oops forgot to ask.

11-19-2001, 10:27 AM

Beyond my previous wordy questions in "a day at the show" forgot to ask a simple one: The 1915 artillery I mentioned had kind of a purple/blue haze to the parts usually strawed--is that common? And does it simply mean the strawing is gone? Or something else?

John D. · 11-19-2001, 10:40 AM

Hi Patrick...

My $0.02 is that strawed parts tend to get more "silver" with age (they lose the "strawed patina") rather then a "purple/blue haze" that you mentioned..?? It might be that someone tried to re-straw those parts and "over cooked" them ("over cooked" for lack of a better term ) and perhaps they turned an overly bluish color...??

Marvin · 11-19-2001, 11:11 AM

John,

I agree with you that something is not right about the parts being that color. I put in .02 cents worth in Patrick's report a little further down in the postings. The only time the color would darken is if the parts had rusted and the uncontrolled rust had left them this color after cleaning it off and stopping the rusting process. IF they had rusted to this point, there should bve some tell-tale signs of at least fine pitting on the parts.

I think you have gotten the story correct on these parts!

marvin

BILL · 11-19-2001, 01:52 PM

OK, I am not disagreeing, but..I have seen original strawed parts that develop an oxidation after the strawing has gone away and it looks just like tarnished silver (purple haze). It is actually fairly common on old strawed commercial parts. Strawing is not very durable and even light can cause it to fade and over time the interesting purplish color becomes more obvious. One good check of this is to remove the part and examine it (the trigger is a good one, the exposed surface can be in the white but inside, where there was nothing that touched it, you will see a darkening purple cast). I have commented on this in the past because it had me concerned regarding attempted restrawing.

11-19-2001, 05:46 PM

Ok Guys--thanks. Seems we have adifference of opinion on the purple parts. I have to tell you they truly looked blue/purple (yes, they did look a little like silver unpolished for years) no pitting, shiney and very smooth almost as though it was intentional,yet all else on the pistole looked as expected...strange. I like Bill's explanation since he seems to have seen the aberation before. Unfortuantely it is often not possible to dismantle the pistol to check the inside condition.

Marvin · 11-19-2001, 06:52 PM

Bill,

Very intersting obsevation! I have never seen this color before, but I will keep my eye out for this type discoloration. Thanks for posting this!

Marvin

11-19-2001, 10:27 AM	#1
Patrick H Guest Posts: n/a	oops forgot to ask. Beyond my previous wordy questions in "a day at the show" forgot to ask a simple one: The 1915 artillery I mentioned had kind of a purple/blue haze to the parts usually strawed--is that common? And does it simply mean the strawing is gone? Or something else?

11-19-2001, 10:40 AM	#2
John D. Administrator & Site Owner LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: A Little NE of Somewhere... Posts: 2,651 Thanks: 471 Thanked 513 Times in 127 Posts	Re: oops forgot to ask. Hi Patrick... My $0.02 is that strawed parts tend to get more "silver" with age (they lose the "strawed patina") rather then a "purple/blue haze" that you mentioned..?? It might be that someone tried to re-straw those parts and "over cooked" them ("over cooked" for lack of a better term ) and perhaps they turned an overly bluish color...??

11-19-2001, 11:11 AM	#3
Marvin User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Upstate S.C. Posts: 1,132 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: oops forgot to ask. John, I agree with you that something is not right about the parts being that color. I put in .02 cents worth in Patrick's report a little further down in the postings. The only time the color would darken is if the parts had rusted and the uncontrolled rust had left them this color after cleaning it off and stopping the rusting process. IF they had rusted to this point, there should bve some tell-tale signs of at least fine pitting on the parts. I think you have gotten the story correct on these parts! marvin

11-19-2001, 01:52 PM	#4
BILL User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Western Washington Posts: 826 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: oops forgot to ask. OK, I am not disagreeing, but..I have seen original strawed parts that develop an oxidation after the strawing has gone away and it looks just like tarnished silver (purple haze). It is actually fairly common on old strawed commercial parts. Strawing is not very durable and even light can cause it to fade and over time the interesting purplish color becomes more obvious. One good check of this is to remove the part and examine it (the trigger is a good one, the exposed surface can be in the white but inside, where there was nothing that touched it, you will see a darkening purple cast). I have commented on this in the past because it had me concerned regarding attempted restrawing.

11-19-2001, 05:46 PM	#5
Patrick H Guest Posts: n/a	Re: oops forgot to ask. Ok Guys--thanks. Seems we have adifference of opinion on the purple parts. I have to tell you they truly looked blue/purple (yes, they did look a little like silver unpolished for years) no pitting, shiney and very smooth almost as though it was intentional,yet all else on the pistole looked as expected...strange. I like Bill's explanation since he seems to have seen the aberation before. Unfortuantely it is often not possible to dismantle the pistol to check the inside condition.

11-19-2001, 06:52 PM	#6
Marvin User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Upstate S.C. Posts: 1,132 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: oops forgot to ask. Bill, Very intersting obsevation! I have never seen this color before, but I will keep my eye out for this type discoloration. Thanks for posting this! Marvin