Wm. H. Gough - Parker Chief Engraver 1899 - 1911

[Craig Larter]

Jim DeMunck is a very talented engraver I know who lives in Rochester and shoots with our gang a few times per year. Jim has done many of the high grade CSMC Fox guns and many others for Tony. I asked Jim if he used a pattern to cut his scroll and he said no, he lays it out in his head and just starts cutting metal!!! His statement blew me away. These are one off guns and Jim is a master. Jim told me my Philadelphia XE Fox guns were made using a inked pattern. I asked him how he could determine that. He said they had one layout pattern, used it on the first side and then flipped it over for the second side, the engraving will be a perfect mirror image.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Craig Larter

Jim DeMunck is a very talented engraver I know who lives in Rochester and shoots with our gang a few times per year. Jim has done many of the high grade CSMC Fox guns and many others for Tony. I asked Jim if he used a pattern to cut his scroll and he said no, he lays it out in his head and just starts cutting metal!!! His statement blew me away. These are one off guns and Jim is a master. Jim told me my Philadelphia XE Fox guns were made using a inked pattern. I asked him how he could determine that. He said they had one layout pattern, used it on the first side and then flipped it over for the second side, the engraving will be a perfect mirror image.

Interesting, Craig. I can believe the prep issue for a modern one off gun. Coincidentally, I have a CSMC Fox XE engraved by DeMunck. I had Tony supply me with the names of every person who worked on the gun. Maybe some day when one our member’s great-great granddaughters is writing the book on this era, it will come in handy.

I have a GH Damascus 20 that I can see the ghost image of part of the transferred drawing and where the engraver badly missed a line. It’s quite funny.