I spent some time looking at a set of BHE barrels with a gentleman i know who dabbles in engraving. He had a microscope and was examining areas on the barrel. The microscope showed that the breech and rib extension engraving was not really all that well executed at that high of magnification. Bit of course, you have to figure it was done 100 years ago in less than desireabke lighting and meant to be seen with the naked eye being heald in the hand.
We were however VERY impressed with the lettering on the rib which was all hand engraved since it was a vent rib gun. The letter "S" in particular hadhim very impressed at how cleanly they were cut given the multiple turns. He simply said, "whoever cut that letter did it a LOT and was damn good at it"!
Also, you have to figure that many of these guns were in fact production guns. Especially G grade and below. And different parts were cut by different people. I have seen D grade guns where you can tell for sure that the trigger plate and frame were cut buy different engravers. Things like trigger guards were likely cut by journeyman that were barely teenagers who were lucky to be given a new tool after a year of cutting the same thing over and over again.
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B. Dudley
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