refinish my chrome P08?

[esbloefeld]

First, I'd like to say this is a great forum. Lots of information that I've barely scratched the surface of reading. Also, I apologise for registering with such a clearly fake name. I try to maintain a bit of privacy and I don't understand why many people online seem comfortable telling the world what valuable stealables they keep in their homes. Fine for those who do that and I don't want to criticize anybody, I just choose not to do so myself. Hopefully you see my choise of name as being clearly false and not trying to fool anybody. I am not in fact a villian from a Bond novel, I'm just borrowing his name.

OK, to my question. I have one and only one Luger and I don't know much about Lugers. It was a gift from my father who got it as part of a small collection he bought to get one piece in it. The Luger and a PPK were chromed. The guns originaly belonged to a WWII vet who brought them home from Europe. Both guns had matching numbers and original holsters. The vet had long since passed on and his son had no recollection of the guns ever not being chromed. Why these guns got the dip is anyones guess.

The Luger looks to have been in pretty good condition under the chrome. No real pitting I can see and it's not all buffed and smeared. It doesn't appear to have been shot since it was chromed.

Should I get the chrome stripped and the gun refinished? It would still be a refinished gun, not 'original finish'. It would, however, be a matching number gun with the original holster. It would be a good looking piece and I'd be putting it back more 'as it should be'. Would stripping the chrome require the metal to be buffed down, removing some detail of the original surface? Can I get it chemicaly removed with minimal damage? Or, should I leave well enough alone? Since the gun was a gift, I feel like I could put a few bucks into it if doing so would make it a better piece. I'm a way off from being into it more than it's worth. If anything, I feel like I'd be showing apreciation for my father's gift by putting resourse into imroving it. That is, IF I'd be improving it.

If the Luger is worth refinishing, maybe I'll consider offering to have his PPK done for him.

Any input is apreciated.

[sheepherder]

It can be chemically stripped; at least a couple here have done it...

Are you sure it's chrome and not nickle???

A chrome plating shop should be able to strip it, regardless...

Getting it blued will entail some detective work...There are some bluers who insist on buffing the snot out of it...Finding one who will keep the buffing to a minimum is a challenge...

("Buffing" here means metal removal, almost sanding/grinding, the surface down...not just polishing)

I don't know what the price would be for stripping & re-blueing...Maybe someone who has had it done can tell us...

[John Sabato]

While putting the guns back "as they should be" is an admirable thought, In collector circles, it is generally not considered to be economically feasible to strip plating and return to bluing. It just costs a lot of money... it wouldn't be just "a few bucks" ... my advice is to enjoy these pistols as they are... Many returning GI's had their war trophies plated because they thought it looked cool... no other reason.

Welcome to the Lugerforum... now on an administrative note, while you screen name can be almost anything you like, the rules for registration are quite clear that you must use your real name. Only your first name is visible to the membership, the last name and any other information you provide is for Moderators Eyes Only. This information is NEVER shared, but requiring it keeps down a lot of the troll type registrations.

Please open your personal profile and correct your name information. If you fail to do so soon, I will be required to lock your account. Thanks for understanding.

[Edward Tinker]

I don't even know who that 'fake' name is.

But if I catch someone with a fake name, I ban them. If you can't trust someone to put their real name (be it first name or nickname) on the forum, plus their state, then I see no reason to trust them.


Ed

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Edward Tinker

I don't even know who that 'fake' name is.

Ernst Stavro Bloefeld was James Bond's antagonist in several Ian Fleming novels...

Back in the mid-60's, a son of my parents friends was sent to Vietnam; there was a small drive to send him green dye (they still had white T-shirts), magazines, paperbacks, etc...I donated my James Bond paperbacks...

[esbloefeld]

Thanks for the advice.

Fair enough rules on the name. I'll update my account.

[Curly1]

I would not redo it

[saab-bob]

Mr. Bloefeld
I have a plated Luger just like yours. Very little buffing and all matching numbers.
In my situation,I decided to leave the gun as is. The criteria I used for the decision was the relative value of the luger.
If my plated luger had been a rare variation or model,like a 1902 American Eagle Fat barrel or a Cartridge counter luger ,it would be worth it to get it restored. Since mine is a plain jane 1918 DWM,its fine as is.

In addition, as some of the esteemed members of this forum have expounded,"the plating is part of the history of the gun".

Bob

PS-I hope your white kitty cat is well.

[John Sabato]

Thanks for updating your profile.