Grips on a 1917 DWM- color OK? or is cleaning needed?

RShaw · 01-31-2017, 04:25 PM

Ahh thank you. Then I won't clean them at all- saves me the work, as well as the risk of causing irreparable damage. Good point you bring up- "Grips and metal should have the same use look." I hadn't thought of that.

What I want to do with this gun is to preserve it and keep it in good condition. It's my first one ever; I originally bought it to shoot. After going through the "shoot or not to shoot a colectable" debate, I decided that this gun should be kept safe for posterity. Keeping it in good shape meant to me to bring the grips to a more realistic condition if the color were off or they were excessively dirty. Your reply answers my question very well.

In the meantime I've found a 1918 reblued DWM which I can't wait to shoot! I'll have to be patient though- I'll be able to bring it home this coming August.

rhuff · 02-01-2017, 02:53 PM

If you feel that your grips have a bit of "buildup" in the checkering, I have used a soft toothbrush to remove any. The toothbrush will not harm the wood, nor will it change the color of the wood.

If you ever decide to remove one or both grips, then you can look at the backs of the grips to determine what the original color of the wood was when they were made. That will give one a bit of an idea of the "aging" of the wood over time and usage......also if oil was applied to the grips.

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01-31-2017, 04:25 PM	#1
RShaw User Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Venlo, the Netherlands Posts: 350 Thanks: 160 Thanked 170 Times in 90 Posts	Ahh thank you. Then I won't clean them at all- saves me the work, as well as the risk of causing irreparable damage. Good point you bring up- "Grips and metal should have the same use look." I hadn't thought of that. What I want to do with this gun is to preserve it and keep it in good condition. It's my first one ever; I originally bought it to shoot. After going through the "shoot or not to shoot a colectable" debate, I decided that this gun should be kept safe for posterity. Keeping it in good shape meant to me to bring the grips to a more realistic condition if the color were off or they were excessively dirty. Your reply answers my question very well. In the meantime I've found a 1918 reblued DWM which I can't wait to shoot! I'll have to be patient though- I'll be able to bring it home this coming August.

02-01-2017, 02:53 PM	#2
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,308 Thanks: 2,737 Thanked 993 Times in 729 Posts	If you feel that your grips have a bit of "buildup" in the checkering, I have used a soft toothbrush to remove any. The toothbrush will not harm the wood, nor will it change the color of the wood. If you ever decide to remove one or both grips, then you can look at the backs of the grips to determine what the original color of the wood was when they were made. That will give one a bit of an idea of the "aging" of the wood over time and usage......also if oil was applied to the grips.