need help stripping a 1912 Erfurt for re-finish - Page 3

rhuff · 11-09-2013, 03:13 PM

Really glad to hear that you were finally successful. It appears as though your restorer now has a good starting place to start making it pretty. I , like many others, frequently feel like I have to give things "a try", but if unsuccessful, then I have to turn to the folks that are really good at the job, and will do it correctly. I look forward to seeing the end product.

kubel · 11-09-2013, 05:35 PM

OK, so I guess the $64 question is, "How'd they do it?" Did they just leave it in a MC bath for a week, pulled it out and "Wah-Lah", all done? Or was there more to it than that? I don't want to infringe on anyone's "trade secrets" but I'd be interested to know how it was done....particularly after all of the other failed attempts.

sthomp · 11-09-2013, 06:45 PM

kubel...I didn't ask for all the details when I picked up the parts as I was so happy with the result. Based on what the owner told me when I took them in (he wasn't there when I picked up), I know they used Methylene Chloride (DCM or di chloro methane). Since I had used a stripper bought from an auto supply house which had MC as the active agent, but at a concentration of 16% as I remember, and did see noticeable affect, but no knockout punch, I believe they used a much stronger concentration and perhaps some very light buffing. There was no sign that the MC had any affect on the metal...very good thing, so time in solution I don't think would be critical. The problem for us types is obtaining and safely using a stronger solution. Given that this cost me $42 and I had already spent north of $100 on my failed attempts...no brainer, don't even think about it!
Parts shipped today for rebluing and strawing. Steve

sthomp · 12-26-2013, 05:01 PM

DONE!!!! I just got back from GT's house after putting it all back together. I received the parts from the refinisher, Charles Danner in KY a couple of days ago. I cannot say enough good about Charles' work. Given what we started with (see early pics) and what I sent him, I could not be more pleased with the outcome. As you remember, things looked very iffy in the beginning due to the Brit coating. One thing I did ask Charles to do was remove the British proof marks on the bottom of the barrel (some may disagree with that...but my choice). Compare the before and after bottom barrel. All in all, the result is actually better than I had hoped for. This is not a highly collectable "mint" Luger, but it sure is pretty! See for yourself.
My thanks, best wishes and a belated Merry Christmas to all of you who contributed your thoughts, ideas and encouragement.
Steve

John Sabato · 12-26-2013, 05:15 PM

Pretty is an understatement! Nicely done!

lugerholsterrepair · 12-26-2013, 09:14 PM

Steve..Nicely done my Friend! It looks like for the date stamps on your posts it took Herr Danner approx. a month and a half! Now that's service!

I have to think you did the right thing with the British stamps.

Thanks very much for the saga as it was..Always nice to see a job well done. Now a really beautiful Luger.

CAP Black · 12-26-2013, 09:23 PM

Talk about Santa coming to town. Wow!

sthomp · 12-27-2013, 12:40 AM

John, Jerry and CAP...your comments are much appreciated. Yes, Danner turned these parts exactly to the commitment he gave me. just a bit over a month. Charles had done another quickie re-blue of a trigger side plate a year or two ago,,,same result...on time and done well.

rhuff · 12-27-2013, 04:58 PM

That is one beautiful Luger!! You have to be ecstatic over the end results. I know that I sure would be. You hung in there with it and now you can reap the benefits of the final results. Congrats!!

This Danner fella does some excellent work.

G.T. · 12-29-2013, 05:08 PM

Is a re-blue Luger like this, not a restoration, but just a nice clean re-blue re-straw effort, worth the price??... Or, in other words, what would someone pay for a "Ready to go! Nice shoot'in Luger?" Everyone always wants the $600.00 shooter, but problem is, they're always made for the scraps of scraps... They could never be economically restored even with the best efforts at the lowest prices.. On the other hand, a miss-match decent donor unit, and maybe a few decent parts, with all tuned to work as new, and look at least, like a nice Luger should, could maybe have a nitch market?? So, you don't chase every ding, and the blue and straw are nice, but maybe not perfect...
I don't want to even suggest that a gun like this compares to a full blown restoration, and I don't think the gentlemen that do the outstanding restoration work we've seen here, can ever charge enough, compared to the time spent on task...
But, most every one likes a nice shooter?... Let me know your thoughts on it, I know how much effort went into this Erfurt.. and I was amazed at the result... Maybe there will be more?/... best to all, til...lat'r....GT

lugerholsterrepair · 12-29-2013, 06:51 PM

I found a fascinating Police Luger..had all matching parts, numbered tool and numbered holster..it was a ball of rust. I stripped it..every part. Had Danner re blue it. Just to save it. I think I paid too much for it and Danner cost me right at $600 but what else could you do? I think I might have 12-1400 in it and GT's right..it's not a real restoration but not a buff & salt blue either. I will likely never get all my money back but it's purty again and it's not always about the money.

G.T. · 12-29-2013, 07:28 PM

I have a byf 41 shooter that I put together a few years back...(probably a lot of years back, but then, I digress!..

) Anyway... the only part that has been re-blued is the frame, which is not matching to the top half.... It looks great, and shoots even better.. it is my compare to all Luger for my customers repairs... IF, I sold it as parts, I could get a K for it pretty easy, as the parts are 99%... But, I probably could only get maybe a couple of hundred more as a shooter??... But the most important part, is, I love this gun!! It works as every Luger should! You can't hardly make it quit! It never has for me anyway.. collector guns come and go.. ( an ever present facet of real life) but I think I'll be buried with this gun... Might be the only gun I have left when that time comes... maybe a bottle of Jack Daniels too??... and.. well, best to all, til..lat'r...GT

12-26-2013, 05:01 PM	#44
sthomp Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 50 Thanks: 2 Thanked 26 Times in 12 Posts	DONE!!!! I just got back from GT's house after putting it all back together. I received the parts from the refinisher, Charles Danner in KY a couple of days ago. I cannot say enough good about Charles' work. Given what we started with (see early pics) and what I sent him, I could not be more pleased with the outcome. As you remember, things looked very iffy in the beginning due to the Brit coating. One thing I did ask Charles to do was remove the British proof marks on the bottom of the barrel (some may disagree with that...but my choice). Compare the before and after bottom barrel. All in all, the result is actually better than I had hoped for. This is not a highly collectable "mint" Luger, but it sure is pretty! See for yourself. My thanks, best wishes and a belated Merry Christmas to all of you who contributed your thoughts, ideas and encouragement. Steve Attached Thumbnails

12-26-2013, 05:15 PM	#45
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Pretty is an understatement! Nicely done! __________________ 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..."*

12-26-2013, 09:14 PM	#46
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,760 Thanks: 4,848 Thanked 3,099 Times in 1,426 Posts	Steve..Nicely done my Friend! It looks like for the date stamps on your posts it took Herr Danner approx. a month and a half! Now that's service! I have to think you did the right thing with the British stamps. Thanks very much for the saga as it was..Always nice to see a job well done. Now a really beautiful Luger. __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

12-29-2013, 05:08 PM	#50
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,485 Thanks: 1,283 Thanked 3,581 Times in 989 Posts	OK, here's my question??? Is a re-blue Luger like this, not a restoration, but just a nice clean re-blue re-straw effort, worth the price??... Or, in other words, what would someone pay for a "Ready to go! Nice shoot'in Luger?" Everyone always wants the $600.00 shooter, but problem is, they're always made for the scraps of scraps... They could never be economically restored even with the best efforts at the lowest prices.. On the other hand, a miss-match decent donor unit, and maybe a few decent parts, with all tuned to work as new, and look at least, like a nice Luger should, could maybe have a nitch market?? So, you don't chase every ding, and the blue and straw are nice, but maybe not perfect... I don't want to even suggest that a gun like this compares to a full blown restoration, and I don't think the gentlemen that do the outstanding restoration work we've seen here, can ever charge enough, compared to the time spent on task... But, most every one likes a nice shooter?... Let me know your thoughts on it, I know how much effort went into this Erfurt.. and I was amazed at the result... Maybe there will be more?/... best to all, til...lat'r....GT

12-29-2013, 06:51 PM	#51
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,760 Thanks: 4,848 Thanked 3,099 Times in 1,426 Posts	I found a fascinating Police Luger..had all matching parts, numbered tool and numbered holster..it was a ball of rust. I stripped it..every part. Had Danner re blue it. Just to save it. I think I paid too much for it and Danner cost me right at $600 but what else could you do? I think I might have 12-1400 in it and GT's right..it's not a real restoration but not a buff & salt blue either. I will likely never get all my money back but it's purty again and it's not always about the money. __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

11-09-2013, 03:13 PM	#41
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,270 Thanks: 2,686 Thanked 958 Times in 704 Posts	Really glad to hear that you were finally successful. It appears as though your restorer now has a good starting place to start making it pretty. I , like many others, frequently feel like I have to give things "a try", but if unsuccessful, then I have to turn to the folks that are really good at the job, and will do it correctly. I look forward to seeing the end product.

11-09-2013, 05:35 PM	#42
kubel User Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 124 Thanks: 5 Thanked 32 Times in 20 Posts	OK, so I guess the $64 question is, "How'd they do it?" Did they just leave it in a MC bath for a week, pulled it out and "Wah-Lah", all done? Or was there more to it than that? I don't want to infringe on anyone's "trade secrets" but I'd be interested to know how it was done....particularly after all of the other failed attempts.

11-09-2013, 06:45 PM	#43
sthomp Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 50 Thanks: 2 Thanked 26 Times in 12 Posts	kubel...I didn't ask for all the details when I picked up the parts as I was so happy with the result. Based on what the owner told me when I took them in (he wasn't there when I picked up), I know they used Methylene Chloride (DCM or di chloro methane). Since I had used a stripper bought from an auto supply house which had MC as the active agent, but at a concentration of 16% as I remember, and did see noticeable affect, but no knockout punch, I believe they used a much stronger concentration and perhaps some very light buffing. There was no sign that the MC had any affect on the metal...very good thing, so time in solution I don't think would be critical. The problem for us types is obtaining and safely using a stronger solution. Given that this cost me $42 and I had already spent north of $100 on my failed attempts...no brainer, don't even think about it! Parts shipped today for rebluing and strawing. Steve

12-26-2013, 09:23 PM	#47
CAP Black User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Fairmont, WV Right here in Mountaineer country and God's country Posts: 767 Thanks: 100 Thanked 168 Times in 96 Posts	Talk about Santa coming to town. Wow!

12-27-2013, 12:40 AM	#48
sthomp Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 50 Thanks: 2 Thanked 26 Times in 12 Posts	John, Jerry and CAP...your comments are much appreciated. Yes, Danner turned these parts exactly to the commitment he gave me. just a bit over a month. Charles had done another quickie re-blue of a trigger side plate a year or two ago,,,same result...on time and done well.

12-27-2013, 04:58 PM	#49
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,270 Thanks: 2,686 Thanked 958 Times in 704 Posts	That is one beautiful Luger!! You have to be ecstatic over the end results. I know that I sure would be. You hung in there with it and now you can reap the benefits of the final results. Congrats!! This Danner fella does some excellent work.

12-29-2013, 07:28 PM	#52
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,485 Thanks: 1,283 Thanked 3,581 Times in 989 Posts	shooter, nice... I have a byf 41 shooter that I put together a few years back...(probably a lot of years back, but then, I digress!..) Anyway... the only part that has been re-blued is the frame, which is not matching to the top half.... It looks great, and shoots even better.. it is my compare to all Luger for my customers repairs... IF, I sold it as parts, I could get a K for it pretty easy, as the parts are 99%... But, I probably could only get maybe a couple of hundred more as a shooter??... But the most important part, is, I love this gun!! It works as every Luger should! You can't hardly make it quit! It never has for me anyway.. collector guns come and go.. ( an ever present facet of real life) but I think I'll be buried with this gun... Might be the only gun I have left when that time comes... maybe a bottle of Jack Daniels too??... and.. well, best to all, til..lat'r...GT