To engrave or not to engrave the Big Iron

[Dusty Devil Dale]

I know very little about the gun itself, but fancy engraving wont increase its value very much, if the gun has low value to begin with.   Expensive lipstick on a pig is exactly that.

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

Ohhhhhh...someone called someone's revolver a pig...

 

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

It's YOUR gun - no one elses.

You paid to build it.

You're going to have to pay for ANY embellishments - engravings, badges or otherwise.

AND most importantly - you are the one that has to own it and look at it.

So honestly - who gives a flying fig newton what anyones elses opinion is?

 

If life was about logic and quality and budget and return on investment and a million other "grown up responsible choices" - it would not be nearly as much fun.

 

As long as YOU like it.

As long as YOU can afford it.

And as long as YOUR choices don't harm anyone else.

It aint no one elses place to tell you what to do with your money, toys or time.

 

Do it - enjoy it.

Getting money back out of toys is the least of my concerns.

Life is too short to not play big.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

Another plus to just engraving the backstrap is that you can inexpensively ship that part to an engraver if there are none available nearby.  And although it won't really increase the value of the revolver (except to you), I can see someone at an estate sale eyeing that gun with the big barrel and the "big iron" and saying, Ooh!  Cool, I want that!    And keep a copy of the lyrics with the gun, just in case the potential purchaser is too young to remember Marty.  

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

 

21 minutes ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

I can see someone at an estate sale eyeing that gun with the big barrel and the "big iron" and saying, Ooh!  Cool, I want that! 

 

Yep, I base all my gun work on how valuable it will be to someone else when I am dead.  

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

1 hour ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

 

 

Yep, I base all my gun work on how valuable it will be to someone else when I am dead.  

Yup - I want everyone at my estate sale mumbling to themselves,

"Man, if he had left that (gun, car, motorcycle, etc.) unfired, unmodified, original paint, etc. - think how much more it would have been worth".

 

And then I want my wife, daughter, son or grandsons to pipe up and say,

"Maybe, but think how much less it would have been worth to him"

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

I'm screwing up everything that I own so that my estate is worth less when I die...let my kids earn their own way!

 

(Can't wait for folks to respond like I'm serious...)

 

Phantom

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

Another neat thing you gotta try. Go to garage sales and buy a lot of little trinkets...wrap them carefully and put them in a box labeled "Your Name" treasures / family heirlooms. Store in a hard to find corner...

 

You'll laugh yer a$$ off watching this from Heaven...or Hell...

 

Phantom

[Hoss]

4 hours ago, Creeker, SASS #43022 said:

It's YOUR gun - no one elses.

You paid to build it.

You're going to have to pay for ANY embellishments - engravings, badges or otherwise.

AND most importantly - you are the one that has to own it and look at it.

So honestly - who gives a flying fig newton what anyones elses opinion is?

 

If life was about logic and quality and budget and return on investment and a million other "grown up responsible choices" - it would not be nearly as much fun.

 

As long as YOU like it.

As long as YOU can afford it.

And as long as YOUR choices don't harm anyone else.

It aint no one elses place to tell you what to do with your money, toys or time.

 

Do it - enjoy it.

Getting money back out of toys is the least of my concerns.

Life is too short to not play big.

Hey Creeker, maybe he can run up a big bill at the engraver then get the Pres to “forgive” the debt 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

24 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

I'm screwing up everything that I own so that my estate is worth less when I die...let my kids earn their own way!

 

(Can't wait for folks to respond like I'm serious...)

 

Phantom

 

 I won't have an estate cause I'm working overtime spending all my fortune right now..... 

 

I do have a couple friends that want my reloading data, in which I've kept some good records over the. years.

 

AND..... there are a couple Cowboy shooters that want my .32 Widdermatics.   Other than that, my 97's are up for grabs, along with

my ATV and Toyota truck.

 

..........Widder

 

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

4 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

 I won't have an estate cause I'm working overtime spending all my fortune right now..... 

 

I do have a couple friends that want my reloading data, in which I've kept some good records over the. years.

 

AND..... there are a couple Cowboy shooters that want my .32 Widdermatics.   Other than that, my 97's are up for grabs, along with

my ATV and Toyota truck.

 

..........Widder

 

Here's how you build an "estate" in todays world.

 

Claim all your loans (including any mortgages), as having Loan Dysphoria...they think they are all Student Loans.

 

Instant wealth!!

 

Your welcome!

 

Phantom

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

42 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

I'm screwing up everything that I own so that my estate is worth less when I die...let my kids earn their own way!

 

(Can't wait for folks to respond like I'm serious...)

 

Phantom

C'mon Phantom - I'm thinking that sometime in your past you have devalued something by error or personal desire.

Be hard to have participated in motorsports without breaking parts or otherwise investing monies that will never be recovered.

 

Or maybe it's just me...

I always say all my hobbies and businesses are

"Not for profit".

 

But that's never been by choice. 

 

 

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

21 minutes ago, Hoss said:

Hey Creeker, maybe he can run up a big bill at the engraver then get the Pres to “forgive” the debt 

If that works - I have a few pieces that I wouldn't mind being scratched up further.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

1 hour ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 I won't have an estate cause I'm working overtime spending all my fortune right now.

 

Just got back from lunch.  With actual inflation being 25 to 30% the price of lunch plus a nice tip and I have solved the disposal of my fortune.

[Dusty Devil Dale]

8 hours ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Ohhhhhh...someone called someone's revolver a pig...

 

Only "IF the gun has low value to begin with".

 

Truthfully, I've engraved cheap guns for raffles or auctions.  They end up going at or below their unembellished price.  (Gasp!--Maybe it was the engraving quality !)

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

3 hours ago, Creeker, SASS #43022 said:

C'mon Phantom - I'm thinking that sometime in your past you have devalued something by error or personal desire.

Be hard to have participated in motorsports without breaking parts or otherwise investing monies that will never be recovered.

 

Or maybe it's just me...

I always say all my hobbies and businesses are

"Not for profit".

 

But that's never been by choice. 

 

 

Yeah...kinda. I've modified stuff looking to get better performance only to find out that I ended up with a boat anchor. 

 

Screwed around with some grips...they turned out...not so good.

 

Totally screwed up a 1966 Ford Mustang...so yeah, I've screwed myself many a time

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

2 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Totally screwed up a 1966 Ford Mustang...so yeah, I've screwed myself many a time

63 1/2 427 Galaxie and 65 Ranchero (converted to 302) - broke them both being stupid.

This was before someone informed me GM products were cheaper to fix when I broke them.

So then I proceeded break a 76 Corvette (multiple times).

 

We need to swap stories sometime.

[Oak Ridge Regulator]

I sent my grip frames to Jim Downing to have some engraving done on the back strap, he did it in 1 week, sent it back, cost me $100 a frame for what I wanted done and I can not say enough good about his work, he doesn’t charge enough for what he does and the quality he delivers, give him a call you won’t be disappointed 

[Oddnews SASS# 24779]

This is a very customized piece, and if you want engraving on it, go for it. I'd think "Big Iron" on the backstrap in the fancy scroll letters like one sees on traditional "medicine show" wagons would be cool -- but its custom and that's up to you.
I go back and forth on engraving. I've seen engraved guns that I thought were works of art, and I've seen engraved guns that I thought looked like bad renditions of the cap pistols I had as a kid.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

4 hours ago, Oddnews SASS# 24779 said:

 I've seen engraved guns that I thought looked like bad renditions of the cap pistols I had as a kid.

 

Now there's an odd thought.   I got to remembering my old cap pistols and found myself thinking, take a nickeled clone to engraver, show him cap pistol and say, "Match this engraving."

Hm...    Just found one of e-bay.   They actually don't look so bad...

[Chancy Shot, SASS #67163]

Go ahead.  Enjoy yourself.  But we will demand pictures.

 

Chancy

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

20 hours ago, Chancy Shot, SASS #67163 said:

Go ahead.  Enjoy yourself.  But we will demand pictures.

 

Chancy

 

Tell you what, IF I do this, I promise to post pictures. 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

On 8/24/2022 at 9:04 AM, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Well...since this is an "Opinion" thread...I'd say sell it and get a real gun.

 

But...that's just me.

 

Phantom

There you go.  The ideal solution, at least for me and Phantom.

 

AS to engraving, I have some on a pair of 1860 Army six shooters to commemorate my time in the Army on one and the Marines on the other.  Kelly Laster did a wonderful job on them and on a couple of side plated on rifles, but I don't go for lots of carving and gaudy themes.

 

Rachel Wells did a pair of Eagle Grips grips for the 1860s.  She's a legend in her own right.