1916 DWM Lp08

Big Norm · 04-30-2006, 08:58 AM

Vroyce,
before a part is restrawed, there is a light surface of oxidized metal on that part that should be removed before applying the heat treatment required for the restrawing. This is called prepping. Real good restorers will have a way of removing this oxidized surface without resorting to sandpaper or a buffing wheel. An amateur will remove it by maybe using a wet/dry sandpaper or buffing wheel. But the Locking Bolt is small and difficult to hold steady. So the amatuer will customarily roll his wrist or the part while prepping it and round the small flat surface of this part and thus remove the beveled edges and flatness of surface that you see on your gun.

Very, very experienced Luger people tell me that they can look at the color of a strawed part and sometimes tell if the part has been restrawed. This must be done physically and can not be done by looking at a photograph. Personally, I can't do it consistently either way, so I resort to looking at the general condition of the part as well as the coloring.
Big Norm

04-30-2006, 08:58 AM	#17
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Vroyce, before a part is restrawed, there is a light surface of oxidized metal on that part that should be removed before applying the heat treatment required for the restrawing. This is called prepping. Real good restorers will have a way of removing this oxidized surface without resorting to sandpaper or a buffing wheel. An amateur will remove it by maybe using a wet/dry sandpaper or buffing wheel. But the Locking Bolt is small and difficult to hold steady. So the amatuer will customarily roll his wrist or the part while prepping it and round the small flat surface of this part and thus remove the beveled edges and flatness of surface that you see on your gun. Very, very experienced Luger people tell me that they can look at the color of a strawed part and sometimes tell if the part has been restrawed. This must be done physically and can not be done by looking at a photograph. Personally, I can't do it consistently either way, so I resort to looking at the general condition of the part as well as the coloring. Big Norm