farming out carving and engraving.

[lew wetzel]

say if i built the rifle and had to have it carved and engraved what do most of you guys charge for this.i may be commisioned to re-create a rifle for someone and with my limited experience with carving and engraving would want to farm this out.

[George F.]

 If you're going to Dixon's, talk with Greg Dixon, he does very good engraving, not sure about carving.  ...Geo.

[lew wetzel]

will be heading for the cla show.will probably get tons of info there.if not had from this site by then.

[Ron Scott]

Hello Lew,

When I am  working up a price for a customer I ask for as much detailed information as is possible. I`d suggest having some detailed photos available to show your prospective artisans. It might be helpful to be able to tell them something about the stock wood character as well.

[Roger Fisher]

Good thinking on having an engraver do the engraving, in particular when you are building for someone other than yourself...

To leave the brass mounts plain with no lines cut in them makes the piece look cheesy at least to my eye.   

[lew wetzel]

heres the deal,i was asked if i could re-create the pistor jaeger rifle that is in the west point museum.i have everything but the stock and triggers.i have seen pics but never saved them.and i would need someone to do the carving and engraving.

[T*O*F]

heres the deal,i was asked if i could re-create the pistor jaeger rifle that is in the west point museum.i have everything but the stock and triggers.i have seen pics but never saved them.and i would need someone to do the carving and engraving.

Lew,
Allow me to be blunt, because no one else probably will.  Do yourself and your customer a favor and tell him you have not yet acquired the skills to build such a gun.  Then provide him with a list of names of those who can and give him the list.

A man should know his limitations and be willing to admit them.  To do otherwise reflects a lack of integrity.  An apprentice level builder should not take on master's level work.  Even I have turned down builds in the past.  Not because I couldn't do them, but because I couldn't do them justice......meaning I could not charge a customer for the many extra hours it would take me to build such a gun.  A reasonable price does not alway equate to cheap.  Perhaps a master builder could execute such a gun in 250 hours when it would take me 350 to do as good or perhaps lesser quality work.  Where does the bargain lie for the customer?

Pay your dues and build your reputation on your own work, not riding on the backs of others.

[lew wetzel]

dave,i think i know my limitations,thats why i am asking for help on the carving and engraving.i already informed the guy i would not do the carving and engraving due to my lack of experience,but thanks for being blunt and pointing that out.you really made my day!!!!!!!

[msblacksmith]

I think you need to jump in and do it yourself.you cant get better at it if you dont do it.just my way of thinking take it or leave it.

[long carabine]

Lew, do you really think you need to farm the job out to someone else? I have seen your work here on this site and it is most impressive. Double think giving the job to someone else. Long Carabine

[lew wetzel]

holy smokes......i started this thread almost a year ago...last july....and i think the rifle in question was the pistor jaeger rifle....that project got squashed along time ago..once i gave the fellow the price...he very politely backed out...though thanks for the vote of confidence guys......

[Don Getz]

Lew....this is not personal, but if you did a gun, I would not carve it for you, especially if you were doing it for someone
else.  I think this would hold true for any good gun builder.  Engraving is another situation, a lot of people I know have
others do their engraving, even some good gun builders.  If someone came to me and wanted a super gun built, carved
with silver wire inlay, engraved, I would turn him down, and refer him to someone I know who is capable of doing this
type of gun.   I would not want to have to depend on other people to do "my" work.............Don

[Ken G]

Guys,
This is a dead topic.  It was originally posted July of last year. 

Ken