Jeweling, yeah or nay?

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Yosemite Sam

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I'm about to send a revolver off for some minor work. Originally, I was thinking of having the hammer and trigger jeweled while they were doing other things. I saw a pic of a gun similar to mine with these features and it kinda caught my eye. Now, a few months later, I'm wondering if I really want to have this done. I've seen other examples that come off looking ticky-tacky and cheap. I expect this shop would do a good job, but I wonder about the overall look. It would be being done to a fairly high-end gun (Freedom Arms), so it truly is a "jewel", but...

So what do you think? Too much bling, along the lines of gold anodized triggers and badly done chicken scratch engraving? Or a tasteful appointment on a beautiful gun?

Does the jeweling pattern wear with use? I seem to remember some rifle bolts with worn jeweling.

-- Sam
 

Skalkaho Slim

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My vote is no. I think jeweling belongs on rifle bolts and that's about it.

If the piece is engraved and polished stainless or bright nickel, maybe - it sort of gets lost in all the other "bling" and doesn't stand out so much. Otherwise, no way.
 

Snake45

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"Jeweling"--more correctly known as engine turning--can add class to a gun if done correctly and tastefully. I've seen some SA revolvers with engine-turned hammers that looked fantastic.

If not done correctly, it can look awful.
 

White Willie

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I'm told jeweling actually serves a purpose on interior parts. It helps hold oil in place. The gunsmith I work with jeweled the front of my cylinder. Now my SP looks like a New Orleans pimp gun.
 

Yosemite Sam

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White Willie":3fqzdzua said:
I'm told jeweling actually serves a purpose on interior parts. It helps hold oil in place. The gunsmith I work with jeweled the front of my cylinder. Now my SP looks like a New Orleans pimp gun.
I originally thought of having two lines jeweled into the cylinder, one fore, one aft, in addition to the hammer and trigger. Decided that was too pimpalicious.

Thanks for the replies, keep 'em coming...

-- Sam
 
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Sorry YS, I have to say no on this one as well. I've looked at FAs and customs that have been jewelled and it just made me walk away but hey, I'm just a country bumpkin so what do I know? :?
 

wwb

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White Willie":2xrjzfy9 said:
I'm told jeweling actually serves a purpose on interior parts. It helps hold oil in place. .....

I can't say with absolute certainty, but I studied a heck of a lot of metallurgy in college and spent 40 years as a mechanical engineer, and I have a hard time buying that.

A powdered metal or sintered part is porous, and will hold oil (think "oilite" bushings)... a forged or rolled steel, and most (but not all) cast steels have pores (actually intergranular spaces) that are far too small to hold any oil.

As to the jewelling.... ain't my cup of tea.
 

Unconverted

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Sam, if you want to step squarely back to the 1970's, jewel that hammer. Actually, the only Rugers I can stand jeweling on are the 1970's Magnaport customs. Maybe it has something to do with them being some of the first custom, short, Supers.
 

Yosemite Sam

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Unconverted":3lge8dh7 said:
Sam, if you want to step squarely back to the 1970's, jewel that hammer.
Hey, hey! Them's my highschool years. Maybe that's attraction.

Otony, thanks for the pics. Yours looks good.

But at this point I'm pretty much in agreement with the majority here. It'll likely remain unjeweled, er, "engine turned", but it's still going to get a trigger job.

Thanks for all the input!

-- Sam
 

jpb in me

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I would normally say no as its not my cup of tea. That being said, if you are only doing the hammer and you end up not liking it, just get another hammer and your right back where you started for little money.
 

Pinecone

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Well as you can see Sam, you have got the pro's and the con's in the above posts. As for myself, I have "jeweled" many, many gun parts over the years and some customers thought it was the cat's meow and others were turned off! Easy enough to "polish" out the jeweling if indeed you decide you "don't" like it. I have actually sold quite a few guns with "jeweling" and overall got "more" for the gun than without it. As noted above, there are "good" jeweling jobs and there are "bad" jeweling jobs! If you do decide to go with it, make sure the person doing the jeweling is "competent" and has past experince doing this. Most gunsmiths who have been in business quite a while will be able to do it professionally and asthetically pleasing. Often times just a little jeweling looks really good to set a firearm off without being audacious. I jeweled the bolt on my 10/22 many years ago and it has held up great and gives the gun just the right touch of class. I'll post a pic when I get a chance........................Dick :idea:
 

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