OP
OP
XavierBreath
Member
When I went to pick up the pistol, the "Clark" stamp had not been applied. I thought about it, and then decided to let Jim apply his mark. He would have done it either way. I'm pretty certain if a customer requested the marking left off or placed under a grip panel, Jim would be glad to accomodate them.
I opted to get the mark applied to the slide because this pistol may be liquidated after I am buried, either by my widow or my children. I have the paperwork showing the work done and who did it, but paperwork can be hard to find at such times. With the Clark Custom marking on the slide, the pistol retains it's resale value at the gun counter. It is an indisputable Clark gun. Without the marking, and with the paperwork misplaced, it becomes a Colt Commander with a severe dehorning and a hard chrome refinish. The former pistol sells easily at a good price. The later sells for substantially less if you can find a buyer. I don't really like the marking either, but I decided to get it marked to help the pistol sell at a later date if necessary. That's the reality of the marketplace.
The rollmarks were not buffed. If you look at the slide serrations, you can see where the buffing stopped. The pistol was bead blasted prior to hard chroming. Bead blasting will close up the impression made by the roll die. Whether Clark Custom can restore rollmarks, I do not know. Historically, they have not been in the business of restorations. They make competition guns and carry guns that shoot accurately and reliably. Their guns have never been the prettiest on the firing line. That just isn't their thing. Their guns are the ones that keep on running and shooting accurately all day. I'm sure though, if a person wanted the rollmarks restored, Jim would find a way to accomodate them. It may involve sending the gun off after the melt is done though.
I opted to get the mark applied to the slide because this pistol may be liquidated after I am buried, either by my widow or my children. I have the paperwork showing the work done and who did it, but paperwork can be hard to find at such times. With the Clark Custom marking on the slide, the pistol retains it's resale value at the gun counter. It is an indisputable Clark gun. Without the marking, and with the paperwork misplaced, it becomes a Colt Commander with a severe dehorning and a hard chrome refinish. The former pistol sells easily at a good price. The later sells for substantially less if you can find a buyer. I don't really like the marking either, but I decided to get it marked to help the pistol sell at a later date if necessary. That's the reality of the marketplace.
The rollmarks were not buffed. If you look at the slide serrations, you can see where the buffing stopped. The pistol was bead blasted prior to hard chroming. Bead blasting will close up the impression made by the roll die. Whether Clark Custom can restore rollmarks, I do not know. Historically, they have not been in the business of restorations. They make competition guns and carry guns that shoot accurately and reliably. Their guns have never been the prettiest on the firing line. That just isn't their thing. Their guns are the ones that keep on running and shooting accurately all day. I'm sure though, if a person wanted the rollmarks restored, Jim would find a way to accomodate them. It may involve sending the gun off after the melt is done though.
