How do you turn This into THIS?

Levi 42 · 09-28-2013, 09:35 PM

The Answer is THOR!! An amazing turn around!!

G.T. · 09-28-2013, 10:04 PM

Thor just keeps getting better and better!!! As I said, super nice!... congrats on a nice luger! Best to all, til...lat'r....GT

Curly1 · 09-29-2013, 12:12 AM

Very nice transformation.

Sergio Natali · 09-29-2013, 06:52 AM

Congratulations to Thor really a nice work, too bad I don't live in the States.

Arizona Slim · 09-29-2013, 11:37 AM

Absolutely beautiful, I would feel very privileged to hold one of Thor's re-creations and get a close up look at it.

Lon

Levi 42 · 09-29-2013, 10:25 PM

This is my very first Luger that I bought as a "shooter" but it had all matching numbers, including grips, but minus a matching mag. After purchasing a few more, I decided that it was a sin to leave it as is. The comment "life's too short to shoot an ugly gun" got to me, so even with advice here to not have it restored, I liked the ideas of having Thor breath new life to it.

Here are a few more before/after pictures.

John Sabato · 09-30-2013, 09:57 AM

unglaublich!

Maestro · 09-30-2013, 10:42 PM

wow. great restoration

what does a similar project run about?

John Sabato · 10-01-2013, 10:58 AM

I don't believe that THOR has a standard price for restoration. The cost is determined by what he has to start with... Get in touch with him directly and have plenty good photos to share with him...

Ron Wood · 10-01-2013, 12:07 PM

Ted (THOR) has a standard price list on his web site http://members.rennlist.com/lugerman/
But as John stated, price may vary depending on the condition of the gun and amount of repair work required.

cirelaw · 10-01-2013, 01:09 PM

Ron was so kind to post his site! His real name is Ted Green. I've known for over ten years. He lives in Rio Rancho, New Mexico with his wife Natalie. His work is his passion, perfection and full time devotion. Ted has a facination with the Viking Gods as well of his own! Thus His handle! 'Thor'~~~

mystical_tutor · 10-01-2013, 08:04 PM

The main thing about that piece is that you are pleased with it. I like it too and think it is a great restoration. Hope it's beauty hasn't deterred your shooting.

I may need to re-look my wife's baby Luger for an botox job....

Gary

Levi 42 · 10-02-2013, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mystical_tutor

The main thing about that piece is that you are pleased with it. I like it too and think it is a great restoration. Hope it's beauty hasn't deterred your shooting.

I may need to re-look my wife's baby Luger for an botox job....

Gary

Thanks for your comments Gary but I do intend to shoot it more. I may, as a concession to it's originality, replace the original firing pin with another that I have laying around somewhere? Just to be sure that I don't break it.

I've shot mostly "White Box" Winnie 124 grn ammo in it before but I might just" do up" some light reloads for it.

I've also hand fitted the aftermarket grips for it an am looking for advice as to a type of finish to put on them. What came on them originally, BLO, Tung oil or something like that?

Thanks guys, and Thor, with all due respect to Mohammed Ali, YOU ARE THE GREATEST!!!!!

rhuff · 10-02-2013, 03:20 PM

If that were my Luger(and I wish that it was), and I was going to continue to shoot it, I would not only replace the firing pin and FP spring retainer, but also the extractor. In my experience with shooting these fine old handguns, those three items are very prone to breakage.

Thor · 10-03-2013, 11:07 AM

This was the really bad one! http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=27624

Thor · 10-03-2013, 11:17 AM

BLO would be my guess, check with Hugh Clark, he can tell you what it does to the shade/color/tint versus tung oil which i think he uses a lot and I believe Tung oil is darker. I love the light color they are now. BLO when applied will soak partially into the wood but you dont want to leave excess in the checkering as it will harden into crystals. When I apply it on the grips, I usually let them set for about 5 minutes then blot out the excess. Hugh's email is hhclark@wildblue.net

Levi 42 · 10-03-2013, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor

BLO would be my guess, check with Hugh Clark, he can tell you what it does to the shade/color/tint versus tung oil which i think he uses a lot and I believe Tung oil is darker. I love the light color they are now. BLO when applied will soak partially into the wood but you dont want to leave excess in the checkering as it will harden into crystals. When I apply it on the grips, I usually let them set for about 5 minutes then blot out the excess. Hugh's email is hhclark@wildblue.net

Thanks Ted. I do have experience with BLO, Tung and raw linseed oil finishes with the M1 Garands I've been building, restoring and preserving over the past 15 years. I will contact Hugh however. I also like the light colored wood as contrast to the bluing.
Later...

Leif Thoreson · 10-03-2013, 06:34 PM

Forgive me, I'm new to this, what type of bluing is that. I've seen the words "straw" bluing and "Rust" bluing and "cold" bluing being using in different forums..

ithacaartist · 10-04-2013, 09:00 AM

Leif,

Welcome to the forum, I'll try to help answer.

Bluing of any style is applied to at least the exposed outer surfaces of a gun to give it some protection from "ordinary" rust. Technically, I think all bluing is actually a controlled surface rusting. Rust bluing is a process that by repeated applications of chemicals, a film of oxide is built up on the steel, this done by hand. Dip or hot bluing is when the steel parts are immersed in a volume of hot chemical bath to create the coating. Cold bluing is a process of applying the chemicals without heat--commonly used to touch up small areas of a finish, and not as deep or durable in result.

"Straw" refers to the color that the surface molecules of a steel part turn when heated. It is a relatively low temperature in this case, somewhere around 370 degrees F. Higher temperatures yield different colors. A bit higher temp yields "fire blue", and you'll occasionally encounter parts thus treated, especially in custom work. Keep heating and you'll go through a spectrum of colors--purple/plum/violet, finally ending in black.

The heating process is arrested at a specific temperature to establish each color. To refresh the straw of a Luger's appropriate parts really helps its appearance. There are "stickies" on the site to explain all these processes in more detail.

Levi 42 · 10-07-2013, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leif Thoreson

Forgive me, I'm new to this, what type of bluing is that. I've seen the words "straw" bluing and "Rust" bluing and "cold" bluing being using in different forums..

Leif.......to help answer your question, the finish on my Luger is "salt bluing". If you check Thors website you will see where he lists the proper bluing for each particular Luger. Mine is a 39 Code 42 Mauser.

09-28-2013, 09:35 PM	#1
Levi 42 User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Western PA Posts: 49 Thanks: 4 Thanked 24 Times in 8 Posts	How do you turn This into THIS? The Answer is THOR!! An amazing turn around!! Attached Thumbnails

09-28-2013, 10:04 PM	#2
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,528 Thanks: 1,334 Thanked 3,711 Times in 1,014 Posts	super nice! Thor just keeps getting better and better!!! As I said, super nice!... congrats on a nice luger! Best to all, til...lat'r....GT

09-29-2013, 12:12 AM	#3
Curly1 User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 1,247 Thanks: 125 Thanked 717 Times in 374 Posts	Very nice transformation. __________________ Laugh hard and often. Gary

09-29-2013, 06:52 AM	#4
Sergio Natali User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Somewhere in Northern Italy Posts: 2,646 Thanks: 1,087 Thanked 1,783 Times in 1,007 Posts	Congratulations to Thor really a nice work, too bad I don't live in the States. __________________ "Originality can't be restored and should be at the top of any collector's priority list. Last edited by Sergio Natali; 09-30-2013 at 04:32 AM.

09-29-2013, 10:25 PM	#6
Levi 42 User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Western PA Posts: 49 Thanks: 4 Thanked 24 Times in 8 Posts	This is my very first Luger that I bought as a "shooter" but it had all matching numbers, including grips, but minus a matching mag. After purchasing a few more, I decided that it was a sin to leave it as is. The comment "life's too short to shoot an ugly gun" got to me, so even with advice here to not have it restored, I liked the ideas of having Thor breath new life to it. Here are a few more before/after pictures. Attached Thumbnails

09-29-2013, 11:37 AM	#5
Arizona Slim Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 706 Thanks: 1,026 Thanked 409 Times in 225 Posts	Absolutely beautiful, I would feel very privileged to hold one of Thor's re-creations and get a close up look at it. Lon

09-30-2013, 09:57 AM	#7
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,155 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,308 Times in 1,098 Posts	unglaublich! __________________ 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..."*

09-30-2013, 10:42 PM	#8
Maestro User Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: "Where the streets have no names" Posts: 504 Thanks: 192 Thanked 200 Times in 136 Posts	wow. great restoration what does a similar project run about?

10-01-2013, 10:58 AM	#9
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,155 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,308 Times in 1,098 Posts	I don't believe that THOR has a standard price for restoration. The cost is determined by what he has to start with... Get in touch with him directly and have plenty good photos to share with him... __________________ 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..."*

10-01-2013, 12:07 PM	#10
Ron Wood Moderator 2010 LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Santa Teresa New Mexico just outside of the West Texas town of El Paso Posts: 7,040 Thanks: 1,106 Thanked 5,256 Times in 1,724 Posts	Ted (THOR) has a standard price list on his web site http://members.rennlist.com/lugerman/ But as John stated, price may vary depending on the condition of the gun and amount of repair work required. __________________ If it's made after 1918...it's a reproduction

10-01-2013, 01:09 PM	#11
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,138 Times in 2,176 Posts	Ron was so kind to post his site! His real name is Ted Green. I've known for over ten years. He lives in Rio Rancho, New Mexico with his wife Natalie. His work is his passion, perfection and full time devotion. Ted has a facination with the Viking Gods as well of his own! Thus His handle! 'Thor'~~~ Attached Images

10-01-2013, 08:04 PM	#12
mystical_tutor User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 230 Thanks: 32 Thanked 39 Times in 25 Posts	The main thing about that piece is that you are pleased with it. I like it too and think it is a great restoration. Hope it's beauty hasn't deterred your shooting. I may need to re-look my wife's baby Luger for an botox job.... Gary

10-02-2013, 03:20 PM	#14
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,308 Thanks: 2,737 Thanked 993 Times in 729 Posts	If that were my Luger(and I wish that it was), and I was going to continue to shoot it, I would not only replace the firing pin and FP spring retainer, but also the extractor. In my experience with shooting these fine old handguns, those three items are very prone to breakage.

10-03-2013, 11:07 AM	#15
Thor User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico Posts: 4,583 Thanks: 958 Thanked 970 Times in 276 Posts	This was the really bad one! http://forum.lugerforum.com/showthread.php?t=27624 __________________ Thor's Luger Clinic http://members.rennlist.com/lugerman/ Ted Green (Thor Yaller Boots) 725 Western Hills Dr SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124 915-526-8925 Email thor340@aol.com ----------------------------------- John3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

10-03-2013, 11:17 AM	#16
Thor User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico Posts: 4,583 Thanks: 958 Thanked 970 Times in 276 Posts	BLO would be my guess, check with Hugh Clark, he can tell you what it does to the shade/color/tint versus tung oil which i think he uses a lot and I believe Tung oil is darker. I love the light color they are now. BLO when applied will soak partially into the wood but you dont want to leave excess in the checkering as it will harden into crystals. When I apply it on the grips, I usually let them set for about 5 minutes then blot out the excess. Hugh's email is hhclark@wildblue.net __________________ Thor's Luger Clinic http://members.rennlist.com/lugerman/ Ted Green (Thor Yaller Boots) 725 Western Hills Dr SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124 915-526-8925 Email thor340@aol.com ----------------------------------- John3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

10-03-2013, 06:34 PM	#18
Leif Thoreson User Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 24 Thanks: 3 Thanked 10 Times in 1 Post	Forgive me, I'm new to this, what type of bluing is that. I've seen the words "straw" bluing and "Rust" bluing and "cold" bluing being using in different forums..

10-04-2013, 09:00 AM	#19
ithacaartist Twice a Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Atop the highest hill in Schuyler County NY Posts: 3,374 Thanks: 7,447 Thanked 2,613 Times in 1,380 Posts	Leif, Welcome to the forum, I'll try to help answer. Bluing of any style is applied to at least the exposed outer surfaces of a gun to give it some protection from "ordinary" rust. Technically, I think all bluing is actually a controlled surface rusting. Rust bluing is a process that by repeated applications of chemicals, a film of oxide is built up on the steel, this done by hand. Dip or hot bluing is when the steel parts are immersed in a volume of hot chemical bath to create the coating. Cold bluing is a process of applying the chemicals without heat--commonly used to touch up small areas of a finish, and not as deep or durable in result. "Straw" refers to the color that the surface molecules of a steel part turn when heated. It is a relatively low temperature in this case, somewhere around 370 degrees F. Higher temperatures yield different colors. A bit higher temp yields "fire blue", and you'll occasionally encounter parts thus treated, especially in custom work. Keep heating and you'll go through a spectrum of colors--purple/plum/violet, finally ending in black. The heating process is arrested at a specific temperature to establish each color. To refresh the straw of a Luger's appropriate parts really helps its appearance. There are "stickies" on the site to explain all these processes in more detail. __________________ "... Liberty is the seed and soil, the air and light, the dew and rain of progress, love and joy."-- Robert Greene Ingersoll 1894