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Wanting a Ruger Old Army engraved
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I have a stainless steel David Clements .50 Cal Ruger Old Army that I want to have engraved. I am looking for suggestions on who to send it to. I am thinking scroll and about 3/4 coverage. I have talked to several engravers and most prices are around $800 but have also been quoted $2000 and $4000. The $4k also charges an additional $500 since it has an octagon barrel. Anyone have any of their revolvers engraved lately? Is a $4000 job actually $3200 better than an $800 engraving? Also I have seen some stainless guns that have the engraving “inked” wigg the a type of black filler? Does that last through the cleaning process? This is a black powder gun and I do plan on using it. This is one of my “grail” guns that I have listed after for years and I want to make it even more special and personalized but not gaudy.

 
Posts: 759 | Location: Tallahassee, FL | Registered: 11 December 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Pacecar's
Not sure I'm going to be of much help, but here goes. I have only had one gun engraved, I got two estimates for the job. One was about half of the other estimate, but I chose the more costly engraver (Roger Kehr). I made this decision based on the fact I saw plenty of his work posted here, and many members here have used his services in the past. I like his style of engraving and his communication was excellent. He quoted me 30 day completion and he did it in 27, that kind of professionalism goes a LONG way with me. I got regular photo updates as the work progressed, but once I had the finished product in hand, it only confirmed I had made the correct choice, every thing was perfect and just what I had wanted. If this is a "Holy Grail" gun to you I would follow my gut more than the quote. A $3200.00 difference is to me a bit of red flag, not directed at the $4000.00 quote, but the $800.00 quote.
 
Posts: 747 | Location: MI | Registered: 26 November 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Get some pics of other similar revolvers,,Ruger SA's, Colt SAA. ect with similar pattern coverage that you want.

3/4 coverage in your mind is not always 3/4 coverage in someone elses estimate.
Usually the 2 are a long way off from each other.

Once you have the amount of coverage down and understood what you want AND where you want on on revolver,,
Then the style of scroll must be pinned down as well.
Most every engraver cuts a favorite style of their own. It may look like one of the classic styles, or it may be something they have developed from one of those. Or it may be something entirely different all together.

It has to satisfy you, the customer,,not the engraver.

Some engravers are not comfortable cutting more than one or two different styles. They are very comfortable and Quick when cutting those favorite styles.
That's good for them and it can be good for you as well if you really like one of those. .

Ask for pics, or links to pics of their scroll work.
Ask if the work is done 'flat' or in 'relief'.
The former has no background cut away and only has the background to the scroll work matted or otherwith stippled or lined to create a darkened or contrasted look.
Relief cut has that background area gone over and the steel cut away and then the area matted/stippled. This creates a greater contrast and bolder look to the work..and is more costly to engrave because of the time involved.

Some background work on either type (flat or relief work) is done by using a single point tool to line the background with closely spaced parallel lines for flat work. Doing the same but cutting deeper and removing more matr'l creates relief work and is considered a class way of doing the job.

Some engravers charge extra for work on (some) stainless steel firearms. SOme can be very tough to cut. Others no more difficult than their carbon steel counterparts.
Even some of the carbon steel guns are very difficult.
Engravers get to know which are the difficult ones. Orig mfg Win21 is one,,Some Ruger No1 rifles. Some of the Colt stainless 1911A1 slides.

A well established engraver with a long customer and work waiting list will obviously be more $$. They have earned that over time and experience.

A lesser known engraver may not have the work waiting for them, the notoriety, etc. So they are apt to be less expensive to hire to take on the job.
They may produce the same high quality work as some of the Front Cover engravers, they are just not liking or needing the spot light.

Take a look at the Engraver's Cafe forum

https://engraverscafe.com/

There are engravers of all profiles there. Some unkn's as far as recognizable names but the work is fabulous.
Many are just hobbyists, many more are in the biz either part or full time and will accept work.
It's a good place to get an education on what is good work and what is not, prices, types of engraving, engraver/customer relationship, etc.

That 'black filler' can be a number of different things.
One is a commercially available product sold for just this purpose by engravers supply outlets.
It comes in a 2 separate containers.
One is the black 'ink'. That is painted over the engraving and allowed to dry.
Then the second , which is usually just acetone' is used to dampen a cloth patch.
The patch is used to carefully rub over the engraving, this removed the black from the high surface and with care leaves it in the lower surfaces which are the cut lines and background.

The stuff is pretty good at staying put. The good thing about it is that if it does start to become faint in areas or you want to re-new the look,,just scrubb the entire piece with some acetone to remove what's there and re-apply a new coating.
The last time I bought any I got it from N-Graver Co.
http://www.ngraver.com/finishing.htm
But I never cut much stainless so I used very little of it.

Some engravers mix their own 'black'.
Some use India Ink with other sorts of mixes to get their perfect black background look.
Wether those are any better or worse at battling wear or cleaning methods that they will encounter especially on a BP firearm,,I don't know.
 
Posts: 548 | Registered: 08 June 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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It is at Tyler Gunworks for engraving now. Here are the before pics with the new Desert Ironwood grips from Chig’s:


 
Posts: 759 | Location: Tallahassee, FL | Registered: 11 December 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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It is heading back to me now!
 
Posts: 759 | Location: Tallahassee, FL | Registered: 11 December 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Pacecars, I am right in there with you, as I am guilty of the same. I recall the old adage,
"The difference between men + boys,
Is the cost of their toys."
 
Posts: 4103 | Location: Austin,Texas | Registered: 08 April 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Hello pacecars,

I just posted this .. the thread next to yours ... its about my old Colt SAA Sheriff's model. This engraver is a member of my Gun Club. Tell me exactly what you want and I'll drop him a note.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...1041232/m/8691014372


" .... you never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early .... "

How to Hunt Wisconsin Whitetail Deer with a Cannon

How to Hunt Feral Cats with a Mortar
 
Posts: 2100 | Location: Whitetail Country - Wisconsin | Registered: 28 September 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Sorry for the slow reply. Your Colt looks great. The engraved Ruger up above is what Rocky Sharp turned mine into
 
Posts: 759 | Location: Tallahassee, FL | Registered: 11 December 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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