First off, I would want the customer to understand the difference between Hand Engraving and Laser etched type work. Beginning with the tools required to start the work, the laser engraver uses a computer to digitize the image they want engraved and then they will mount the item in place calibrate their cutting laser to the correct frequency needed for the cut desired on the material they wish to have engraved and they will hit start. This takes some knowledge with regard to the programing needed to digitize the image and the function of the laser engraver itself. However, the skill level stops there because the cutting process really only takes a few minutes and if programed and calibrated correctly
the job is done with little to no error. The person who hand engraves the item really only needs a few sharp hand tools and a lot of time to do the cuts with precision.
The cost of a laser engraver can range anywhere from $2,500 to $60,000 depending on its capability and whether it will work on small items or much, much larger items. However, the cost for the person who hand engraves really should not be calculated in the few hundred dollars for hand tools but rather the years of practice needed to get proficient. The operator of a laser engraver can spend a long weekend reading manuals and testing their equipment on scrap metals but the person who hand engraves must be confident in every cut they make, and this doesn’t come from a manual.
Now someone using a laser engraver can incorporate vivid detail because the laser used can essentially print/cut it into the surface layer at incredible precision without having to put much more effort into the job. On the other hand, the individual doing hand engraving can do work with a great deal of detail, but this takes a lot of time a patience to achieve and will likely not give the same vivid results as the laser engraver. In other words, if you want detailed work done fast, talk to a local laser engraver. If you want custom hand engraved work with a great deal of detail, allow the time needed for the individual doing the work by hand to achieve it. The trust factor also plays a big role in the work being done. Take the time to do some research and find someone with a reputation for good work. Once something like the family gun has been cut weather by laser or hand tool there is no going back. If the person working with the laser engraver is “new to the machine” ask for some test work first before allowing them to click start. If the person doing the engravings by hand has no other work for you to see, then you are trusting them blindly and again it may be smart to get some test work done first as proof of craftsmanship. Any way you decide to go it will increase the value of the firearm. It may be cost, or it may be sentimental but with the work you want done correctly completed, you will feel like it’s the prize piece of your collection.
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