[Badger Arms]

These pictures are NOT for the weak. This dealer says that this is a good reblue job. You be the judge:

Here's the source: http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=9051880

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=94970&stc=1&d=1237916490

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=94971&stc=1&d=1237916497

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=94972&stc=1&d=1237916503

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=94973&stc=1&d=1237916514

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=94975&stc=1&d=1237916545

[rcmodel]

I guess it's good if you like high polish buffer-wheel melted / round-offs.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Some would probably like that better then that trashy old WWII German stuff you can't see yourself in that the factory did!

Heck, they'd probably like it even better if the hammer, trigger and cocker/decocker were gold-plated!

rc

[nitetrane98]

The blueing actually does look pretty nice. Like rc implies though, the prep work was a little enthusiastic. But hey, some folks pay extra for de-horning!!!

[Jim K]

"Lean harder on the wheel, Joe, there's still some markings left on that gun!"

Jim

[Jim, West PA]

Prep work, prep work, prep work. Did i meantion prep work ? A good bluer will be able to de-blue and polish said firearm without taking away any sharp edges leaving swirls in the metal or "smearing" any lettering or numbers.
Secondly,he/she will also have a good understanding of different metal compositions to know what color can and or will be achieved. Some older guns are better left "aged" rather than turn out purple.
Third and probably most important. Not allow any salts get where they aint supposed to be. They are caustic and can and will destroy a chamber or Brl.

[jim in Anchorage]

Looks like a all-day lollpop about 5 PM.

[Steve C]

It looks like a pretty good job. The stampings are still crisp and well defined. Over enthusiastic use of the buffer will destroy the stampings well before rounding the sharp edges. I think the criticism of the other edges are more from the picture lighting quality on the bright finish.

Without an original finished pistol to compare it to its hard to judge how sharp or rounded the slide edges are.

With any refinish other than one done by the original factory or a professional restorer, the condition of the pistol will only grade as "fair" and not worth a premium price no matter how pretty as the collectors value has been reduced significantly. Think of it as a shooter.

[dclevinger]

Prepwork is the most important and most difficult part of doing a good bluing job. As others have stated, someone had too much fun with the buffing wheel.

The only way salts will harm a chamber or barrel is by not being boiled out after coming out of the salts tank. If that happened, there would be salt blossoms all over the rest of the gun. Barrels and chambers should never be plugged when doing hot bluing. Very bad things will happen! They should, however, be plugged when doing any type of rust bluing to prevent rusting and etching of the interior surfaces.

[krs]

I have a prewar Walther PPKs, the .32 that has the wraparound grip, that someone did that to only they buffed off ALL of the markings except the serial number. I got it dirt cheap because of it but what a shame! That little Walther would go over $1K if it had any markings, and for all I know it might have been one of the Nazi marked guns of the model that go even higher than that.

I think it was a fairly common 'make it look nice' reblue job in the 1950's or so.