

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Just wondering: By "in the white" do you mean no finish other than polishing and oiling? Or is there some additional, special treatment of the metal surface?

Thanks,
Luke

Am away from my luger library for a few days, but if I recall correctely some of lugers in the first 1900 DWM guns that went to Switzerland went over "in the white" where they were finished by the arsenal at Bern...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

I have seen a DWM in the white. It had no proof marks, serial numbers, or other markings. The general consensus was that it was a lunch box special.

The "in the white" finish that I'm talking about is production, NOT special tool room prototypes or pattern guns or lunchbox specials. The steel was "buffed" out to a shiny satiny nearly bright finish and left that way. Not chromed or anything like that.

I know the 1909 Argentine contract Mausers were done that way. Also the 1908 Brazilan contract, 1909 Peruvian, and probably other pre-WWI contracts. The steel receiver, the bolt, and the buttplate were buffed and left "in the white" (probably with a protective oil coating but nothing else). The barrel, bands, triggerguard, and floorplate were blued. The band springs were strawed color. The bolt release lever was heat blued. With the high quality (sometimes red) walnut these Mausers were stocked in, this combination made for a VERY attractive, even beautiful rifle. Metal to wood fit is UNBELIEVEABLE as is the overall metal finish. You couldn't buy a gun with this quality today for ten grand. By Luger standards, such Mausers are still cheap, but going up fast.

Anyway, that's what got me thinking about Lugers. Because if they left Mausers partially "in the white" why not with early Lugers? Put a few strawed parts on them and figured walnut grips and you'd have STUNNING looking pistole.

Doesn't sound, however, like they are common if any were produced that way. And yet with the number of variations out there, you'd think some would have been left "in the white" as it was a somewhat popular custom to do that with other German made weapons.

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P38 in the white prior to bluing, and a high polish (around 400 grit on the slide and barrel) http://members.rennlist.com/lugerman/JB480D.JPG

John,

Forgot to mention...Mr. John Martz' modern-day luger fabrications can be ordered "in the white" as well as blued...

LF member, Lodi Jim, have collected several of the Martz pieces (in the white) and shared them with a small LF group at the Reno gun show a couple of shows ago...what a treat to see such fine un-finished lugers...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

So there are some modern lugers "finished" that way. Interesting.

But apparantly in the old days "unfinished" (in the white) was actually in some models considered "finished." (Kinda like chicks going topless on Euro beaches).

If original "in the white" (finished finish) Lugers exist, they must be very rare, as you guys would know of them.

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I can easily imagine Goering wearing an "in the white" Luger to match his white Luftwaffe uniform. Probably be turning up on eBay any minute....

Yep, the polished (in the white) P.38 Thor posted looks about the same color and lustre of the M1909 Arg. Mauser receiver.

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In the white meant really unblued, in German called "Weissfertig" = Whiteready, you only have to add the blueing.