Restorations by Thor

[Thor]

I have performed restorations on pistols other than the Luger. Here are a few before and after pictures.

[Thor]

[Thor]

[Thor]

[Thor]

[Thor]

[cirelaw]

Ted, my friend, you have a gift from the heavens!

[Thor]

Vielen Dank mein lieben Freund.

[Sergio Natali]

Ted

I mean if by any case some people in the USA ask about where to address themselves for restoring a 1911 may I mention your name?

[Thor]

Thank you Sergio, of course, much appreciated to pass on my name and work. My website too. https://members.rennlist.com/lugerman

[cirelaw]

Ted you have been a close friend for close to 15 year! Your strive for perfection has been constant and rewarding. God bestowed upon your hands a special magic of healing in your own way! You and Nancy are always in my thought and prayers. My world would be lacking without you. On occasion in our Bible, God has resurrected the dead and handicapped and has shared a part of his miracle in your hands and faith. Your strive for perfection is evident. God like yourself healed completely not just patching a repair but resurrecting the sick and weak to a new light of grace and spreading his love for us all Please don't ever underestimate your significance. You must someday pass on you gift and talents on to others but only those who share your faith and God given love for others! Gods' gift and results allow your work to out live us both! What an honor my Friend, Family, Brother and Spiritual inspiration~I pray we both have many more years of friendship, healing and miracles! I pray to share or common bound! Eric

[cirelaw]

On a different psalm. What gun was you most challenging?

[Thor]

Thank you Eric, I have enjoyed our friendship. God has blessed Natalie and I very much. I am grateful He has allowed me to do this work, it is very satisfying. My most challenging was probably the Double Date Disaster, I had to replace the sideplate and takedown lever, they were so damaged. Artisans such as Hugh Clark, Jerry Burney, Gerry Tomek, Tom Heller, Neil Keller, Les Center, Brian Powley, have really magnified the restoration work in a big way, and I would not have turned out the work I have without them, I owe them a Big Big Thank you. John Dunkle was instrumental is helping me get started with setting up my website and helping me understand Krieghoff's better as did Ron Wood with the early DWM commercial pistols. Ralph Shattuck had a huge impact on my business as well. He taught me how to get a local business license, get my FFL and showcased that K Date for me all around the nation at his displays at gun shows. Bill Adair, for what ever reason, gave me email instructions on what equipment to buy and some tips. Bill and I ended up swapping work. I would do some of his heavy metal prep work, especially Broomhandle Mausers, and he would in trade, do engraving touch ups of markings destroy by over buffing or corrosion. So I did not do this alone, but most of all it was a gift from God, because I had no formal training to do this. Thanks you so much for the kind words and thoughts This is the DDD link http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthre...+date+disaster

[cirelaw]

Ted, you have a heck of a fan club!!!

[ithacaartist]

Ted, one of the autos above appears to be Spanish. I'm not familiar enough with them to know anything about who made it but, as an aside, my involvement with small frame Llama pistols turned up the Spanish date codes. Pistols are generally stamped on the left side above the trigger well. This makes identifying the year of manufacture of Spanish firearms pretty easy!

A 1927 A1 1955 A2 1981
B 1928 B1 1956 B2 1982
C 1929 C1 1957 C2 1983
CH 1930
D 1931 D1 1958 D2 1984
E 1932 E1 1959 E2 1985
F 1933 F1 1960 F2 1986
G 1934 G1 1961 G2 1987
H 1935 H1 1962 H2 1988
I 1936 I1 1963 I2 1989
J 1937 J1 1964 J2 1990
K 1938 K1 1965 K2 1991
L 1939 L1 1966 L2 1992
LL 1940
M 1941 M1 1967 M2 1993
N 1942 N1 1968 N2 1994
Ñ 1943 Ñ1 1969 Ñ2 1995
O 1944 O1 1970 02 1996
P 1945 P1 1971 P2 1997
Q 1946 Q1 1972 Q2 1998
R 1947 R1 1973 R2 1999
S 1948 S1 1974 S2 2000
T 1949 T1 1975 T2 2001
U 1950 U1 1976 U2 2002
V 1951 V1 1977 V2 2003
X 1952 X1 1978 X2 2004
Y 1953 Y1 1979 Y2 2005
Z 1954 Z1 1980 Z2 2006

[Thor]

The Ballester–Molina is a pistol designed and built by the Argentine company Hispano Argentina Fábrica de Automóviles SA. From 1938 to 1940 it bore the name Ballester–Rigaud.

[Sergio Natali]

Ted

I will then, among the several gun forums I belong "where to take the collectibles for a good refinish" seems to be a pretty common topic.

Thanks and best regards.

Sergio

[Kyrie]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

Ted, one of the autos above appears to be Spanish. I'm not familiar enough with them to know anything about who made it but, as an aside, my involvement with small frame Llama pistols turned up the Spanish date codes. Pistols are generally stamped on the left side above the trigger well. This makes identifying the year of manufacture of Spanish firearms pretty easy!

A 1927 A1 1955 A2 1981
B 1928 B1 1956 B2 1982
C 1929 C1 1957 C2 1983
CH 1930
D 1931 D1 1958 D2 1984
E 1932 E1 1959 E2 1985
F 1933 F1 1960 F2 1986
G 1934 G1 1961 G2 1987
H 1935 H1 1962 H2 1988
I 1936 I1 1963 I2 1989
J 1937 J1 1964 J2 1990
K 1938 K1 1965 K2 1991
L 1939 L1 1966 L2 1992
LL 1940
M 1941 M1 1967 M2 1993
N 1942 N1 1968 N2 1994
Ñ 1943 Ñ1 1969 Ñ2 1995
O 1944 O1 1970 02 1996
P 1945 P1 1971 P2 1997
Q 1946 Q1 1972 Q2 1998
R 1947 R1 1973 R2 1999
S 1948 S1 1974 S2 2000
T 1949 T1 1975 T2 2001
U 1950 U1 1976 U2 2002
V 1951 V1 1977 V2 2003
X 1952 X1 1978 X2 2004
Y 1953 Y1 1979 Y2 2005
Z 1954 Z1 1980 Z2 2006

Purely FYI, this system of year code proof ceased to be used after 1994. Beginning in 1995 a new system was implemented by following the firearm serial number with the maker's ID number, code identifying type of firearm, the (ordinal by year and maker) number of the gun, and the (two digit) year of proof.

[Eugen]

Ted, you, indeed, are a master restorer and have a God given gift! Your work is simply amazing. Your before and after photos are almost unbelievable. Thank you for sharing. Oh, and keep'em coming so we can all drool on our key boards and smartphones.

[Thor]

Or This PPK I restored with a mismatch PL holster. They dont go together but I like the combination.