Mark's friendly, folksy demeanor coupled with his serious skill and ability to explain what he's doing as he's working make these some of the most satisfying videos on YT. Always a pleasure watching Mark bring something back from the brink.
Watching the anvil series inspired me to purchase and conserve a type 30 Arisaka, coworker is mad though, says I ruined the patina. Rust pits and orange oil is not patina.
Ya gotta do the maintenance! Because of Anvil, I did a lot of minor touch-up work on a 1917-dated M1895, and learned the proper way to fix up specific small areas that needed attention, and was able to get away with just the most minor reshaping, filing, and re-bluing on the areas that needed it.
@@devikwolf I just boiled the arisaka and parts to remove rust and grime, someone went at her with a knife, there's 5 slashes on the stock and 2 on the chamber. Sunday im gonna put a few rounds through her and see how she holds up, worse case she'll be a gorgeous wall hanger. Best case she'll be a 10 moa rifle with a story
The first and only time I ever saw one of these was in 2004. I found 5 boxes of 9mm Steyr in a local gun shop for like $10/box at the time and ask the owner what they were for. He said he had the pistol in the safe, it was kind of rough and had homemade grips, with a loose safety. He wanted $140! So I bought it and the 5 boxes of ammo. I found grips online, a local gunsmith fixed the safety, and I even found some stripper clips. It was a fun gun for those 250 rounds over about 4 years. I wasn't reloading at the time and the big ammo companies weren't quite yet loading the weird stuff again so I sold it for a decent profit in 2009-10. With what they go for now I sure wish I'd have kept it, especially now that I reload.
Mark, I have two of these beauties with some extra parts I obtained for emergencies (spare slide , some springs , etc.) I also have a few stripper clips. If you want, I can send some factory ammo of modern times and some stripper clips. Let me know on your Patreon page (I am subscriber). Thanks for doing this pistol, it's appreciated for helping me with mine. You can also get new barrels for the Steyr Hahn from Steyr in Austria; not only 9 Steyr but also 9x21 IMI, 9x19 Luger & .30 Luger. I know as I have obtained 3 new barrels and am presently waiting on the 9 x 21 IMI to be delivered.
The way these vintage firearms were engineered create a mechanical jigsaw puzzle, I'm always impressed by the mechanical ability of the engineers that designed these firearms, and really most things of the early 20th century even down to the children's toys of that era were mechanical pieces of art, they designed things that were intended to last a lifetime and we're repairable should anything breaki, unlike engineers of today that tend to design everything to be disposable and often self destruct in a decade or less.
I think it isn't that the engineers want to do it that way, but good old fashioned "greed" of the company owners or shareholders. Back then companies wanted to sell a high quality item, because that brought them a good reputation, and people bought their stuff. Today most companies focus on producing big numbers and trying to get people buy the whole product every year or 2 years and make people think that quality means a good looking product, and fashionable packaging. (Oh and that it is very cheaply produced in countries where workers get paid less, but sell it to a price like it was produced in a country where the workers would get a decent wage) I would be interested in how all the companies are doing in the french market.... As far as i remember the french instated a law a few years back that illegalized planned obsolensce in product. (like the printers who stopped using ink or toner after a certain number of pages even if the cartridges were still full)
Mark, your description of hitting a hammer with another hammer with something under it taking the stress as "a punch with a wooden handle" is spot on. In fact, there is a type of hammer known as a "Pin Hammer" that is made specifically for use in that fashion. We use them on industrial heavy equipment maintenance to knock out the pins holding on hydraulic cylinders. Awesome work as always!
Once again, my dear mentor and illustrious leader Mark demonstrates his natural tendency to dissect, understand and recreate things that would otherwise baffle the brightest gun nuts on the interwebs. I absolutely love your content Mark. 👍
Mark, the pleasure is ours. We love watching a true master work. I really enjoyed watching you touch up the checkering with (I may be wrong but I think it was) Antonio Vivaldi in the background. Thank you for these videos. They are important to me. I have no aspirations of being a gunsmith at 74 years old; but, I derive a great deal of pleasure from watching you work. John
Mark, this is a very timely episode. I have a 1912 Steyr Hahn that won't fire. I will be sending it to a gunsmith next month. I regret that you are too busy to look at it.
I remember taking apart my 1943 pellet gun apart when I was younger, I rotated the rear cap captured by a detent in the body. The rear cap flew off and put a dent in the ceiling because it held all the pressure of the main spring. Don’t mess with springs...
My dad and brother work on atvs, I always hold my breath whenever I see them working on shocks, those springs mean business whenever they dampen a 600+ lbs movement to a comfortable ride on rough terrain and pothole central. I’m actually more comfortable with firearms springs than I am around vehicular ones.
@@FrostyShock349 oh definitely, vehicle springs are not something to mess with. Especially compressing coil springs, I’ll only buy quick strut assemblies.
Firearm springs aren't bad, they just go flying across the room and punch you in the face (done both of those). Vehicle springs, however. Those fuckers will blow through the car and kill you.
Ahhhhh checkering. One of the aspects of gunsmithing that can turn a casual drinker into a true alcoholic! Steady hand and patience of a saint, never was for me. Loved watching you do those stocks though. Thanks Mark for another great video, and for your service to our country. Rev. D.
Great work! As always! You should make a playlist of just the music you use in the videos. Would listen to that at work to drown out all the negativity around me.
I simply cannot put into words just how much I enjoy watching Mark work and listening to his wisdom. As he himself has stated, he will not have anymore new apprentices but a goodly amount of Mark's knowledge will be passed on to those of us who watch these videos and pay close attention to the techniques, 'dos and don'ts' and other bits of wisdom he offers to us. Obviously, it's not near enough information to to qualify one as a gunsmith, but it is information that is invaluable to someone just starting a career in that field, to other gunsmiths and to people like me who want learn more so they can do more for themselves. That being said, one of the most important lessons I have learned from Mark is that are some things better left to a fully qualified and trustworthy gunsmith; like anything to do with the safe operation of a firearm including going over certain used guns or antiques that you intend to put live ammunition in. Oh, and one more great bit of wisdom he offers is that his way of doing things is just one of several 'correct' methods.
Although they are unrelated companies, you can kinda see that European (even predominantly Germanic) design of interlocking parts. The weapons of that region, (although steyr is Swiss) is a distinct German/Austrian style. From the 1896 'broomhandle' to a modern Sig, those designs have a minimal number of screws and pins, compared to weapons of other parts of the world. The depression of the ground away Crest is character. Like you say, it was only new once and that character is part of it's history. Excellent video and a really nice job of preservation. You and Bruno do very nice work. This quality of video wouldn't be possible without the skill Bruno puts into the production. Y'all Take Care and be safe, John
🧐 Objection sir: Steyr is not swiss. OEWG; Steyr; Steyr Daimler Puch; Steyr Mannlicher; Steyr Arms (no matter what the company name at any specific time was) was and still is Austrian.
@@JohnDoe-pv2iu You mean the city? Well, i couldn't find any swiss there either. Basically the building of the Styraburg (Styra Castle) is considered the name giving start of the city. And it was "built" (more comissioned and paid) by the Counts of Wels-Lambach, which were of Bavarian origin. And if you go further back, the romans also were there. But maybe you have information i am unable to find. Greetings!
Listening to you describe the act of detail stripping a gun you have never detail stripped before reinforces the "slow and easy" mantra. This was an awesome rabbit hole trip even if there was no function check using live ammo. I eagerly await that episode. And the music choice was perfect. Bravissimo Sir!!
Mark is frigging awesome... You have the Greatest job on the planet, maybe the Universe. But I have not seen any other life forms as interesting as you are. God bless you and your loved ones Godspeed
It's always wonderful to see an old school craftsman at work. Those of us who learned some of this craft years ago remember all the tips Mark talks about when taking a weapon that we have never seen before apart. Excellent video as usual!
Anyone else remember Othias confusing the slide release with the mag release and having all 8 rounds ding his head? Idk what made me laugh harder, the look of absolute confusion on his face or May laughing at him!
Thank You Mark. I own 2 of them (and a Krnka); I have a thing for WWI era pistols. Making ammo for the Krnka is a REAL effort. I found that Starline does make brass for 9x23 and 8X18 but that was after I had fabed both (32 H&R Long with the rim turned and a grove cut, and 9mm Largo resized .
Huh, wow. I have a Steyr-Hahn that could be this one's twin from its "before" state (less the oozing rust, fortunately). It has the same badly ground crest, the same electropenciled numbers (well, a different number, but you know what I mean), and the same obvious refinish work. About the only significant visual difference is the grips, which I think are later replacements (they aren't checkered, they just have vertical grooves). Makes me wonder if they both passed through the same set of hands at some point in the distant past. Based on Othais's info in the Steyr-Hahn Primer, I suspect mine was one of the ones that were made for Romania, but seized by the Austrian government before they could be delivered. Great video. It's always extra-fun to see a gun that looks like something from my own collection in your shop. :)
Other than the extractor being a bit of a nightmare to put back in, these are wonderfully well engineered in terms of disassembly. I love mine, it's easily my favourite handgun. The clips are cheap and plentiful too!
you sir are a joy to watch...such craftsmanship... thank you and bruno for allowing us the ability to watch a master at work...every one of your videos is a learning and enlightening joy
It's always fascinating to watch you "dissect" a gun, giving tips and pointing out the traps for the unwary and inexperienced. The hammer polishing segment was mystifying but then it all fell into place as you removed that pin. Bravo Maestro!
My brother found out first hand about hammer head spall... after having it surgically removed from his left bicep muscle. Violin music was perfect while you Fiddled with the checkering tool .
I have a 1970 vintage JP Sauer & Sons replica of a Colt SAA. It’s chambered in 44 Mag. I bought it when I was in college, and I used to wear it holstered on campus. Imagine that ! The trigger guard and back strap and ejector sleeve were made of some cheesy powder metal. A few years ago, I replaced them with brass ones. The cylinder and barrel seem well made and robust. It’s a hand wrecker, and a Beyonce to shoot more than a few rounds. Best to wear gloves because you need a two hand grip to hit anything and when you grip it forward of the pistol grip it sprays your hands with blast emanating from between the cylinder and the barrel. I truly enjoy your videos. Ultra informative and educational.
Got wordy and didn’t ask my question… is there a way to work the trigger / hammer to make the half cock safety a bit more reliable? Right now it’s a five shooter if you want to carry it in a holster.
Finally! I have been looking for a disassembly video for my 1912 Steyr ever since I bought it. I'm sure IT will benefit from a proper clean too! Fun gun to shoot.
Great patience and skill, you're a rare one for sure. great to see a bench that looks like mine. The tool maintenance section was particularly interesting. Thank you.Hope you inspire a new generation and this way of working gets practised more.
You're right about the hammer face not being factory hardened...but...old hammers end up work hardened and slivers end up in eyes all the time from hitting hammers with hammers
i have been a professional transmission rebuilder for over 40 years, retired now, thank God! i know about managing time! you have to juggle 3 or 4 transmissions every day,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Firstly I was amazed at how much grime you able to cut out of those grips and secondly I think it's pretty enough that if I owned it I'd smile and say thank you to whoever gave it to me!!! 🤠👌
Thank you for the video. I learn something more every time I watch. It’s not what you say that helps as much as what you do. I’m a better gunsmith because of you.
The human eye and brain can be incredibly precise. When I worked in a polystyrene foam factory where we used hotwire cutting, using a threaded rod to conduct to the wires, I could get to a 32nd (the thread spacing) by eye on anything much less than a foot or so just by seeing parallels over 4' of wire. I know lifetime framers who can keep rough framing within standards laying out studs and never touch a tape. Fearfully and Wonderfully made, indeed.
I've gotten to see something similar in person, watched my grandpa frame out a barn and one of the guys said something to him about not measuring often enough so he told the dude to measure behind him as he went and then shut the hell up. Dude didn't have anything to say, pawpaw's work was on point. He had been framing for like 55yrs at that point, he was 70yrs old still working circles around people.
Mark I think you've convinced me to take up gunsmithing. I spent some years as a machinist in my younger years. Then serviced our firearms for years "almost long as I've put them to use". I'll study the trade first just machining experience and working on arms isn't enough to be a gunsmith I know.
I have a one just about like it a 1913. I give 200 for it 3 yrs ago and found 2 boxes of ammo it shoots fine I did have to clean it after I got it it was just dirty no rust I did have to make a plunger they had a piece of plastic on the end of the spring and they were shoot regular 9mm which is more presure then the 9mm styer rounds but I sure wouldn't recommend it. I like the older firearms as it like holding a piece of history.
Always look forward to your next adventure , never disappointed . Btw , I have a distain for violin but seriously in love with cello . I know I'm weird . Would love to see you play the piano again . You're a hoot !
The design philosophy and amount of labor involved is amazing--the utter craftsmanship has long since disappeared, at least in regards to mass production
One of those guns I wish I still had, and there are many, was a Styer in 9x19. I believe it was converted by the nazies, or possibly Imperial Germany. It had a red 9 embossed in the grips like the Red 9 C-96 from WW-1. Always enjoy learning from you. Thanks for sharing!
Ahh..one of my favorite sidearms ! A question for Mr. Novak. I have the 1907 Roth-krnka like in the picture. It " Had" a horse shoe shaped spring that put pressure on the magazine follower/ magazine unloader . The button on the side now rattles easily instead of having pressure on it.. Thus it is a single shot only.. I have no idea what happened to the spring. I only found a small piece of it upon disassembly.. Can you recreate that spring ?? and yes, I do have some Fiocchi 8 mm Steyr !! . Although I will probably not shoot it much more, I would like to repair it.
When I first started swinging a hammer for a living a wise man told me "If you get in a hurry you screw up in a hurry. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast."
Either grind the pits or precision weld them then, flat surface but; you're right the pistol has been "worked over" by other persons who didn't know what they were doing. Usually, I bead blast the pits then weld. Good luck trying to find the old varnish. Up until about 2009 or so real oil varnish could be purchased. Very nice work saving the old pistol.
Well Fine Woodworking magazine years ago published a formula for " vernis Martin", you could therefore make your own. Just don't burn down your shop doing it,or have the stuff splatter or spit. The burns that result can go to the bone.
Such a cool gun. Both modern (general look and feel, operating system) and primitive (Integral clip loaded mag, takedown method) autoloader aspects in the design.
I really like these videos!!! I have the gunsmith skills of a untrained rat! But I enjoy watching you work your magic on these old guns!! Best regards from Idaho!
"Notice the dramatic lack of threaded fasteners in this" I counted two. Grip screw and one in the hammer. Everything else was split pins or solid pins. On the hammer, how often do you repolish it? Weekly? Daily?
Hey Mark - I peen rivets in sword and knife assembly all the time with a polished hammer in the vise as a shaped anvil. I do the same with the faces as you are doing, too. I keep a stick with leather on it, charged with green chrome polishing compound, to finalize it. Good work.
You can use a 9mm/para - barrel (f.e. from IGB-Austria) for shooting. No other changes needed. So this beauty is ready for usage with 9x19 - cases. Just use no modern loads. Use loads like for the Luger08.
Ted Darling, Rapid City, SD Mark have you ever thought about a collar mic? Even with hearing aids in both ears, I still have trouble hearing you about 70% of the time. I really enjoy watching your channel. I've owned a 1944 Klein Nagant rifle. It had the fold out toothpick bayonet. I was fortunate to get one with a new barrel, bolt, a nd receiver assy. It was rebuilt at a class 5 military depot in Yugoslavia around the early 1960's. It had all original Magnet parts. This thing looked and shot like a new rifle would I also had a 1933 Savage Super Spotted in 30-06. It had also either been taken very much care of or had been refurbished at some time. One of my friends and I, always shot at 300 yards. My .06 would shoot through 3/8" plate steel, but my Klein wouldn't. But it would bend the he'll out of the steel. Keep up the great work, I learn a lot from you. That's saying something for a 73 year old man.
Mark's friendly, folksy demeanor coupled with his serious skill and ability to explain what he's doing as he's working make these some of the most satisfying videos on YT. Always a pleasure watching Mark bring something back from the brink.
They broke the mold...
Watching the anvil series inspired me to purchase and conserve a type 30 Arisaka, coworker is mad though, says I ruined the patina. Rust pits and orange oil is not patina.
Ya gotta do the maintenance!
Because of Anvil, I did a lot of minor touch-up work on a 1917-dated M1895, and learned the proper way to fix up specific small areas that needed attention, and was able to get away with just the most minor reshaping, filing, and re-bluing on the areas that needed it.
@@devikwolf I just boiled the arisaka and parts to remove rust and grime, someone went at her with a knife, there's 5 slashes on the stock and 2 on the chamber. Sunday im gonna put a few rounds through her and see how she holds up, worse case she'll be a gorgeous wall hanger. Best case she'll be a 10 moa rifle with a story
The first and only time I ever saw one of these was in 2004. I found 5 boxes of 9mm Steyr in a local gun shop for like $10/box at the time and ask the owner what they were for. He said he had the pistol in the safe, it was kind of rough and had homemade grips, with a loose safety. He wanted $140! So I bought it and the 5 boxes of ammo. I found grips online, a local gunsmith fixed the safety, and I even found some stripper clips. It was a fun gun for those 250 rounds over about 4 years. I wasn't reloading at the time and the big ammo companies weren't quite yet loading the weird stuff again so I sold it for a decent profit in 2009-10. With what they go for now I sure wish I'd have kept it, especially now that I reload.
Number regret of a gun owner selling a gun . I can say the only one i have zero regrets selling was a Taurus PT945.
Mark, I have two of these beauties with some extra parts I obtained for emergencies (spare slide , some springs , etc.) I also have a few stripper clips. If you want, I can send some factory ammo of modern times and some stripper clips. Let me know on your Patreon page (I am subscriber). Thanks for doing this pistol, it's appreciated for helping me with mine. You can also get new barrels for the Steyr Hahn from Steyr in Austria; not only 9 Steyr but also 9x21 IMI, 9x19 Luger & .30 Luger. I know as I have obtained 3 new barrels and am presently waiting on the 9 x 21 IMI to be delivered.
Lovely rescue. That old girl has felt the benefit for sure, and got some dignity back
The before and after comparison is stunning. Even with such excessive wear from the past 100 years, that thing looks gorgeous after Mark's work.
The way these vintage firearms were engineered create a mechanical jigsaw puzzle, I'm always impressed by the mechanical ability of the engineers that designed these firearms, and really most things of the early 20th century even down to the children's toys of that era were mechanical pieces of art, they designed things that were intended to last a lifetime and we're repairable should anything breaki, unlike engineers of today that tend to design everything to be disposable and often self destruct in a decade or less.
I think it isn't that the engineers want to do it that way, but good old fashioned "greed" of the company owners or shareholders. Back then companies wanted to sell a high quality item, because that brought them a good reputation, and people bought their stuff. Today most companies focus on producing big numbers and trying to get people buy the whole product every year or 2 years and make people think that quality means a good looking product, and fashionable packaging. (Oh and that it is very cheaply produced in countries where workers get paid less, but sell it to a price like it was produced in a country where the workers would get a decent wage)
I would be interested in how all the companies are doing in the french market.... As far as i remember the french instated a law a few years back that illegalized planned obsolensce in product. (like the printers who stopped using ink or toner after a certain number of pages even if the cartridges were still full)
Todays electronics are deliberately engineered to be unrepairable. Crapple is just the worst of a bad lot...
Mark, your description of hitting a hammer with another hammer with something under it taking the stress as "a punch with a wooden handle" is spot on. In fact, there is a type of hammer known as a "Pin Hammer" that is made specifically for use in that fashion. We use them on industrial heavy equipment maintenance to knock out the pins holding on hydraulic cylinders. Awesome work as always!
Once again, my dear mentor and illustrious leader Mark demonstrates his natural tendency to dissect, understand and recreate things that would otherwise baffle the brightest gun nuts on the interwebs.
I absolutely love your content Mark. 👍
Mark, the pleasure is ours. We love watching a true master work. I really enjoyed watching you touch up the checkering with (I may be wrong but I think it was) Antonio Vivaldi in the background. Thank you for these videos. They are important to me. I have no aspirations of being a gunsmith at 74 years old; but, I derive a great deal of pleasure from watching you work. John
Mark, this is a very timely episode. I have a 1912 Steyr Hahn that won't fire. I will be sending it to a gunsmith next month. I regret that you are too busy to look at it.
I remember taking apart my 1943 pellet gun apart when I was younger, I rotated the rear cap captured by a detent in the body. The rear cap flew off and put a dent in the ceiling because it held all the pressure of the main spring.
Don’t mess with springs...
My dad and brother work on atvs, I always hold my breath whenever I see them working on shocks, those springs mean business whenever they dampen a 600+ lbs movement to a comfortable ride on rough terrain and pothole central. I’m actually more comfortable with firearms springs than I am around vehicular ones.
@@FrostyShock349 oh definitely, vehicle springs are not something to mess with. Especially compressing coil springs, I’ll only buy quick strut assemblies.
Firearm springs aren't bad, they just go flying across the room and punch you in the face (done both of those).
Vehicle springs, however. Those fuckers will blow through the car and kill you.
Thank YOU for showing us this art. I keep learning with every video you post.
Ahhhhh checkering. One of the aspects of gunsmithing that can turn a casual drinker into a true alcoholic! Steady hand and patience of a saint, never was for me. Loved watching you do those stocks though. Thanks Mark for another great video, and for your service to our country. Rev. D.
Great work! As always! You should make a playlist of just the music you use in the videos. Would listen to that at work to drown out all the negativity around me.
I simply cannot put into words just how much I enjoy watching Mark work and listening to his wisdom. As he himself has stated, he will not have anymore new apprentices but a goodly amount of Mark's knowledge will be passed on to those of us who watch these videos and pay close attention to the techniques, 'dos and don'ts' and other bits of wisdom he offers to us. Obviously, it's not near enough information to to qualify one as a gunsmith, but it is information that is invaluable to someone just starting a career in that field, to other gunsmiths and to people like me who want learn more so they can do more for themselves. That being said, one of the most important lessons I have learned from Mark is that are some things better left to a fully qualified and trustworthy gunsmith; like anything to do with the safe operation of a firearm including going over certain used guns or antiques that you intend to put live ammunition in. Oh, and one more great bit of wisdom he offers is that his way of doing things is just one of several 'correct' methods.
Much appreciated
The violin while he was checkering was the perfect touch. 🤣
Although they are unrelated companies, you can kinda see that European (even predominantly Germanic) design of interlocking parts. The weapons of that region, (although steyr is Swiss) is a distinct German/Austrian style. From the 1896 'broomhandle' to a modern Sig, those designs have a minimal number of screws and pins, compared to weapons of other parts of the world.
The depression of the ground away Crest is character. Like you say, it was only new once and that character is part of it's history.
Excellent video and a really nice job of preservation. You and Bruno do very nice work. This quality of video wouldn't be possible without the skill Bruno puts into the production. Y'all Take Care and be safe, John
🧐 Objection sir: Steyr is not swiss. OEWG; Steyr; Steyr Daimler Puch; Steyr Mannlicher; Steyr Arms (no matter what the company name at any specific time was) was and still is Austrian.
@@nirfz You are correct. I was considering the thinking of the people. The founders of Steyr were Swiss, not the company specifically. Take Care.
@@JohnDoe-pv2iu You mean the city?
Well, i couldn't find any swiss there either. Basically the building of the Styraburg (Styra Castle) is considered the name giving start of the city. And it was "built" (more comissioned and paid) by the Counts of Wels-Lambach, which were of Bavarian origin. And if you go further back, the romans also were there.
But maybe you have information i am unable to find.
Greetings!
Listening to you describe the act of detail stripping a gun you have never detail stripped before reinforces the "slow and easy" mantra. This was an awesome rabbit hole trip even if there was no function check using live ammo. I eagerly await that episode. And the music choice was perfect. Bravissimo Sir!!
Thanks.
id look into a conversion like the german one, they seem to run well if you can duplicate that
Mark is frigging awesome...
You have the Greatest job on the planet, maybe the Universe. But I have not seen any other life forms as interesting as you are.
God bless you and your loved ones
Godspeed
It's always wonderful to see an old school craftsman at work. Those of us who learned some of this craft years ago remember all the tips Mark talks about when taking a weapon that we have never seen before apart. Excellent video as usual!
Another fantastic demonstration of an art form Mark, not a road race.
Anyone else remember Othias confusing the slide release with the mag release and having all 8 rounds ding his head? Idk what made me laugh harder, the look of absolute confusion on his face or May laughing at him!
First person I have seen on RUclips to use chalk whilst filling.....proper job! Love the channel keep at it!
Excellent choice of violin laid over the sped-up checkering work. Works well!
Thank You Mark. I own 2 of them (and a Krnka); I have a thing for WWI era pistols. Making ammo for the Krnka is a REAL effort. I found that Starline does make brass for 9x23 and 8X18 but that was after I had fabed both (32 H&R Long with the rim turned and a grove cut, and 9mm Largo resized .
The Vivaldi is the perfect music for speeded-up checkering!
Huh, wow. I have a Steyr-Hahn that could be this one's twin from its "before" state (less the oozing rust, fortunately). It has the same badly ground crest, the same electropenciled numbers (well, a different number, but you know what I mean), and the same obvious refinish work. About the only significant visual difference is the grips, which I think are later replacements (they aren't checkered, they just have vertical grooves). Makes me wonder if they both passed through the same set of hands at some point in the distant past. Based on Othais's info in the Steyr-Hahn Primer, I suspect mine was one of the ones that were made for Romania, but seized by the Austrian government before they could be delivered.
Great video. It's always extra-fun to see a gun that looks like something from my own collection in your shop. :)
Loved finally getting to see how you prepare a hammer face for delicate work
Great content. Always love to see these old guns end up in a better state than they started.
Mirror polished, minute angle faced, 1/4 lb German ball peel is one of my used tools as an aerospace fabricator.
Very good lessons to learn. I am soaking it all up like a sponge!! Thanks Mark.
Only videos I watch for what feels like 5 minutes then look down and it's been a hour. Always a pleasure.
Wow. I designed this exact gun one day in kindergarten! My mom hung the blueprints on the fridge for months!
Other than the extractor being a bit of a nightmare to put back in, these are wonderfully well engineered in terms of disassembly. I love mine, it's easily my favourite handgun. The clips are cheap and plentiful too!
you sir are a joy to watch...such craftsmanship... thank you and bruno for allowing us the ability to watch a master at work...every one of your videos is a learning and enlightening joy
Beautiful job as ever, team! Love the editing, especially the timelapse with the background classical music. (Vivaldi?)
I really liked the music you chose while Mark cut checkering!
It's always fascinating to watch you "dissect" a gun, giving tips and pointing out the traps for the unwary and inexperienced. The hammer polishing segment was mystifying but then it all fell into place as you removed that pin. Bravo Maestro!
damn! an Anvil video and i have stuff i HAVE to do. to quote Arnie, "i'll be back".
My brother found out first hand about hammer head spall...
after having it surgically removed from his left bicep muscle. Violin music was perfect while you Fiddled with the checkering tool .
I always enjoy watching you as I get to see guns that I never knew existed
I have a 1970 vintage JP Sauer & Sons replica of a Colt SAA. It’s chambered in 44 Mag. I bought it when I was in college, and I used to wear it holstered on campus. Imagine that ! The trigger guard and back strap and ejector sleeve were made of some cheesy powder metal. A few years ago, I replaced them with brass ones. The cylinder and barrel seem well made and robust. It’s a hand wrecker, and a Beyonce to shoot more than a few rounds. Best to wear gloves because you need a two hand grip to hit anything and when you grip it forward of the pistol grip it sprays your hands with blast emanating from between the cylinder and the barrel. I truly enjoy your videos. Ultra informative and educational.
Got wordy and didn’t ask my question… is there a way to work the trigger / hammer to make the half cock safety a bit more reliable? Right now it’s a five shooter if you want to carry it in a holster.
3:02 we finally hear Mark's "bedroom battle cry" 😁
This video just cements my love for the Steyr 1910
Finally! I have been looking for a disassembly video for my 1912 Steyr ever since I bought it. I'm sure IT will benefit from a proper clean too! Fun gun to shoot.
This is exactly like those art conservation videos, why is it not as popular? The mind boggles.
Watching has made me pull out my Stetr 1916. I do not recall removing the cassette from the pistol. Thank you!
Great patience and skill, you're a rare one for sure. great to see a bench that looks like mine. The tool maintenance section was particularly interesting. Thank you.Hope you inspire a new generation and this way of working gets practised more.
That blueing came out very nice and face lift on the grips was a crowning touch
Thank you again for the respite Mark. It's appreciated.
You're right about the hammer face not being factory hardened...but...old hammers end up work hardened and slivers end up in eyes all the time from hitting hammers with hammers
i have been a professional transmission rebuilder for over 40 years, retired now, thank God! i know about managing time! you have to juggle 3 or 4 transmissions every day,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Amazing! Brought back memories of my poor efforts.
Firstly I was amazed at how much grime you able to cut out of those grips and secondly I think it's pretty enough that if I owned it I'd smile and say thank you to whoever gave it to me!!! 🤠👌
"A buck in book saves a grand in stupid." - Mark Novak, 2021
Love to watch you such beautiful work thank you for another fine video two thumbs
Thank you for the video. I learn something more every time I watch. It’s not what you say that helps as much as what you do. I’m a better gunsmith because of you.
These hands should be in a museum
Declared a National Treasure, like the Japanese do with traditional artisans.
@@ScottKenny1978 ...and what or who will be the N T then ?
@@remko1238 Mark Novak the national treasure gunsmith.
The human eye and brain can be incredibly precise. When I worked in a polystyrene foam factory where we used hotwire cutting, using a threaded rod to conduct to the wires, I could get to a 32nd (the thread spacing) by eye on anything much less than a foot or so just by seeing parallels over 4' of wire. I know lifetime framers who can keep rough framing within standards laying out studs and never touch a tape. Fearfully and Wonderfully made, indeed.
I've gotten to see something similar in person, watched my grandpa frame out a barn and one of the guys said something to him about not measuring often enough so he told the dude to measure behind him as he went and then shut the hell up.
Dude didn't have anything to say, pawpaw's work was on point. He had been framing for like 55yrs at that point, he was 70yrs old still working circles around people.
Great Video. We appreciate showing us the bead blasting process. Thanks Mark!
Oh man the Vivaldi was a really nice touch
Take home point- Received wisdom is inferior to understanding. As always, it's been a pleasure watching!
I love the variety of work that is shared here. Many thanks to Mark and his team.
You did not show removing the extractor, which I found to be the most difficult thing to remove and reinstall. The internet needs this footage!
Really interesting video for hammer enthusiasts.
Mark I think you've convinced me to take up gunsmithing. I spent some years as a machinist in my younger years. Then serviced our firearms for years "almost long as I've put them to use". I'll study the trade first just machining experience and working on arms isn't enough to be a gunsmith I know.
A little Vivaldi is always a nice touch.
Beautiful work, Mark. Always inspiring to see this kinda stuff done
My dad was fond of saying, “Never use force, get a bigger hammer.” Thanks for the memory.
Awesome skills as ever Mark
I have a one just about like it a 1913. I give 200 for it 3 yrs ago and found 2 boxes of ammo it shoots fine I did have to clean it after I got it it was just dirty no rust I did have to make a plunger they had a piece of plastic on the end of the spring and they were shoot regular 9mm which is more presure then the 9mm styer rounds but I sure wouldn't recommend it. I like the older firearms as it like holding a piece of history.
Phenomenal amount of knowledge to absorb in this video. Keep up the extraordinary work!
Man I love hearing that song
Always look forward to your next adventure , never disappointed . Btw , I have a distain for violin but seriously in love with cello . I know I'm weird . Would love to see you play the piano again . You're a hoot !
How much detail is involved in these old gun amazes me. Imagine taking the time to dove tail grips nowadays haha
The design philosophy and amount of labor involved is amazing--the utter craftsmanship has long since disappeared, at least in regards to mass production
One of those guns I wish I still had, and there are many, was a Styer in 9x19.
I believe it was converted by the nazies, or possibly Imperial Germany.
It had a red 9 embossed in the grips like the Red 9 C-96 from WW-1.
Always enjoy learning from you.
Thanks for sharing!
Ahh..one of my favorite sidearms !
A question for Mr. Novak. I have the 1907 Roth-krnka like in the picture. It " Had" a horse shoe shaped spring that put pressure
on the magazine follower/ magazine unloader . The button on the side now rattles easily instead of having pressure on it.. Thus it is a single shot only.. I have no idea what happened to the spring. I only found a small piece of it upon disassembly.. Can you recreate that spring ?? and yes, I do have some Fiocchi 8 mm Steyr !! . Although I will probably not shoot it much more, I would like to repair it.
I love your articulate use of English . Your are wonderfully entertaining and knowledgable.
Polished my 2ouncer just the other day.
Outstanding!
Ausgezeichnet! Ja, stimmt Herr Novak... love you work me old China!
As always it’s been a pleasure to watch
Your years of skill are only accentuated by your pragmatism. Thank you.
When I first started swinging a hammer for a living a wise man told me "If you get in a hurry you screw up in a hurry. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast."
Either grind the pits or precision weld them then, flat surface but; you're right the pistol has been "worked over" by other persons who didn't know what they were doing. Usually, I bead blast the pits then weld. Good luck trying to find the old varnish. Up until about 2009 or so real oil varnish could be purchased. Very nice work saving the old pistol.
Well Fine Woodworking magazine years ago published a formula for " vernis Martin", you could therefore make your own. Just don't burn down your shop doing it,or have the stuff splatter or spit. The burns that result can go to the bone.
Once the grinds are there, removing them is also defacing some history.
great vid Mark, thank you
"With great power comes great ability to tear stuff up." Mark Novak
Nice! Thank you both!
Rich.
Such a cool gun. Both modern (general look and feel, operating system) and primitive (Integral clip loaded mag, takedown method) autoloader aspects in the design.
Thank you for showing how to polish the ball peen, always been wondering, cheers
I really like these videos!!! I have the gunsmith skills of a untrained rat! But I enjoy watching you work your magic on these old guns!! Best regards from Idaho!
"Notice the dramatic lack of threaded fasteners in this"
I counted two. Grip screw and one in the hammer. Everything else was split pins or solid pins.
On the hammer, how often do you repolish it? Weekly? Daily?
Bb:::
"Go up two hammer sizes" Works for me!
Hey Mark - I peen rivets in sword and knife assembly all the time with a polished hammer in the vise as a shaped anvil. I do the same with the faces as you are doing, too. I keep a stick with leather on it, charged with green chrome polishing compound, to finalize it. Good work.
Ahh awesome
Beautiful work!
You can use a 9mm/para - barrel (f.e. from IGB-Austria) for shooting. No other changes needed.
So this beauty is ready for usage with 9x19 - cases. Just use no modern loads. Use loads like for the Luger08.
Always wondered why you don't use brass punches so as not to damage the metal surfaces.
Best intros in all of youtube folks.
Ted Darling, Rapid City, SD
Mark have you ever thought about a collar mic? Even with hearing aids in both ears, I still have trouble hearing you about 70% of the time. I really enjoy watching your channel.
I've owned a 1944 Klein Nagant rifle. It had the fold out toothpick bayonet. I was fortunate to get one with a new barrel, bolt, a nd receiver assy. It was rebuilt at a class 5 military depot in Yugoslavia around the early 1960's. It had all original Magnet parts. This thing looked and shot like a new rifle would
I also had a 1933 Savage Super Spotted in 30-06. It had also either been taken very much care of or had been refurbished at some time.
One of my friends and I, always shot at 300 yards. My .06 would shoot through 3/8" plate steel, but my Klein wouldn't. But it would bend the he'll out of the steel.
Keep up the great work, I learn a lot from you. That's saying something for a 73 year old man.
looks amazing, thanks for all the hard work and the upload
Wow! Such a complicated n intricate mechanism. Thanks for video?