I'd have a few thoughts, but haven't drawn a solid conclusion:
1) I have 4 Talo machine engraved models, the engraving looks great.
2) I'd prefer hand engraving, despite the extra expense.
3) Considering Items 1 & 2 - if I buy a new Vaquero stainless, it's $600, and it'd cost $600-800 to have it engraved = $1200-1400 total. The Talo model costs $840, so you're basically replacing $600-800 worth of hand engraving with $240 in machine engraving. Net savings = $400+.
4) The spirit of a BBQ gun, in my eyes, is something that should be quite unique. When someone points and asks - "ooh, what's that?" the resulting explanation should be lengthy and whimsical. Much like "the most interesting man in the world," the appearance of the BBQ gun should catch your attention, and the story behind it should hold it - as well as your envy. If I have my Talo Engraved SP101 or Walther/S&W PPK/S on my hip, I have to back-pedal a bit and say - "well, it's not REALLY engraved, it's machine engraved," and to me, that takes a little of the mystique and a little of the soul away. So if it's going to be a piece meant for showing off, it should have every bit of deserving back-story and artistry behind it that it can get. So I suppose that would be a motivation for me to spend extra on hand engraving for a BBQ gun.
5) The next most important thing, again in my eyes, about a BBQ gun is that - despite it's refined appearance - it MUST be a shooter. Not shooting it is like taking a long and lean, big busted blonde to the party on your arm, but admitting that you'd never taken a shot with it. I wear a decorative buckle on the front of my belt that reflects a rodeo that I've won by staying on the back of a bull - not something that I just bought at a store because it looked pretty. The gun on the side of my belt should be equally attractive, but equally weighty in implied "raw personality" and grit. So you best be shooting your BBQ guns!
So maybe after putting those thoughts on paper, I'd come to the conclusion that I'd pay the extra $400 to have a standard vaquero engraved by Scratch instead.
I'd also SBH the hammer, Bisley the trigger, and Birdshead the grip... Oh wait - that's pretty much exactly what my current 4 Vaquero projects will be!
