Removing the laser engraving from a S&W revolver?

[PlayboyPenguin]

Superman looks like stuck-on Vinyl to me.

It's not stuck into the metal. I bet if you run a finger over it, you can clearly feel the lines raised, as if it was a sticker.

That is how the logos on the S&W revolvers are too. It is the same process. It is actually bonded to the substrate but it is slightly raised.

Here is a pic of a rubbing I just did. You can see it is a positive image...meaning the design is higher than the material it is bonded upon.

The question is how deep does the bonding go, and what will happen if you remove it. If you remove the raised parts is there parts underneath that are embedded? Will you end up with a "ghosted" pattern?

 

[Trlsmn]

That is how the logos on the S&W revolvers are too. It is the same process. It is actually bonded to the substrate but it is slightly raised.

Whoa there cowboy you're using subjective evidence as objective evidence.

Here is a pic of a rubbing I just did. You can see it is a positive image...meaning the design is higher than the material it is bonded upon.

The Apple and Orange thing, not really objective.

The question is how deep does the bonding go, and what will happen if you remove it. If you remove the raised parts is there parts underneath that are embedded? Will you end up with a "ghosted" pattern?

That is the question, I say yes, short of removing material you won't get the desired results

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

Whoa there cowboy you're using subjective evidence as objective evidence.

No, if you bothered to ask, I called S&W and asked them what process they use. They are the ones that told me the differences between laser bonding and laser engraving.

 

[Trlsmn]

No, if you bothered to ask, I called S&W and asked them what process they use. They are the ones that told me the differences between laser bonding and laser engraving.

Now see I also called and they said they used the method in the picture though they wouldn't name it. Do you see any solution in that picture? Check the link it is from S&W. I've seen no Objective evidence, that is why a say name that tune, put your S&W where your mouth is.

 

[Trlsmn]

Oh and they also said that you won't be removing there laser etching short of removing material.

 

[aquariumjunky]

Hey I wanted to get my 2cents in before the battle continues!


Freaking Cool Rifle!!!! What you need for that thing is some krypton bullets!

Steven

 

[finch6013]

its been fun reading all this arguing back and forth. Thanks for the entertainment, carry on

 

[Keane]

Correcting an error is always relevant. I submit that you don't understand that the carbon is created by the burnt metal.

Matter can be neither created nor destroyed

I'm calling total BS. "Burning" metal does not produce Carbon. It never has, never will, and is impossible for this to happen.

"Burning", AKA combustion reactions, are basically an Oxidation (the same thing as rusting!). What happens is Oxygen pairs bond with the original material to form oxides. In organic matter (carbon based forms), what happens is the oxygen bonds with the hydrogen atoms to form water, with the carbon atoms to form CO2. In many cases, there is left over carbon, which forms the deposits that you often see as ash.

Steel, even Carbon steel, already contains strong bonds to the contained carbon atoms, so those wouldn't be broken. The only oxidation that occurs is 'rusting', which does not leave behind any carbon, it usually only breaks the bonds with other heavy metals.

 

[Trlsmn]

I'm calling total BS. "Burning" metal does not produce Carbon. It never has, never will, and is impossible for this to happen.

"Burning", AKA combustion reactions, are basically an Oxidation (the same thing as rusting!). What happens is Oxygen pairs bond with the original material to form oxides. In organic matter (carbon based forms), what happens is the oxygen bonds with the hydrogen atoms to form water, with the carbon atoms to form CO2. In many cases, there is left over carbon, which forms the deposits that you often see as ash.

Steel, even Carbon steel, already contains strong bonds to the contained carbon atoms, so those wouldn't be broken. The only oxidation that occurs is 'rusting', which does not leave behind any carbon, it usually only breaks the bonds with other heavy metals.

I can't argue with that, my point in context was laser etching (burning) doesn't produce carbon

 

[gunnoob75]

Well, bead blasting certainly won't hurt the gun, if that's what you're worried about. It should even level out the surface, so the image isn't raised. If the black material is softer than the Steel, anyway. Which I would imagine it is, but don't know for sure.

All you can do is try it. At the very least, you can blast the hole firearm, and refinish as needed.

 

[PhysicsGuy]

Well for one, the S&W trademark is raised like PP said. But I'm guessing that it can be removed, the major question is does the mark actually go into the frame/cover at all. But even if it does, it just comes down to the fact of how much material you actually want to remove from the side of your gun.

Why do you want to get rid of your trademark/production info?

 

[gunnoob75]

Has anyone ever removed the ugly laser etching on a S&W revolver?

I think it's because it's ugly. :huh:

 

[PhysicsGuy]

Oops, I was wrong, I just checked my smiths. Both my older 625 and 686 are actually engraved, but my newer 642 is raised (this could just be due to the fact that it is an aluminum frame)

So you guys are both wrong! jk

It looks like it depends on which smith you have.

 

[Trlsmn]

Oops, I was wrong, I just checked my smiths. Both my older 625 and 686 are actually engraved, but my newer 642 is raised (this could just be due to the fact that it is an aluminum frame)

So you guys are both wrong! jk

It looks like it depends on which smith you have.

It wouldn't be the first time. I wonder what the laws are, with NFA stuff there is a min requirement for laser engraving, since I'm waiting on 2 SBR Krink receivers I will find out.

 

[PhysicsGuy]

It wouldn't be the first time. I wonder what the laws are, with NFA stuff there is a min requirement for laser engraving, since I'm waiting on 2 SBR Krink receivers I will find out.

I don't think there are any laws about how well trademarks or plant info are printed, serial numbers are probably more of a legal concern though.

 

[Trlsmn]

I don't think there are any laws about how well trademarks or plant info are printed, serial numbers are probably more of a legal concern though.

I hear you, I was thinking along the lines that they would do all them all at once though, and that is of course subjective.

 

[Keane]

I think the serial number AND a mfg mark both have to be on it, correct? Serial numbers are not independent between manufacturers, so there would be no way to tell which it was...

If you ever went to sell it through an FFL, it would cause major issues when they tried to transfer it. Also, if you ever had a cop run a 'stolen' check on it, it could possibly cause issues.

 

[PhysicsGuy]

I hear you, I was thinking along the lines that they would do all them all at once though, and that is of course subjective.

Well as far as S&W goes, it looks like the serials are done with a different process, since if you look closely, you can see each actual dot from the laser engraving, and the letters/numbers are fairly blocky, compared to the fine detail done in the engraving of the trademark.

Either way, a good answer for playboy would be to contact smith's performance center, since they do a lot of refinishing, and ask how deep the trademark goes on the particular dash series and model.

 

[Trlsmn]

Well as far as S&W goes, it looks like the serials are done with a different process, since if you look closely, you can see each actual dot from the laser engraving, and the letters/numbers are fairly blocky, compared to the fine detail done in the engraving of the trademark.

Either way, a good answer for playboy would be to contact smith's performance center, since they do a lot of refinishing, and ask how deep the trademark goes on the particular dash series and model.

I did contact them and they said that you couldn't remove them without leaving a mark short of sanding or machining.

I think the serial number AND a mfg mark both have to be on it, correct? Serial numbers are not independent between manufacturers, so there would be no way to tell which it was...

If you ever went to sell it through an FFL, it would cause major issues when they tried to transfer it. Also, if you ever had a cop run a 'stolen' check on it, it could possibly cause issues.

I would think this is correct, I bought an AR7 for my sons birthday and it had a serial like 0000018.
there have been 5 companies that produced the AR7 so there likely are 5 AR7s with the same serial number.

* 1959-1973: ArmaLite
* 1973-1990: Charter Arms
* 1990-1997: Survival Arms, Cocoa, FL
* 1997-Present: Henry Repeating Arms Co., Brooklyn, NY
* 1998-2004: AR-7 Industries,

 

[PhysicsGuy]

Well as far as S&W goes, there is also an brand name engraving on the barrel, so taking off the trademark wouldn't cause you to not know what brand it was.

As far as taking all brand/model names off of a gun, I could see how that could cause issues.