Question for all the gun engravers

[ihsfab]

I have a client that wants some words engraved on a Henry Big Boy and he doesn't want it taken apart. Is this going to be as big of a pain as I think it will be if the gun is not disassembled?

I don't quite understand why he is apposed to having the gun taken apart.

Thanks

 

[GTJC460]

Sounds like a real nightmare! I'd pass. I've done some full length swords and these were not fun.

Small parts are always much easier to work with.

Also the Henry rifles have a superficial coating of yellow plating and lacquer. Not sure about the big boy, but the smaller calibers are a do not touch job.

 

[ihsfab]

Thanks Bert. I know that the golden boys have the plated receivers.

The more I think about this if he is not willing to have the gun taken apart I think I will have to pass on doing this job.

 

[JJ Roberts]

Kulley,Find out if the big boy is plated,since your only going to engrave lettering on the gun you don't need be disassembled the entire gun just remove the butt stock that should make easy to move around to get the job done. J.J.

 

[Gargoyle]

just remove the butt stock

Is that a reference to the client or to the gun?

 

[JJ Roberts]

It,s for the engraver Kulley to remore the butt stock,I'm trying to make it easy for him to engrave. J.J.

 

[monk]

if i learned one thing doing guns-- their tough enough to do, no sense making life miserable. i found that those who decided to save some bucks,by not paying the gunsmith for takedown/reassembly, were really taking the engraver for a "bath".

 

[Ed Westerly]

Three points:

1. most if not all Henrys are not engravable, because they are either plated or cast from gummy brass/other metals.
2. most engraving setups don't have enough swing room around the vise to swing a complete rifle, and you can't swing it through your body, so at the most it will swing about 270 degrees. (I suppose that you could leave it stationary and walk around it!)
3. If you choose to go ahead, I would suggest that you tell the customer "it will cost X to engrave. If I can't take it apart, it will cost you X x 4!

 

[Mike Fennell]

I think Ed Westerly is correct. I dealt with this issue this weekend. The man wanted several sentences than ran to 110 letters on one side and an American Flag on the other side of the Henry, and he wanted it done immediately. The gunsmith quoted him his charge to disassemble and reassemble, plus my price for the engraving. He has not been heard from since.

I might do a flag or a monogram without removing the barrel, but I don't believe I am going to beat myself hundreds of times with a rifle barrel while quoting some politician's wife.

 

[Gargoyle]

Early on an old carver told me that the jobs you turn down are much more important than the jobs you accept- because one bad job will undermine all you gain from ten good jobs.

 

[rayf24]

I would agree with others on this removal to make it easier and allow the best cutting possible.
If the customer realy wants it done then Quality is remembered long after the Price is Forgotten and also remember him came to you to have it done as it's something he can't do.
Ray

 

[Marrinan]

Ray, I was just going to quote Marcus Hunt's by-line myself. Gargoyle Walter's is pretty sound advice as well. People buy cheap guns and want us to make them "special". There is a firm in Rapid city who specialize in commemoratives for any occation. That is their line and I suggest leaving it to them. I feel the same way about cowboy action shooters. They want their "alias" on the butt strap an they want it done at the shoot for nothing. They remind me of that gun show filmed in Denver-You know the one were the kid is a master after 3 months, throws his tools around and dad says spray it with some gold paint and we will get 10,000 for it tomorrow-idiots. Fred

 

[ihsfab]

Thank You

A big Thank You for everyone that replied to this thread. Your insight is most valuable.
I will let everyone know how this turns out.

Thank you again!!!!!

 

[Beathard]

The golden boys are painted with something called brasslite. Big boys are brass. Neither are plated.

 

[Southern Custom]

Run like the wind. Of course that is what most prospective customers do anyway when I tell them what's involved in putting "just a name, date and a few scrolls" on their rifle. I've come up with pretty much a form letter spelling out what is involved with engraving a rifle. If that doesn't scare them off then I know they are at least somewhat serious.
Most potential clients really have no clue what is involved with hand engraving. I believe most think that their gun will be stuck in a machine and a big button will be pushed and their phrase of choice will be cut.
I've learned to trust my instincts. If it seems like a possible pain in the rear, it will be ten times worse.
Layne

 

[Big-Un]

Could we see your form letter?

 

[ihsfab]

Well I won't be doing any engraving on this rifle.
I told the guy before he left after showing me the rifle that he was going to need to have the barrel removed from the receiver before I would mess with it. He says okay and walks out the door. A month later he call's me from a local gunsmith shop and he asks me if I would engrave on the gun with the barrel still on. I said no. The owner of the gun kind of got upset with me but reminded him of what needed to happen before I would engrave it. Come to find out the gunsmith had the gun stripped down and was afraid to remove the barrel. I had never used this gunsmith before but I know another engraver that had used him on a similar gun so I don't know what was his hang up on this gun.
It might of been the fact it was a Henry Repeating Arms gun and not a Uburti.

Oh well not a big deal, kind of glad to see that this deal didn't work out. I can see now he would of been a pain to work with.

Thanks for all of your replies about this.

 

[jerrywh]

Personally I never let a client tell me how to do anything. I they knew how they should do it themselves. I think you saved yourdelf a lot of grief

 

[atexascowboy2011]

Besides him wanting to cut corners, ditto for what Gargoyle stated, PLUS, this type of customer is never happy AND you've probably wasted more time arguing with the guy, than the job is worth.