Birddog97
Member
I'm having trouble with a Glock 17L. I have never engraved a Glock and my first cut skipped right off. I double checked my sharpening angles and second cut did the same. I'm using GRS Glensteel 120. Any advice?
Help, please: Engraving a Glock
- Thread starter Birddog97
- Start date
what parts did you try working ? what was the material & or finish ? i never did a glock, so cant reasonably answer this one. what was the condition of the point after it took off.? put the point under high magnification. this may show part of the problem. try short heels & try to make them as even as possible. if the heels are way out of balance, this can sometimes cause problems, such as going in a slightly different direction than you had planned on.
wowilson
Elite Cafe Member
Where in Fort Worth are you? If you get it to cut I'd like to come and see.
mitch
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2007
- Messages
- 2,636
Stop. Right now. Put down the graver and walk away, before somebody gets hurt.
I love Glocks, but they are the epitome of 'all go, no show'. Ugly, efficient, reliable machines. Never intended as objets d'art.
dlilazteca
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
I'm currently working on my Glock 26. I'm using Lindsay gravers the toughest ones he sells don't remember the name but I hear the top gravers for grs are better. I am only sharpening to 600 grit, read this following post this will help.
http://www.engraverscafe.com/showthread.php?t=14227
Interesting graver sharpening phenomenon
thank you for your time
Carlos De La O III
http://www.engraverscafe.com/showthread.php?t=14227
Interesting graver sharpening phenomenon
thank you for your time
Carlos De La O III
Birddog97
Member
Thanks ya'll. I don't have a microscope, only an Opti-visor, so high magnification isn't an option. I use that Easy Graver Sharpening tool from GRS, so the angles and heels are exactly the same.
The only areas I plan to engrave are the sides of the slide. The Glock had that crazy hard "proprietary finish". I sanded it off and then hand stoned the finish down to 800 grit. I'm wondering of I need to order a C-Max graver.
Wilson, I'm in SW Ft. Worth. Down by Crowley. Your welcome to come by anytime. Just call ahead. You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Silverandsteelstudio or at www.silverandsteelstudio.com. Facebook has better pictures of my work, because its easier to update the photos. My website need a lot more work than I can give it right now.
The only areas I plan to engrave are the sides of the slide. The Glock had that crazy hard "proprietary finish". I sanded it off and then hand stoned the finish down to 800 grit. I'm wondering of I need to order a C-Max graver.
Wilson, I'm in SW Ft. Worth. Down by Crowley. Your welcome to come by anytime. Just call ahead. You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Silverandsteelstudio or at www.silverandsteelstudio.com. Facebook has better pictures of my work, because its easier to update the photos. My website need a lot more work than I can give it right now.
Birddog97
Member
Mitch, I would agree. If I didn't need the money I would send it back to the client.
Carlos, thanks for the thread. I have been polishing the heels on my ceramic lap. I'll try leaving the heels at 1200 and see if that works better.
Carlos, thanks for the thread. I have been polishing the heels on my ceramic lap. I'll try leaving the heels at 1200 and see if that works better.
Last edited:
You should never embark on a gun engraving project without first doing adequate research to determine how difficult a particular gun is to engrave.
silverchip
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
dclevinger
Elite Cafe Member
The tennifer finish on all factory glocks penetrates somewhere around .005" or so. Just removing the black oxide from the surface will still leave the hardened steel underneath.
I can't tell you how many glock, m&p, and xd jobs I've turned down over the years. It's just not worth the headache.
I can't tell you how many glock, m&p, and xd jobs I've turned down over the years. It's just not worth the headache.
Southern Custom
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
As I understand Glock's proprietary finish is called Tenifer and is not engraveable. At all. You'll only destroy the slide and your gravers. Springfield XDs and XDMs use a similar finish. I got a call from another engraver asking me to check on the finish for the XDM as I own one. I pulled the slide, found a nice spot inside to test and promptly snapped the tip of a C-max graver. The Glocks are apparently harder. Sam's advice is spot on. If in doubt, obtain a sample or an old slide from a gunsmith to test. Also check the Good and Bad list on the tips section of the forum.
I remember an engraver Otto Carter down in Texas who engrave a Glock slide it took days for Otto to complete the engraving and the gravers he have to keep resharpening while engraving this slide, he said he would never do another Glock.Take Sam's advice and always do your research before you get in big trouble. J.J.
Roger Bleile
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
These are two posts from the tips archive:
From Tim Wells:
One fine day in Austria, a Mr. Glock developed a case hardening treatment to increase the wearability of his slides.
The trade name of this is "Tenifer" and it brings the tool steel slide material to a rockwell hardness of 67 to 68 which according to the factory in Smyrna, GA that is just a few points shy of a diamond.
I didn't know this and unwittingly did commit to engrave a Latin phrase and a raven on the slide of one of these. When I returned the finished product my customer was thrilled and I immediately informed him that this was indeed a very special gun because it is the first and last Glock I will ever agree to put a scratch on.
From Brian Powley:
Glock Handguns
Extremely hardened slide material. I spent more time sharpening than engraving. Won't even attempt another one.
The information is here if you bother to look for it.
From Tim Wells:
One fine day in Austria, a Mr. Glock developed a case hardening treatment to increase the wearability of his slides.
The trade name of this is "Tenifer" and it brings the tool steel slide material to a rockwell hardness of 67 to 68 which according to the factory in Smyrna, GA that is just a few points shy of a diamond.
I didn't know this and unwittingly did commit to engrave a Latin phrase and a raven on the slide of one of these. When I returned the finished product my customer was thrilled and I immediately informed him that this was indeed a very special gun because it is the first and last Glock I will ever agree to put a scratch on.
From Brian Powley:
Glock Handguns
Extremely hardened slide material. I spent more time sharpening than engraving. Won't even attempt another one.
The information is here if you bother to look for it.
dlilazteca
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
JJ
That is the person that engraved the Glock I saw on you tube. Here is the post, and what I'm doing I know its not as good but its mine...my daily carry and weekend project
http://www.engraverscafe.com/showthread.php?t=14589
color combination
Carlos De La O III
Last edited:
Carlos, The advice that is given on the forums is to keep you newbes out of trouble,theres a list of guns on this site to stay away from. J.J.
I remember tearing into either a North American Arms or Freedom Arms derringer (don't remember which brand) when I was a fledgling engraver. About 30 minutes into the work I knew I couldn't finish it. Fortunately it was on the backstrap and I could file off what I had done and didn't harm the gun. Hard lesson learned. There was no internet back then and you were pretty much on your own. Now days you're just a mouse click away from the Tips Archive and thousands of engravers who can advise you before you start cutting.
Weldon47
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Sounds like a valuable learning experience in progress!
1.Is it possible to engrave a Glock?
2.The more important question: is it Profitable to engrave a Glock?
Short answer:
1. Yes
2. NO
Sometimes it's best to say No... Knowing when (and why) is the key!
Have fun,
Weldon
1.Is it possible to engrave a Glock?
2.The more important question: is it Profitable to engrave a Glock?
Short answer:
1. Yes
2. NO
Sometimes it's best to say No... Knowing when (and why) is the key!
Have fun,
Weldon
Birddog97
Member
Thank ya'll. I was able to sand and polish the small scratch out from my original attempts. I should have checked first. I just didn't think about it. I'll call the client and explain than he now owns a uniquely beautiful Glock 17L with a polished slide.
Pick a place on the gun under the grips,or the stock and make some test cut with you graver to see if the gun is engraveable. J.J.
Sponsors
