New from Dallas Texas

T

TEXICAN

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Oct 5, 2009
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Hello everyone Im new here and to engraving in fact so new that I dont even have any tool's yet. I work for a local law enforcement agency in the Dallas area and would like to engrave some handcuffs and firearms. Is there a place anyne knows of in the DFW metro area that sells the supplies? And does anyone know of any classes?

Thanks
Todd
 
M

monk

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welcome to the forum. grs corporation has an on-line catalog of tools. push graving to state of the art stuff. good luck. classes are the wisest investment you could ever make.
 
Roger Bleile

Roger Bleile

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Todd,

Handcuffs are usually case hardened and nickle plated. A graver will barely scratch case hardened steel and if you cut through something that is nickle plated the nickle will often peel. Thus cuffs are not a good subject for engraving however I have not tried the blued ones.

Here are links to the the main sources of engraving equipment in the USA:
http://www.grstools.com/
http://airgraver.com/Hand_Engraving_Tools_Overview.htm
http://www.gesswein.com/catalog/index.cfm?cat=15&sub=5&catalog=1&CFID=1585197&CFTOKEN=92551022
http://www.contenti.com/products/engraving-tools.html

Also the Firearms Engravers Guild of America has a range of books and other useful items.
http://www.fega.com/prodserv/ProductsAndServices.htm
http://www.fega.com/prodserv/booksSC.asp?categoryparam=book

Good luck,

CRB
 
T

TEXICAN

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Oct 5, 2009
Messages
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Ok good to know another guy at work got his cuffs done look realy nice. Mine are all wore down been caring them 17 years. Figured why not try it myself.
 
Barry Lee Hands

Barry Lee Hands

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Texican, one could always give it a go, but I believe Roger is correct, good cuffs are very hard, so that the prisoner cannot cut them with a saw or file.
This makes them very difficult, perhaps not impossible, but impractical to engrave in the manner practiced by most of our members.
Your associate may have some cuffs that are engraved or etched by another method.
A trophy shop for instance, often has the machines to do this.
Good luck.
 
D

dbrodhagen

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Aug 27, 2009
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Reardan, Washington
Welcome Todd, I am also new to engraving, have all the tools, now just the practice. I
was in law enforcement for twenty-five years, never thought about engraving cuffs, good idea! It would make a great retirement present. The cuffs may be too hard though.
Another thing that you might consider are engraving the newer larger cuff keys that are out. Dave
 
T

TEXICAN

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Oct 5, 2009
Messages
14
I never thought about the cuffs either it was a birthday present from his wife. He just got back his 70series colt 1911 from the same guy man its sharp. I want to get my 1911 done but its so expensive. My other friend owns a manufacturing company that makes parts for military jets he says his machines can engrave it for me free of charge but im not sure how that would look. What do you guys think about that. I realy have no artistic background besides photography but I have allways loved engraved firearms. Im on a very limited budget so I dont think I will get an airgraver, but there is a set on airgraver.com that has a push graver, sharpener, stone, and a chisel in the $200 range. Thats what Im leaning to but trying to do my research here before I buy. Fortunately I have an endless supply of differnt types size and shaped metals to practice on from my friends shop.
 
R

Ron Smith

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Texican,

I have engraved some cuffs for law enforcement, but they were stainless usually. I don't know about the others. They weren't too bad for stainless as I rmemeber. I did a number of them over the years when I had my shop so it is possible to engrave the stainless models.

Got a picture of the engraved ones?

Ron S
 
D

Depmur

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Oct 8, 2009
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Location
Fate, Texas
Ron Smith said:
Texican,

I have engraved some cuffs for law enforcement, but they were stainless usually. I don't know about the others. They weren't too bad for stainless as I rmemeber. I did a number of them over the years when I had my shop so it is possible to engrave the stainless models.

Got a picture of the engraved ones?

Ron S
Click to expand...

I am the friend that has the engraved handcuffs, kind of a long story on them but suffice to say my wife initially sent a pair of Chrome plated Peerless which wont work. Then she sent a pair of Stainless S&W cuffs for the engraving, probably the best gift she has given me in the 27 years we've been married. Anyway if Todd doesn't post pictures, after all he is a photographer, I will in the next couple of days.

Eric
 
T

TEXICAN

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2009
Messages
14
I actualy met the guy with the cuffs today took some pictures with my phone but they arent good. Meeting him tomm for lunch with a better camera and will get pictures of the cuffs and his Colt. I did find out Smith and Wesson cuffs are the ones to engrave not the peerless.
 
D

Depmur

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Oct 8, 2009
Messages
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Location
Fate, Texas
Heres a little teaser, I'm sure Todds pictures will be better. A pair of S&W Cuffs, A Ken Erickson single blade Trapper w/engraved bolsters and a old Colt Series 70.



 
T

Tony Lopez

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Joined
Aug 8, 2007
Messages
17
Location
Bandera, Texas
Engraved Matching Bracelets

Texican, I engraved these S&W stainless steel cuffs but did not like the extra holes on them. So...to remedy that, I did a sterling silver overlay, then engraved them. It gave a better canvas for scrolls and bright cuts.
....just another idea.
~Tony
 

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