[Edward Tinker]

Michael, I have had 8 or 10 lugers and P38's come through my hands the last 3 or 4 years; if they were buffed and nickled it was obvious that it had been done post factory. Recently I had a P38 that must have been in very, very nice shape and it was nickled over. Looked like a factory job, but since german officers and enlisted did not carry nickled guns; it was post war. So markings were very sharp and not filled in.

I am no expert, but from what I understand, its not like a paint job that after a couple of coats it fills in; nickle or chrome is electro applied, so it attaches to the gun and is very thin. I also know that nickle requires copper first to be adhered to the metal, not sure if chrome requires a pre-coating.

Ed