LugerForum Discussion Forums - View Single Post - Guide to Re-Strawing your parts?

PhilOhio · 06-17-2009, 10:27 AM

Jerry and PoliceLuger (Howard?),

Thanks to both of you for the detailed technical comments. I feed on those.

Since range testing has convinced me that I've got the ejector temper right, I'm going to quit while I'm ahead, despite the blue color. ...with this pistol and ejector, that is.

The fun I've had in fine tuning and shooting this S/42 over the last month or so has shown me the error of my way in only owning three Lugers. Original strawing is fine on the minty 1917 artillery and my 1930 Dutch Luger. But I expect to get my strawing technique worked out in the near future, on the inevitable "next one", as the little family expands.

Jerry, I was using a full size kitchen oven, not a toaster oven. And I guess this does not allow very precise temp control. Also, the tungsten bulb in the oven light certainly has its inherent color generation problems. I probably missed the color change.

In the past, I have always used your method of playing a low propane torch flame over a small part, to watch the color grow and flow. This time, I thought I would get more critical and uniform heat flow through the part by letting it heat slowly and evenly in an electric oven, as I do with my custom coil springs. I thought the heat would build more slowly, while I was watching it. Not true. So the color thing didn't work out, even though the tempering did.

Now I'm thinking more seriously about setting up what a close techy gun nut friend made for himself; a small electric heat treatment box, with glass window, controlled by a neat little transistorized keypad with LCD readout, and fed by a very accurate thermocouple. Control is within 25 degrees F or less. Amazing, to me. With this, I could experiment and come up with the exact color temp for a given part, and set the box to reach it and hold it precisely.

06-17-2009, 10:27 AM	#16
PhilOhio User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 145 Thanks: 5 Thanked 17 Times in 14 Posts	Jerry and PoliceLuger (Howard?), Thanks to both of you for the detailed technical comments. I feed on those. Since range testing has convinced me that I've got the ejector temper right, I'm going to quit while I'm ahead, despite the blue color. ...with this pistol and ejector, that is. The fun I've had in fine tuning and shooting this S/42 over the last month or so has shown me the error of my way in only owning three Lugers. Original strawing is fine on the minty 1917 artillery and my 1930 Dutch Luger. But I expect to get my strawing technique worked out in the near future, on the inevitable "next one", as the little family expands. Jerry, I was using a full size kitchen oven, not a toaster oven. And I guess this does not allow very precise temp control. Also, the tungsten bulb in the oven light certainly has its inherent color generation problems. I probably missed the color change. In the past, I have always used your method of playing a low propane torch flame over a small part, to watch the color grow and flow. This time, I thought I would get more critical and uniform heat flow through the part by letting it heat slowly and evenly in an electric oven, as I do with my custom coil springs. I thought the heat would build more slowly, while I was watching it. Not true. So the color thing didn't work out, even though the tempering did. Now I'm thinking more seriously about setting up what a close techy gun nut friend made for himself; a small electric heat treatment box, with glass window, controlled by a neat little transistorized keypad with LCD readout, and fed by a very accurate thermocouple. Control is within 25 degrees F or less. Amazing, to me. With this, I could experiment and come up with the exact color temp for a given part, and set the box to reach it and hold it precisely.