Sharp engraving? Can I smooth?

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First, you don't want to use sandpaper on it as there is no way to control how much or how little metal you remove. The last engraved gun I had was a factory engraved Colt SAA, and it was by no means smooth.

your engraver should have buffed after he engraved so the edges blended. That's what my engraver does. He told me that he is displacing? the metal, which produces a slight hump or edge. Even stainless goes to the buffing wheel after engraving.

cannon4u said:

I recently had a bit of engraving done to a pistol... It is great work and all done by hand (not machine done). The issue is that it's kind of sharp... Like not totally smooth... You can feel the edges and it just feels odd to the touch. Without emailing my engraver to ask for suggestions and perhaps offend him, does the Board have any ideas? I was thinking maybe the finest grit sandpaper but I am not an expert by any means. My goal was to perhaps have it look like it was done ages ago.Thank you.

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You end up with sharp edges if your gravers aren't kept sharp, You can try using a burnishing tool. They won't scratch the surface but will take burrs off. If that doesn't do it and you have access to a polisher I would use the rouge wheel applying a good amount of rouge. If that doesn't do it I would hit it on the polisher with a bar of Tripoli or another type bar for steel or stainless , Being very careful not to polish off engraving. If you don't feel comfortable with any of that I would send it back to the engraver cause the finished product should be burr free.

Is the gun blued?
If so, there's nothing you can do that won't damage the bluing.

Real engraving is actually cuts in the metal and that raises ridges and tiny burrs.
Years ago a test to see if a gun was hand engraved or had some sort of stamping was to pull a nylon stocking over it.
Real hand engraving would catch and pull the stocking, machine work wouldn't.

As above, you need to talk to your engraver about this, and see what he recommends.
Don't do anything until you do. You can do serious damage to the finish or the engraving and he isn't going to warranty the work if you do something to it before contacting him.

dfariswheel said it all. Personally, I like to be able to feel engraving but not with little snags. When I do my jobs I feel over it and with a flat graver, cut off any sharpies, usually followed by a light buffing.

Thanks guys...Great advice as expected from this Board. Cheers.

Matchlock said:

Hi cannon4u;

dfariswheel gave you excellent advice.

However, here's another solution.

Call your engraver and say to him "The gun you engraved for me is absolutely fantastic. The design is perfect and I just wanted to say thank you once again for a fine job.

One thing I was curious about, that perhaps you might answer for me. I was wondering why the engraving feels so sharp to the touch. Is that because it is so new?

Thanks again for a great job.

Sincerely

Cannon4u"

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Silver tongue devil, you are.
Kill them with kindness.

Well for some reason I like the feel of the sharp cut edges when I run my hand on an engraved gun.....

A good friend bought one of the 20 Single sixes that Bill Ruger sent to Spain in the early 50's to be engraved....

He let me carry it back to our table as he was still shaking from writing the CHECK....

When you would lightly rub your finger tips across the engraving it would catch the grooves of your finger tips....

I still get "goose bumps" thinking about that gun.....RR.