What to do with engraving

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del4

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I inherited a colt detective from a relative that I didn't like all that much, not a good guy...
The revolver is in mint condition, but his name is engraved on the frame.
Do I have any options but to leave it? I'm not going to sell the gun.

Del
 
How deep is the engraving?

You could have it custom engraved with some fancy stuff.

You could maybe draw file it out.

You could look at the name and go "mine now" everytime you shoot it.

You could leave it and know that if someone stole it it would be easy to find.
 
It could probably be gotten off.
Consider the "defarbed" repros, the Rugers with warnings erased, and caliber conversions with the original caliber gone and the new applied.
Might be a bit expensive since it would require a refinish to look nice.
 
I bought a first year production ( 1949 ish ) Ruger Mark 1 .22 pistol at a garage sale once for $80 that looked like it got dragged under a truck . Someone had engraved their social security number in the side of the grip frame because that seemed like a good idea at one time. I blanchard ground the grip frame to below the engraved marks and sent it into Ruger to get refinished. They put a set of period correct wood grips and it and sent it back to me looking like the day it came off the line all told less than $200. Gave it to my brother as a wedding present. Then that little jerk got divorced 10 years later. I want my gun back!

If you arent afraid to get it refinished a lot can be done with what seems like garbage. Its already been mutilated. Having the original finish on a mutilated gun doesnt help the value. Its your gun, make it your gun.
 
I'd leave it alone. It's just a tool, after all. Only problem is if it gets lost or stolen, it'll probably returned to his heirs on recovery. Did you get any documentation of the gifting? Was it in the will, or just "Here, Uncle Joe wanted you to have this"?
 
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Nope, no more breakfast for him.
Like I said before, I'm not selling it so refinishing isn't a big deal to me. I just didn't know that an engraving could be removed without leaving a mark. It does have a nice nickel finish.
 
It can't be removed without draw-filing it out, keeping the frame surface flat.

Then complete nickel stripping, polishing, and refinishing.

It will cost you more then the gun is worth to have it done right by a reputable refinisher.

rc
 
I'd just have someone blank it out with an engraver if I couldnt stand seeing the name. A little censor strip engraved over the words.
 
Just leave it like it is, keep it as a "spare" for what you normally use. Or use it as a truck gun. I ended up with a POS pistol once (I guess not a total POS since it did fire reliably) and I just kept it in the drawer of my tool chest in my detached garage.
 
Removing it depends on what the "engraving" is. If it is real cut engraving, and on a flat surface, it would be fairly easy to polish and/or draw file out and then reblue or finish with one of the modern paints. If it was put on with an electric pencil, rebluing might not work as those "pencils" actually compress the metal and the marks will show right through cold blue or hot tank bluing.

Jim
 
If it will cost more to remove it than the gun is worth, I'll just leave it. $200 would be the limit. It doesn't really bug me that much. Like it was said before, I can look at the name and say, "it's mine now".
 
You could put a piece of duct tape over the engraved portion every time you take it out to shoot it.
 
Look up d and b metal finishing in Michigan. Talk to them about plating the engraving out, it might be possible.
 
Depending on the location and overall size of the present engraving ,one alternative would be to have an engraver install an enlay over the area . Silver or gold and then have the enlay engraved with something you like.

PS: If the size is two large than this is not an option.
 
From what I've seen since I've been down here (not too far from you), an acceptable southern redneck solution would be to take your handy Dremel and grind the offending name away.
 
45_auto said:
From what I've seen since I've been down here (not too far from you), an acceptable southern redneck solution would be to take your handy Dremel and grind the offending name away.
Click to expand...
Nah, I don't really hate him that much. If I was my ex, I would take it off with a bench grinder.[emoji5]
 
This is one of those situations where a good, close-up picture is necessary before truly constructive suggestions can be made. A lot depends on where the "engraving" is, and how it was done. Unquestionably the engraving can probably be polished out, and the revolver refinished - but the best way to accomplish this requires better insights.
 
Old Fuff....A lot depends on where the "engraving" is
Click to expand...

Completely agree, he said frame, but is it the grip frame? A set of Hogue grips will cover up any blemishes on the grip frame.
 
What I was getting at for example.

What if the engraving turned out to be on the side plate? In that case it might be possible to remove the unwanted engraving and re-plate it without doing the whole gun. This would make a considerable difference in cost.
 
Pick up a Harbor Freight engraving pencil or Dremel style tool. Cross his name out and write in yours. Keep the family tradition alive. :)

Jeff
 
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