Ruining Lugers!

Big Norm · 08-11-2002, 02:00 AM

Wes,
in principle, I also agree with you. We all should be careful about our decision to restore. But sometimes the rules should be bent. A couple of years ago I bought a 1917 navy for $1300. That was cheap even then. It was an ugly duckling but original. If I had passed on that gun I believe in my heart that that gun would have been parted out or abused into oblivion. It had no rust or pits. I turned it over to my professional restorer and he did a great job of making that luger into a beautiful swan. Your gotta remeber that bluing is a rust preventative and this gun would have eventually began to rust because there was very little bluing on it. And rust never stops. Yes,this gun has lost some history. But it is now a proud example of its prior state.
I also had a 1914 Erfurt artillery. It was a beautiful gun except that there was a light freckling rust all over the outside that removed all traces of bluing. In essence, it was in the white. But that would not have lasted long in the white state. Again, I feel that I saved this gun from eventual destruction.
But I also have a 1906, 1st issue, unaltered navy. Not good bluing. But to restore this gun WOULD destroy its history. I would not dream of redoing that Luger. So all I can do is keep a big gob of grease on it to prevent further deteriation from occuring.
Now, I have a professional restorer who does not use the hateful buffing wheel so popular with hackers and he does a beautiful rust bluing. People who I have shown the guns to can only say the the guns that I have restored are too perfect. But, funny as it may sound, I still agree with you in principle.
Big Norm

08-11-2002, 02:00 AM	#7
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Wes, in principle, I also agree with you. We all should be careful about our decision to restore. But sometimes the rules should be bent. A couple of years ago I bought a 1917 navy for $1300. That was cheap even then. It was an ugly duckling but original. If I had passed on that gun I believe in my heart that that gun would have been parted out or abused into oblivion. It had no rust or pits. I turned it over to my professional restorer and he did a great job of making that luger into a beautiful swan. Your gotta remeber that bluing is a rust preventative and this gun would have eventually began to rust because there was very little bluing on it. And rust never stops. Yes,this gun has lost some history. But it is now a proud example of its prior state. I also had a 1914 Erfurt artillery. It was a beautiful gun except that there was a light freckling rust all over the outside that removed all traces of bluing. In essence, it was in the white. But that would not have lasted long in the white state. Again, I feel that I saved this gun from eventual destruction. But I also have a 1906, 1st issue, unaltered navy. Not good bluing. But to restore this gun WOULD destroy its history. I would not dream of redoing that Luger. So all I can do is keep a big gob of grease on it to prevent further deteriation from occuring. Now, I have a professional restorer who does not use the hateful buffing wheel so popular with hackers and he does a beautiful rust bluing. People who I have shown the guns to can only say the the guns that I have restored are too perfect. But, funny as it may sound, I still agree with you in principle. Big Norm