Here is one that I restored BEFORE and AFTER (Last one) restoration pictures.

I just  work these old Lugers until they look right.

Thor's Lair
The Stygian darkness was shattered by a crashing bolt from the dark clouds rolling in with the midnight storm that swirled about suggesting something even more powerful was trapped within that rolling thunder.  The winds, unexpectedly strong, tore a gnarled oak tree from its hold on the earth slamming it into the side of the adjacent mountain crag with a crash that no ear heard.  

The thunder furnace was ablaze with molten metal that glared with intense heat at anyone that got their face close enough to peer within.  That furnace was purging out all the impurities of the metal, swirling by the horrible heat that fed its insatiable hunger. ……… It was almost time!!!

The furnace, among other machines of metal manipulation, were anchored there, deep in the roots of the mountain in a cavern below the roaring winds and clashing flashes of lightning and thunder.   They worked at the demand of their master,  Thor.   These sieges of metal work would pummel, flatten and work the metal to its proper surface,  curved surfaces, arcs or flats…………without mercy!   Cracks, crevices and holes that festooned the forgotten and abandoned metal of the Luger that may have been as a result of misuse, or from a spill of warrior’s blood, corrosion from salt water from a sea faring quest or from the sweat of a soldier waiting in trench expecting to be overrun were to be repaired, rendered, rejuvenated, restored to its original beauty and lines.

Fantastic work.

Awesome work!

Beautiful!

Restorations scare me but thats solid work.

beautiful work ,but you ruined its history ,its character !  you cant get it back . In the gun world the value has been diminished and considered a shooter now.The more of these you do the less originals there are and the prices just go up and out of the reach for average collectors.

Plus one.  Its pretty.  But its properly called re-blued. Most of the damage was from a wire wheel taking off some rust? I'd guess.

As a Luger, apparently matching, it was worth a lot more before Bubba'd. 2-3 times more.

No question the finish looks nice.  Probably skillful.  But just because something can be done does not mean it should be done.

Lowe's sells welding steel that could be polished and blued more usefully.

Most honest gun answer I ever got was after asking Turnbull about re-doing an 85% S&W 1917 .45acp that had been to France and back.

Flatly refused to do it and explained why.  Lesson learned.

Yeah, you are probably right.  We should just let them continue to decay into rust piles, preserving their history.  Like this Double Date DWM Luger and this Code 480 Walther P.38.  Shown during decay and showing also after the corrosion is stopped.  I like to think I am adding to history.  Many people want this.  Over 400 Lugers so far.  Love my job.