[Johnny Peppers]

Sorry, but the paint in the safety marking is not "an american collector thing". This was standard just as the bright metal safety marking on the early Lugers. The P38 also used paint to indicate the safety markings. The ivory/yellow color comes from the normal ageing of the paint.

There are many Lugers being put on the market that have been refinished without being buffed. The pistols are put through a mild acid bath that removes the remaining blue without etching the steel or destroying the original polish. The pistols are then blued, and the high spots taken back down to normal wear patterns. This is not being done by some amateur refinisher, but by very skilled individuals that make their living restoring Lugers.