“Can you add some more engraving to my gun?”

This is a question that most engravers are asked and it is a very difficult one to answer. Engraving of guns usually takes place near the end of its manufacture – the next process is to case harden and then polish before final assembly. So when I am asked to engrave on a gun that has been “finished” I try and explain why it’s not such a good idea. That said, some guns are not hardened all over as part of the manufacturing process (the trigger guard for instance), and some guns not at all. It is possible to anneal or soften a gun that has been hardened but the process is not for the feint hearted as the intense heat can warp the metal as the stresses are relieved; this would need the attention of a very skilled gunsmith to correct. Get good advice.

Most of the time when I am asked to enhance a gun that has already been engraved it’s because the customer has decided to have something personal added to it – maybe initials or armorials engraved on the small gold oval in the stock or gold inlay on the trigger guard. These should not be a problem. Guns without the gold oval can either have one fitted or the initials can be cut out of gold sheet and inlaid into the woodwork. All engravers can carry out this type of work which can make an interesting break between the bigger jobs that often take many weeks.