'The Great Spandau Mystery' article + Spandau Luger Links

John Sabato · 08-30-2012, 10:18 AM

Thanks Olle for your explanation, let me elaborate a bit.

Rich, (and all others interested in such things) a ROLL-Die is applied in a rolling manner. It is the same principle used for Knurling, such as in tool handles. In the case of a breechblock, it would have to be held stationary like in a vise and have a moving die "rolled" over it with sufficient pressure to leave the impression behind.

For the record, I am NOT a Spandau believer... as I have seen no published evidence in 50 years of casual study that have indicated that the arsenal at Spandau ever had the tooling and machinery to produce Luger pistols, only rifles so marked.

We all know that Lugers were produced at mulitple manufacturing locations. All of those unique locations left behind unique tool marks... enough so that without knowing the location or name of the manufacturer, you could come to a reasonable conclusion based on known tool marks. This situation simply doesn't exist on the Spandau "examples"... I regret that anyone paid $20K for one...

Luger repair Parts? MAYBE, but not the pistols. I think the breechblocks that are so inscribed are "probably" modified Erfurt manufacture. The official completion of breechblocks started by Erfurt as an experiment could certainly help explain the existence of a few prototype breechblocks that eventually made their way into pistols as a repair part... that is a plausible idea, but is pure speculation. Clear focus photographs of several Spandau breechblocks would reveal if they were roll marked or engraved. IF engraved, then I would say they are bogus. Just my $0.02

That's my story and I'm stick'in to it!

08-30-2012, 10:18 AM	#11
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,156 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,308 Times in 1,098 Posts	Thanks Olle for your explanation, let me elaborate a bit. Rich, (and all others interested in such things) a ROLL-Die is applied in a rolling manner. It is the same principle used for Knurling, such as in tool handles. In the case of a breechblock, it would have to be held stationary like in a vise and have a moving die "rolled" over it with sufficient pressure to leave the impression behind. For the record, I am NOT a Spandau believer... as I have seen no published evidence in 50 years of casual study that have indicated that the arsenal at Spandau ever had the tooling and machinery to produce Luger pistols, only rifles so marked. We all know that Lugers were produced at mulitple manufacturing locations. All of those unique locations left behind unique tool marks... enough so that without knowing the location or name of the manufacturer, you could come to a reasonable conclusion based on known tool marks. This situation simply doesn't exist on the Spandau "examples"... I regret that anyone paid $20K for one... Luger repair Parts? MAYBE, but not the pistols. I think the breechblocks that are so inscribed are "probably" modified Erfurt manufacture. The official completion of breechblocks started by Erfurt as an experiment could certainly help explain the existence of a few prototype breechblocks that eventually made their way into pistols as a repair part... that is a plausible idea, but is pure speculation. Clear focus photographs of several Spandau breechblocks would reveal if they were roll marked or engraved. IF engraved, then I would say they are bogus. Just my $0.02 That's my story and I'm stick'in to it! __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*