Steyr M1912 Parts Bluing Question

[cpuwhiz11]

I bought a Steyr M1912 at a gun show, but most of the parts had been "gold plated". I want to return this piece to as close to its original configuration as I can. To that end I have had this gold plating removed, but I am not sure what parts should be blued and what parts left in the white.

As best as I can figure out online it looks like only the safety latch and the magazine release (the square above the left grip) should be blued. That said I have seen conflicting examples with various parts (like the trigger and hammer) blued or unblued.

If anyone has a M1912 can you comment which parts are blued and which are not? Furthermore, for the actual bluing I was planning on just using a simple cold blue (like this: https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...ld-bluing-chemicals/oxpho-blue--prod1072.aspx), but I am curious if anyone has any other suggestions.

For the parts that should be left in the white, the gold plating removal process left these parts more gray then white. Should these parts just be polished to be whiter? Once they get there is there anything I can do to protect them?

Thanks

 

[mac1911]

If the stripped parts have a even color I would leave them be for now.

 

[45collector]

Just saw this thread now. Can you post some pics of what the “gray” parts look like after you stripped the gold off of them?

Earlier this year I began a project of stripping and bluing a 1917 Luger that had been nickel plated and was badly rusting in some areas. The whole project took me a few months. It was messy and tedious but I got it done. One thing I remember is upon stripping the plating, some of the parts were left with a dull, rough gray coating and that also had to be removed to get the part truly “in the white”. If you want a good long read about that project I can go find the link to it. I did post an abbreviated story about it in a thread on this forum months back but the one I have on the Luger forum is much more detailed.

 

[cpuwhiz11]

Hi 45collector, I attached a few photos of the finished result. You are correct that most of the parts have a dull gray coating. I do think they need to be polished up to be more white. I would be interested the full write up if you had it available.

 

[45collector]

One *HAPPY!* 1917 DWM

 

[cpuwhiz11]

Thanks, I will give this a read.

 

[greencobra]

One *HAPPY!* 1917 DWM

just sat down with a cup of coffee and read the luger thread. very good, interesting. couldn't access any photos except the odd one or two that were posted directly. any chance of getting a before & after photo posted here? thanks for posting that link.

 

[45collector]

just sat down with a cup of coffee and read the luger thread. very good, interesting. couldn't access any photos except the odd one or two that were posted directly. any chance of getting a before & after photo posted here? thanks for posting that link.

Yeah you have to be a member of that forum to view most of the pics posted I guess. Here ya go, this is the thread I posted here. It's all pretty much the same info and photos I posted on the Luger forum.
A molested 1917 Luger gets a little love...

 

[greencobra]

Yeah you have to be a member of that forum to view most of the pics posted I guess. Here ya go, this is the thread I posted here. It's all pretty much the same info and photos I posted on the Luger forum.
A molested 1917 Luger gets a little love...

i believe...i believe in life after death now! wow is pretty much all i can say, super job. i would have left it on the table if i ran across it, this shows what a little tlc and patience will produce. thanks for digging into the archive.

 

[45collector]

i believe...i believe in life after death now! wow is pretty much all i can say, super job. i would have left it on the table if i ran across it, this shows what a little tlc and patience will produce. thanks for digging into the archive.

In hindsight I probably have a little more into the gun that what it's worth. But it was a fun, sometimes messy, sometimes frustrating project. Would I do another one? Maybe many many years from now when I'm retired and my kids are out of the house. And that would only be if another prime candidate came around. I wouldn't do something like that on anything that didn't have those same rust/ flaking nickel problems. The 1918 Colt that had been chrome plated at some point (the one in my avatar <) is going to stay just as it is, while I'm alive at least.)

 

[greencobra]

But it was a fun, sometimes messy, sometimes frustrating project.

forgot to ask, what became of the holster? in the original link, you contemplated sending it out for reconditioning. i don't recall what was the outcome of that. i'll have to go back and check.

 

[45collector]

It is still as is. The only thing really wrong with it is one of the belt loops was replaced crudely with a leather shoe string. I may someday send it out to that Luger Holster repair guy. I think he's an old-timer so I should probably get on that ASAP.

 

[45collector]

This is the rear toggle that spent too much time in the acid bath. I left it alone just to see what would happen...

 

[majspud]

He did a good job on my holster from my 1915 M14 Mauser rig (7.65mm/.32acp); replacing the pebbled strap. I elected to leave the rest of the holster as is.

t

 

[45collector]

He did a good job on my holster from my 1915 M15 Mauser rig (7.65mm/.32acp); replacing the pebbled strap. I elected to leave the rest of the holster as is.

t

His name is Jerry right?

 

[majspud]

Sounds right....6 months ago

t

 

[majspud]

He said I could blend in the new leather by weathering the strap with a rolling pin. Haven't gotten around to it yet.

t