Engraved K-38 - Oak Leaves, Acorns and Silver

This was my last purchase of 2021. In the past several years, I have come to love oak leaf engraving on S&Ws. When I saw this one, I felt that it would fit nicely in my collection. I believe that it was engraved by H&H Zehner and the almost full coverage is really fun to look at with a magnifying glass. I hope that you will enjoy the photos AND if any of you have oak leaf engraved guns, I would love for you to post some photos...









[Edited - a few more photos are added in posts 16, 23 and 25 below]

Thanks for letting me share.

Gosh, Richard.

Everything about that K-38 speaks elegance. The cylinder flutes scream it.

I don't focus on the engraved models, but I sure enjoy yours. Thanks for posting this one.

Very nice Richard! No, I don't have one with oak leaf engraving, not that I wouldn't love to acquire one. Here's one I've been chasing, you've seen the pictures but others here haven't. Apparently it has eluded me.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

[/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/194934231@N03/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/194934231@N03/

Those are some beautiful revolvers, thanks for showing us.

Beautiful

The cross hatching in the flutes caught my eye instantly . . . . a very nice touch

Funny that you should post this about two hours after I got off the phone discussing a stainless Walther PPk that needs to get a oak leaf pattern put on it

Richard what a beauty of a weapon, thanks for showing them.

Richard: Lovely, and about as close to 100% engraved as I think I have ever seen.

I cannot imagine how they chased those cross hatch lines down the inside curve of the flutes. That is just showing off.
Beautiful revolver.

Some superb engraving there. Beautiful photos as always.

BEAUTIFUL, I love K frames and hunting in the northeast I love oaks and acorns. Congrats on awesome revolver

Very nice revolver.
I'd almost guess those inlays are White Gold instead of silver.
Unless the silver has been carefully polished of any tarnish andthen protected from further darkening.
Even Fine Silver (.999) will tarnish. It just takes a little longer.
I have several coils of different dia wire in Fine Silver yet and some sheet stock from projects. It is black in color from tarnish just sitting in it's paper envelopes that it comes in from the metals supplier.

White Gold is an alloy of 24k gold and nickel. Sometimes Palladium is alloyed into it (crack open those catalytic converters)

It retains it 'white' color w/o tarnishing though some alloys of white gold will take on a slight color change and darken much to the owners dismay.
This darkening of the WhiteGold in these instances is usually due to the particular White Gold alloy being also included with some Silver or lower grade silver containing copper.
That small amt of silver in the complete alloy is the source of the tarnishing that occurs.
You have to know or at least trust the source of the precious metal alloys you are buying for very specific uses like this.

Not many use White Gold anymore in engraving inlay work.
In jewelry work,,White Gold pieces like rings are often finished by actually plating them with rhodium.
This does 2 things..It allows a higher polish to the object than the base metal of white gold allows (it's harder than the white gold)
..and the Rhodium plating protects the wearer from contact with the WhiteGold directly which contains small amts of Nickel,,some people have allergic reactions to nickel.


The 'new metal' for forever white inlays seems to be Argenitum, a trade name for the stuff.
It is actually pure Silver alloyed with a metal called Germanium.
This is fairly new to the engravers world,,maybe the last 20ys or so,,my guess.

There are also Silver/Platinum alloys that are very tarnish resistant, but again are relatively new to the engravers scene.

.. One small trick to clearing the tarnish from the Silver w/o any polishing.

Light up a common propane torch,,the handy disposable cylinder type.
Then play the flame over the tarnished silver quickly and from a distance.
Just swipe the flame back and forth quickly,,don't heat the silver or item in one spot.
The blackened tarnish will disappear with the heat and leave the bright silver surface showing.
No damage to the silver or base metal at all.)


Beautiful revolver and OakLeaf engraving. Great detail,,and that is not always the case with OakLeaf. It is often done very quickly and w/o much detail or thought of natural shapes, shading, etc. Much is often applied as a quick way to cover big areas and w/o much planning having to be done in the layout .

Very nice Richard, as always. Looking forward to a range report.

I never really cared about engraved guns. Actually I kinda dislike them.

That being said, that is the second "oak leaf" engraved Smith that I have seen on this forum (the other being RK's 3 1/2" 27-2) and must say that they are beautiful and changed my mind about engraved guns.

RKmesa said:

This was my last purchase of 2021. In the past several years, I have come to love oak leaf engraving on S&Ws. When I saw this one, I felt that it would fit nicely in my collection. I believe that it was engraved by H&H Zehner and the almost full coverage is really fun to look at with a magnifying glass. I hope that you will enjoy the photos AND if any of you have oak leaf engraved guns, I would love for you to post some photos...









Thanks for letting me share.

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Beautiful detail and the animals are superb.


Their eyes jump right out at me.

They are all superb... the one that 22hipower posted intrigues me with the "industrial" look at the rear of the cylinder. Wouldn't have thought the simple circles would have that effect, or blend so well with the oak theme.

Thanks for the comments. Here are a few more photos:

Richard, you and Jeff have got my tongue in a knot! Remind me not to speak to you guys the next time I see you at a symposium... if I can get my tongue untwisted. Those are some gorgeous guns!

Another spectacular example Richard.

I like the look of white gold as has been described.

Are the stocks numbered to the gun ?

To me it seems a bit odd that with so much done that aspect of it wasn't addressed.

But you know I'm a junkie with grips so.....

Although not on a Smith &Wesson , I think you'll agree that it's really fine oak leaves and acorn engraving. This pair of Miller & Val Greiss of Munich 16 ha. Shotguns we're built in 1927-28.

bracebeemer said:

Although not on a Smith &Wesson , I think you'll agree that it's really fine oak leaves and acorn engraving. This pair of Miller & Val Greiss of Munich 16 ha. Shotguns we're built in 1927-28.

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Is there a way to post a "Double Like"?