doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Lasers-an alternative form of engraving?

I submitted a post in this thread last week, but it has apparently been lost or not posted for some reason.

I clicked on the https://www.altamontco.com/engraving link and then clicked on several of the guns hoping for details about the process used. Some of them, including the Browning 725 Citori did not clearly state that the engraving was laser reproduction of some stock pattern. So it isn't clear which were "real" hand cut engraving, and which were done either partially or totally by the laser process. In the description for the Citori, it said this:

NOTE FROM THE ENGRAVER:
This project took years and more hours than I can count. I cannot begin to describe how it invigorated me and pushed me to improve my engraving skills. Learning to engrave 725’s took me to Japan, and changed my life. I owe this project a lot. Thank you to Browning and Miroku for making this special project possible. Thank you to Dan Kynoch and my father for believing in this project and supporting it. Thank you to all who helped make my dream a reality.

I hope this shotgun is well-used and passed down to the next generation. I have my Dad’s Belgian-made Superposed from fifty years ago. The little dents in the beautiful wood remind me of his adventures and hunting stories. Hunting memories are forever. We had a basic engraved over-under when I was a kid that my brothers and I would fight over using. I won enough that it became “mine”. I still associate that shotgun with all of our dove and pheasant hunts.

I hope this shotgun helps you and future generations make great memories. Enjoy the field.

Sincerely,

Merlin Enright

So we really don't know whether this particular gun was the original hand cut model, or simply a reproduction. While it appears that the process has improved greatly compared to a lot of the butt-ugly, soulless, and lifeless early laser engraving, it is still a mere reproduction. And I feel the cost and added value should and would be something like the comparison between an original one-of-a-kind oil painting, and a print that was reproduced and sold in volume. I'd guess that at this point, real engravers and serious students of engraving styles could quickly tell which was hand cut, which was cut with a power graver, or which was done by a machine. It would be interesting to hear the thoughts of some real firearm engravers like Kutter and Sam Welch.

Keith-thanks for your input. It is appreciated.

I had seen some earlier attempts to decorate firearms with both shallow laser work or acid etching. They were disappointing to say the least. Enrights efforts are much improved over what I had seen in the past. The depth of the cuts are impressive.

I have no visions of enhanced collectability, but the work was pleasing to my eye and the price was within reason. That much hand work would by traditional engraving would cost thousands--and put it out of reach for many shooting fans. Perhaps others will be tempted?

Best New Year Wishes,

I have a Beretta Silver Pigeon II 20 ga. I bought from the Beretta Gallery in Dallas close to 30 years ago. Highly upgraded wood and the receiver has a darker nickel "antique" finish than other standard versions I've seen. Has "Beretta Gallery" in scroll on the bottom of the trigger guard. I've always thought it had amazing engraving for a production gun. I was told it was done by the EDM process, known as electrical discharge machining, but it really looks like a lot of hand work was used. Stan has one as well, and he has seen mine also. They really show up well. These are good photos of an example, though the seller has it priced near double what it should be:
https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...es-accessories.cfm?gun_id=103382588#lg-6
To my knowledge, Beretta stopped making the Silver Pigeon II quite some time ago.
JR

Machine "engraving" is in the same league as machine checkering. They both bear a resemblance to the real thing, and the likeness can be sufficient to anyone so inclined. These processes, however, cannot replace or even compete with hand work. They are replicas, identical reproductions of fixed design and lifeless examples of what technology can do-- over and over. Claudio's current Holland project illustrates perfectly what only human beings can create. We're in a world now where so-called progress renders more and more people obsolete. We need to celebrate all kinds of work still being performed by human hands.

John, I had a SP II similar to yours many years ago. never should have sold it. I could tell it wasn't completely done by hand but it was impressive anyways.