Colt Replicas

Kevin P.

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I was watching a TV program on how things are made. One segment was about a company that makes Colt revolver replicas.
A very brief part showed an engraver working and he was using H & C.
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FANCYGUN

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and when the camera was turned off he most likely switched on the power engraver.
What company was this ? There are a few out there.
 

Kevin P.

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It was on a discovery channel a series called "How's it made".

I understand what you're saying Marty and these things are heavily edited.
But there was a brief section where part of a Colt was actually being engraved with H & C by a guy smacking the chisel.
The program invites comments and suggestions. I couldn't swear to it's authenticity; but it's encouraging that an actual H & C was shown at work.
I don't remember if the name of the company was mentioned.
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Roger Bleile

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They don't usually mention the company's name on those How It's Made segments. You can sometimes find it on something in the background. The shows are produced in Canada. The only two companies in the US making Colt replicas are USFA and STI. Most others are made in Italy. I don't believe that any of the STI's are ever engraved at the factory. Dennis Kies is the in house engraver for USFA.

Here is a link to the USFA engraving page: http://www.usfirearms.com/cat/dennis_kies.asp

CRB
 

John B.

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and when the camera was turned off he most likely switched on the power engraver.
What company was this ? There are a few out there.

I’m afraid I must disagree with the implication of friend Marty’s statement.
A well trained, practiced and seasoned hammer and chisel engraver is every bit as fast as a power assisted engraver and with equal quality.
When one has had the opportunity and privilege to see some of the older and mostly apprentice or factory trained European engravers at work with H&C it would be hard to support Marty’s implication that speed or precision would be a factor.
Although some of our European engraver friends have adapted power handpieces into their work, for many of them power is only used for selected tasks and/or a change of pace. I still use both methods myself.
Others of my old friends have tried my power equipment and like it but maintain that it is good but too SLOW.
Undoubtedly, given time and practice with it they would be able to get back up to speed with the power.

As Roger says, when I visited USFA in the original Colt building in Hartford, CN in the company of Ray Phillips we met Dennis Kies who does most of their factory engraving.
Dennis was there either picking up or dropping off guns for engraving or finished ones.
Dennis at that time engraved mostly outside the factory in his own studio.
He is an excellent artist and engraver and works with traditional H&C and push tools.
Not slow at all, he is very fast and good using these traditional tools.
I believe I first met him at the Shot Show in Las Vegas when he was demonstrating for the USFA Company in conjunction with their magnificent traveling display.

Sorry for rambling on.
 
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FANCYGUN

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John
I do not disagree with you and all you have said. It was not said in a detrimental way at all. But it is a known fact that many engravers here and abroad when being filmed like to look very traditional in front of the lens. Hey...... I could even be one of them. We all like our traditional pose and you know i do enjoy my hammer and chisel.
 

John B.

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I do too, Marty. I see your point.
And like you, switch back and forward as the mood hits me.
I also add a foot powered, potters wheel bench to the mix when the H&C mood strikes.
Or a stand up, walk around post. Both allow for pretty fast work.
For me, sitting at a conventional vise with H&C is much slower than either or switching and using air assist.
Happy New Year, see you and the new rifle in Reno soon.
Drooling allowed ???
 

Marcus Hunt

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What slowed me down more than anything was switching to a microscope! LOL I still go back to hand pushing quite a bit for certain things, bulino being chief among them. But I'd never give up air assistance for the majority of my work. To me 'power' was one of the best things ever to happen to my engraving and it's opened far more avenues that were not so easily achieved using the old methods. But this thread isn't meant to be a comparison of methods is it?
 
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