Do I need to send my firearm to the atelier?
Yes. All firearm work is performed on your own physical piece at the atelier. Photographs are used only to evaluate the project and develop the design — no engraving can be carried out remotely.
I. · THE GRAVE SYSTEM · 10+ STYLE TRADITIONS
Custom Gun Engraving
From full-coverage scrollwork to discreet monograms, our engravers work on slides, frames, cylinders, barrels, wood and small parts. Work is cut primarily by precision fibre laser, with controlled depth and layered passes for exact, repeatable geometry, then finished at the bench — bright-cut, shaded and burnished under loupe wherever the design calls for it. Traditional English scroll, Renaissance florals, arabesque, Western bank-note, modern geometry, family crests and custom artwork. Cut lines are frequently finished with flush precious metal — see fine wire inlay — and the engraved piece is then plated or blued and photographed for archive.
What We Do
- Full coverage & panel scroll
- 10+ style traditions
- Bright cut, deep relief
- 24K gold, silver & platinum flush inlay
- Arabic & Latin calligraphy
- Family crests & personal monograms
- From English scroll to Diwani calligraphy
Gallery
How It Works
- Step 01
Consultation & drawing
We study the piece in hand and draw the layout by pencil — coverage, flow and where the eye should rest. Nothing is cut until the drawing is agreed.
- Step 02
Layout
The approved artwork is transferred to the steel with high-resolution laser layout, holding proportion exactly across curved and broken surfaces.
- Step 03
Hand cutting
Every line is cut, chased and shaded by graver under loupe. Backgrounds are punched or relieved by hand, never printed.
- Step 04
Finish
The work is burnished, any precious metal is set flush, and the piece moves on to plating, bluing or Cerakote before final photography.
Custom Engraving, answered.
Can you engrave Arabic calligraphy?
Yes. Diwani, Thuluth and Kufic are cut regularly, alongside Latin lettering, family crests and unit insignia. Jo is a calligrapher by training, so lettering is drawn for the piece rather than pulled from a font.
Is hand engraving different from laser engraving?
Laser is used for layout and for surface imaging on coated parts. Hand engraving removes metal with a graver, giving depth, bright cut facets and shading that laser cannot reproduce. Most projects use both, each where it belongs.
Does engraving affect the firearm's function?
No. Coverage and depth are planned around the mechanics of the piece; stress-bearing surfaces are left untouched and the firearm is checked and function-tested before it is returned.
How long does an engraving project take?
A typical project unfolds across one to four months depending on coverage and finishing. Full-coverage work with inlay and plating sits at the longer end.
More in the full FAQ.
From the Journal
Process
Sending Your Firearm to the Atelier: What to Know Before You Begin
The questions we answer before every project — collected in one place.
6 min readGrips
Poured, Cured, Carved: How Custom Resin Grips Are Made
A grip is the one part of a pistol you actually hold. It deserves to be made for you.
6 min readFinishing
24K Gold Plating a Pistol: What Happens Beneath the Shine
Gold on a firearm is either jewellery or a mistake. The difference is entirely in the preparation.
6 min readAll disciplines
II.
Fine Gold & Silver Wire Inlay
III.
Slide Porting, Windowing & Optic Cuts
IV.
Gold Plating, Chrome & Electro-Bluing
V.
Cerakote Firearm Coating
VI.
Cerakote Laser Imaging
VII.
Custom Epoxy Resin Pistol Grips
VIII.
Bespoke Presentation Cases
IX.
Professional Firearm Photography
X.
Custom Leather Holsters & Rifle Bags
By appointment only