engraving to hide drag line
- Thread starter fivetwo
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
tomcatt51
Member
The "lock" doesn't drag but (assuming a S&W revolver) the cylinder stop certainly does. Unless you never rotate the cylinder...
thanks tomcatt51, that's my point.
the drag line can become unsightly, but I imagine if a cleverly engraved area between the stop notches could be cut, it would help to hide the line. anyone ever seen this done?
Cpo1944
Member
There is an old saying in carpentry " IF you can't hide a joint , then celebrate it".
With that in mind, you could do the engraving to celebrate the drag line.
Just a thought , good lick show photos when its done.
With that in mind, you could do the engraving to celebrate the drag line.
Just a thought , good lick show photos when its done.
I'll never understand why some revolver owners get so wrapped up around the axle over something that's normal (and an indication of normal parts fit & function).
Do they worry about the "unsightly" wear of their tire tread?
I once had a relative doing some bead blasting of a couple of my revolvers really, really want to leave a highly polished "ring" around the rear of the cylinders, extending to just forward of where the cylinder stop balls rubbed along the surface.
I didn't particularly care, as I was just letting him do the bead blasting to let him enjoy doing it for me. As far as I was concerned, both revolvers were really just "working guns", and the new finish on both were going to get as worn as the original finish.
So now, instead of leaving a "stop track" (grad line, whatever you want to call it
) in a bead blasted finish, it left a nicely polished stop track in the highly polished finish on the rear part of the cylinders. 
I'd expect that any really fine engraving located along the stop track ring would be affected to some degree by rotating the cylinder and having the cylinder stop ball rub along the top of it. I imagine some collectors try to avoid turning the cylinder on "art guns", to help prevent marring the engraving.
Me? I've seen some nicely engraved S&W revolvers that I'd shoot, and simply ignore whatever wear occurred to the engraving from normal usage.
But then, I'm known to be someone who shoots Commemorative guns.
Do they worry about the "unsightly" wear of their tire tread?
I once had a relative doing some bead blasting of a couple of my revolvers really, really want to leave a highly polished "ring" around the rear of the cylinders, extending to just forward of where the cylinder stop balls rubbed along the surface.
I didn't particularly care, as I was just letting him do the bead blasting to let him enjoy doing it for me. As far as I was concerned, both revolvers were really just "working guns", and the new finish on both were going to get as worn as the original finish.
So now, instead of leaving a "stop track" (grad line, whatever you want to call it
) in a bead blasted finish, it left a nicely polished stop track in the highly polished finish on the rear part of the cylinders. I'd expect that any really fine engraving located along the stop track ring would be affected to some degree by rotating the cylinder and having the cylinder stop ball rub along the top of it. I imagine some collectors try to avoid turning the cylinder on "art guns", to help prevent marring the engraving.
Me? I've seen some nicely engraved S&W revolvers that I'd shoot, and simply ignore whatever wear occurred to the engraving from normal usage.
But then, I'm known to be someone who shoots Commemorative guns.
Last edited:
Watchdog
Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2013
- Messages
- 12,510
- Reaction score
- 32,351
I believe I saw some photos, possibly on this forum, of a revolver that was engraved to sort of hide the cylinder line. Seems like I remember it had lines engraved so they would be on either side of the line. You could still see the line, but it wasn't so noticeable in the middle of the other two lines...almost looked like part of the engraving. This would work better on a nickel or stainless revolver...not so well on blued guns.
thanks watchdog,
you said it well, turning the ugly drag line into a nice looking line that's part of a larger design.
Arik
Member
^^^ + 100000000
Why? it's normal. It's not the Mona Lisa it's a gun, metal and moving parts.
Watchdog
Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2013
- Messages
- 12,510
- Reaction score
- 32,351
That's true, but there are some firearms that are considered to be works of art. And I've no doubt a lot of gun owners consider some of the guns in their collections to have a high aesthetic value.
I don't think any serious gun afficianado will deny that the works of the top tier engravers are beautiful works of art.
Regarding the "metal and moving parts" thing, if you're a student or admirer of design and construction, you'll see functional beauty (art?) in the way everything fits and works together to achieve an end result.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2006
- Messages
- 19,847
- Reaction score
- 31,800
Two parts that never bother me showing wear on a revolver are the line on the cylinder and the blue wearing on the ejector rod. To me they are both normal as the gun gets shot and older
Biggfoot44
Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2013
- Messages
- 2,060
- Reaction score
- 1,596
Well , at a certain point you must decide if your work of art is intended to be sealed in glass in a climate controled environment, or actually fired and/or carried. It's your property , and a semi-free country , so either choice is legit.
But if somthing is actually used , the cylnder gonna turn , ejector rods gonna eject , and finishes gonna come into contact with leather.
But if somthing is actually used , the cylnder gonna turn , ejector rods gonna eject , and finishes gonna come into contact with leather.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2006
- Messages
- 19,847
- Reaction score
- 31,800
Engraved or shot your S&W Cylinder WILL have the turn line - it is what it is. I don't even view the turn line on a Revolver as a defect - just part of the gun. Kind of like my favorite belt - it has the marking by the notch I always use, except when I go to Peter Lugers of course
