How to dress up your Glock.

12Bravo20 said:
These are no worse than the gold plated AK's and gold plated pistols we found in Iraq.
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In '03, some guys we ran into showed us some Taurus pistols with engraving and gold-filling. Who knew?

When I first saw this thread, I knew there'd be a few "lipstick on a pig" remarks, but it's actually spurred some ideas. Sometimes the pig might look a little sexier with some lipstick. I see a business opportunity here, folks. Low overhead, little actual labor, and everyone's got a Glock, right?
 
If the engraving was more subtle and more "geometric" I think it could look good. Especially if there was a way to make the engraved areas a dark blue for example.
 
Paisley Glock comments aside, I like most of the decorating I see of firearms. Even ones colored in a pattern I wouldn't own can be cool. The reality is that I find other people's ideas more interesting than mine. If I get a Mythosaur skull engraved on my RIA 1911, before I hard chrome it, it will be because of this thread.
 
With laser engraving, you are seeing more and more guns with engraving every year.
Maybe a few of y’all remember, back in the late 80s, early 90s, S&W put out guns with laser engraving. It cost a good bit back then.
Now days it doesn’t cost as much.
Old Dog said:
In '03, some guys we ran into showed us some Taurus pistols with engraving and gold-filling. Who knew?

When I first saw this thread, I knew there'd be a few "lipstick on a pig" remarks, but it's actually spurred some ideas. Sometimes the pig might look a little sexier with some lipstick. I see a business opportunity here, folks. Low overhead, little actual labor, and everyone's got a Glock, right?
Click to expand...
One of the reasons you see more Glocks with laser engraving is, there are just a hell of a lot of them (Glocks) out there.
And then there are so many after market Glock slides and frames. I could go on line and find a slide for a Glock 19 for under $200. Try and find a slide for another gun. Your choice will be limited and your price much higher.
Now I’m not saying that the Glock is better, just more popular.

I’ve been giving some thought to having my two duty weapons, that I bought from my department, engraved. Nothing fancy, just something like a police badge on the slide. I could care less if it hurt the value of the guns because, I don’t plan to sell them. They will go to my kids or grand kids.

When I started this topic, I knew that there would be a few that would come up with some negative comments, it happens in every topic that has something to do with a Glock. But it’s nice to see that the negative comments were kept to a minimum and on The High Road side.
 
I don't like the pattern personally but I do like the idea. Wouldn't do it to one of my carry guns but could easily see doing it to a competition gun or 3.
 
tarosean said:
Said no one ever, unless you have some weird kink.
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Harsh crowd. You're saying you never had a crush on Miss Piggy as a kid watching The Muppet Show?

Guessin' we'll throw out that metaphor.

But wait, while we're talking about pigs:
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/canadian-super-pigs-about-invade-us-and-unleash-major-damage

Back on topic. When colorful firearms became a thing, and people started putting symbols, logos and slogans on them, I was a bit skeptical, as like most of us, I always felt that firearms should look like firearms and not toys. But there is a place for tasteful engraving, especially nice scrollwork or Bulino, to individualize firearms and sometimes even approach the level of fine artwork. If you've ever seen a Holland & Holland or Purdey, you know. Some revolvers (S&Ws, Pythons) and autopistols (1911s with the large flats on the slide) lend themselves to engraving, too. Surprisingly, it looks as though Glocks can benefit from some dressing up, too. Bet some gold inlay would look good.

images-adHNPsajhgmoy97yo-aya-anniversary-detalle.jpg
 
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I'd do guns that aren't Glock personally and it's be more personal.
The floral/baroque pattern would look good on a modern DAO revolver, or a Beretta/EAA Witness if you ask me.
 
Steven_Seagull said:
I'd do guns that aren't Glock personally and it's be more personal.
The floral/baroque pattern would look good on a modern DAO revolver, or a Beretta/EAA Witness if you ask me.
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why does it have to be flowers on a glock??? how about a Pine Tree or a Pineapple? know what I mean
 
Engraving is great on some guns. Not so much on others. But the laser engraving always looks cheap and tacky. Hand engraving is the only way to go.
 
gc70 said:
. ??? for engraving using the template
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"Entry Level" laser engraver runs to around US$3k-6K (the simpler ones for etching cups and other decorative metal work run to US$1200-1800, but cut in mils, not mm--I've been looking into the engraving game more than a little).

So, the guy with a three grand engraver might be willing to work for cheap, but, there is an issue for the time required. 05mil "business card" engraving can take 5 minutes. A custom Yeti cup, 10 minutes. 3-5mm deep laser engraving could take 24 hours. Per "face" engraved.

It's not the materials, it's the number of hours. And having to check the jig to make sure it doesn't move, and the like. And, that engrave is taking up around a square meter of the workbench that nothing else can be on. It's a balance, and finding it can be a chore.
 
CapnMac said:
"Entry Level" laser engraver runs to around US$3k-6K (the simpler ones for etching cups and other decorative metal work run to US$1200-1800, but cut in mils, not mm--I've been looking into the engraving game more than a little).

So, the guy with a three grand engraver might be willing to work for cheap, but, there is an issue for the time required. 05mil "business card" engraving can take 5 minutes. A custom Yeti cup, 10 minutes. 3-5mm deep laser engraving could take 24 hours. Per "face" engraved.

It's not the materials, it's the number of hours. And having to check the jig to make sure it doesn't move, and the like. And, that engrave is taking up around a square meter of the workbench that nothing else can be on. It's a balance, and finding it can be a chore.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that perspective. Without scouring the internet, I'm still interested in a rough idea of what laser engraving costs. For instance, a simple, repetitive design in a polymer grip. Or a couple of items of scrollwork on either end of a slide.
 
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