Request photos of the engraver’s work. You may not be familiar with the rules of graphic design, but you will instinctively know what “looks good” When you show the work to your friends, remember that everyone is an art critic.

• You want your friends to be able to identify the animal without you having to tell them what it is!
• Engraving should be growing and flowing. It is supposed to be foliage, albeit a very stylized version. The cuts shouldn’t be ragged, but instead, smooth and polished.
• There is a myriad of scroll styles that are based on the culture and history of where the firearm was developed and manufactured. Make sure the engraver appreciates, and has a knowledge of, the history and origin of your firearm.

Be aware of the term Master Engraver, as it is commonly used in the states. In Europe, the term is used to designate a person who has been awarded masters papers which allow him to practice his craft in those countries which require certification. In the U.S. the term is commonly used as a compliment only.

• When you ask the engraver how long has he been engraving, remember that if he only works part time, he probably engraves very few firearms each year. A full-time engraver may engrave at least one gun a month to keep food on the table and will have vastly more experience in five years than a part-time engraver will have in a lifetime. Don’t be afraid to ask for references. He should have at least a few people who will vouch for his work.

Quality of work is generally more important than quantity of engraving on the gun.

• One nice scroll one each side of the receiver is preferable to extensive engraving that is ugly in appearance. Engraving is labor intensive and although the work must be done efficiently by the engraver to make it reasonable for the customer, it must be done carefully enough to make it beautiful.

Never fully pay for any custom work in advance. Pay in increments or when commission is fully completed by the artist.

• In the custom gun business, many times delay in completion of the commission is caused by the customer paying in full in advance. Generally what happens, in my opinion, is that the artist spends the money. Meanwhile, other expenses have to be met, and many times the job that has been paid for in advance, sits idle on the workbench while other jobs are completed to pay upcoming bills.

Mechanically assisted engraving using rotary or impact tools, acid etching, photo-engraving, stamping or punching is not true hand engraving as practiced throughout history in America and Europe.

• True hand engraving cut in the traditional manner, using a hammer and chisel, to most knowledgeable collectors, looks entirely different from what is accomplished by other means. Engraving of weapons has been around since the dark ages and basically the same tools used then are used today. When an engraver takes the time to learn the traditional methods of hand engraving, he generally has a better idea of various scroll styles and designs best suited to the particular firearm that’s going to be engraved. On the other hand, extremely good wildlife artists that use mechanically assisted engraving tools are very capable of putting beautifully detailed engraved game scenes on firearms.

Gold work on heavily used firearms that are subject to occasional rough usage is not always a good idea. 24K gold is soft and subject to wear and scratching, but also makes the best adhering inlay.

• If you are in the mood for a practical joke on a Saturday afternoon, walk along the firing line of your local trap shoot competition with a piece of scrap gold and shout “ANYBODY LOSE THEIR GOLD INLAY?” and watch the shooters frantically turn their guns over looking for that dark, empty cavity. Gold inlays are as practical as skeleton buttplates, but are beautiful. Problems are not unknown. After fifty years or so, rust can form under the inlay and shuck it. The gold wants to naturally shuck from the firearm anyway because it is heavier than the surrounding steel. Soft gold, i.e., 24K gold makes the best inlay, but it also scratches the easiest. Be aware that it’s not unusual for $20,000 Perazzi’s to shuck a gold inlay or parts of a gold inlay. That doesn’t mean the engraver is not any good, it’s just a problem inherent with gold inlays. Then again, channel wire gold inlays are practically indestructible, but are the most expensive type of inlay and flush wire inlay commonly used to form borders is also quite indestructible. So seek the advice of the engraver on the type of inlay that will be used if the firearm gets heavy usage.

Steps required to prepare the gun for engraving:

1. First and foremost, you must find a good gunsmith that is familiar with your firearm. - (The engraver is a good source for a reference for a gunsmith.)
2. Disassemble the firearm.
3. If the gun is to be restocked, a stock-maker will prefer to do his work before the engraver. Quite frankly, they’d rather not worry about scratching the gun when heading it up.
4. Hand polish the firearm only *** NO BUFFING WHEELS*** Buffing wheels can change the shape of the receiver, wash out lettering, dish out screw holes, remove too much steel from the barrels where the barrels meet the breach and do all kinds of other nastys that will cost you a lot of money to have fixed.
5. Ship UPS only - SPECIAL RED TAGGED - handling available for guns insured for $5,000 and over. Insurance is only .35 per $100 of value. If the gun is worth $2,000 and you insure the gun for $5,000 and it’s lost or stolen, the company will only pay $2,000. You can’t over-insure the gun, just as you can’t over-insure your automobile, but if you do insure for $5,000, it is RED TAGGED and receives special handling considerations from the UPS driver and depot manager.

Investment potential:

• Most commission engraving on their firearm to create an heirloom, to enhance their collection, to dedicate an event or, for their own enjoyment of art and the skill of the artisan. Even though an art investment is enjoyed aesthetically, it’s monetary potential should not be ignored. If your initials are required on the gun, put them on the trigger guard bow as they can be easily removed by a new owner. Patterns exactly or similar to an original factory style are easily recognized as such and appreciated more than a custom style that may not “fit” the gun. For example, fine English scroll engraving looks misplaced on a Colt S.A.A. revolver, but is a perfect style on almost any shotgun.