delete please

[9mmepiphany]

If I knew this would have happend, I would have joined you with the grip tape.

Ok at least opted for machine checkering...usually avoids these kinds of mistakes and is usually cheaper too

[SNCaliber]

DEFINITELY have him fix it, thats not even a minor thing, thats a big error and damn noticeable, I would not be a happy camper if it were me

[Press Check]

Blah..Got a reply from the smith and he said the only way to fix it is to cut and weld in a checkered insert. He's on vacation and told me to give him a call in a couple weeks so I'm gonna have to wait for an answer. As for the insert, its gonna require a finish on the frame because the insert is not made of stainless steel..... I dont know about messing with my pistol that much for the sake of fixing visual flaws. Only positive resolution I see is getting some money back or something.

Did he acknowledge that he failed to disclose the anomolies in the checkering, or did he pretend not to know?

What's the insert made of, carbon steel? Regardless, he should cover the cost to repair and refinish the pistol, and I would recommend hard chrome to maintain consistency with the stainless finish.

[TireMan]

they should fix if possible and put a few bucks credit on the books for your next job.
If you don't trust them on another job, find something easy for them to do.
my 2 cents

[Donk310]

Wait... really? WTF? I mean yeah it's not perfect, and it's not right, but you didn't notice for a while and you are saying that the photos are worse than it is in reality. It's front strap checkering not engraving, it's not for looks it is for function. I wouldn't let it bother me one bit.

Maybe for you it's for function. For ME it has to look good. MONEY BACK!!

[Powder_Keg]

Damn, your right, with a stainless frame that steel insert won't work unless you put a finish on the frame.

If it were my 1911, I would just try to get all or most of the money back. Gunsmiths take pride in their hand checking skills and that job is awful

It's just a thought, but if you sent it to a competent gunsmith, he still might be able to fix it. Since the mistake is dead center on the front strap, you might be able to get a gunsmith to blend the front section smooth and feather it out to the edges that are good. More or less, get rid of the cancer and leave the good edges untouched. He can then go back and recut the lines across using the good section as a guide. You are going to lose some material, probably less than 1/16 of an inch and the front profile of the grip will change slightly, but it would still have a consistent shape/profile from the magwell to the trigger guard.

I've seen pics of what these gunsmith can do and I bet when they are done, you would probably never know.

The work will probably cost you a pretty penny, so I guess you will have to weight it against how much the bad checking bothers you.

[Speedpower]

Yeah, who is the gunsmith?

[brian5271]

Thanks for the input guys.I sent an email to the smith, lets see what he says. As for the smith, I'd rather not say on here.



It's a springfield 9mm 1911.

Don’t mean to hijack your thread, but did you have him bead blast the flat areas so they do not look polished? It looks nice all one tone. Also, did your gun originally come with the engraving so deep on the slide? I have the same gun and the engraving on that side is very shallow. All of the guns they had at my LGS when I bought looked the same with shallow engraving. What all have you done to it?

Nice gun BTW

[SamSung]

Wait... really? WTF? I mean yeah it's not perfect, and it's not right, but you didn't notice for a while and you are saying that the photos are worse than it is in reality. It's front strap checkering not engraving, it's not for looks it is for function. I wouldn't let it bother me one bit.

[Stripeknight]

And I'm not saying the smith shouldn't do something to make it right, I'm saying that I wouldn't really care because it doesn't change the functionality at all. Apparently you didn't notice that in your own example. Sideways stairs are not functional, bad checkering is as functional as good checkering.

This whole thread is filled with "burn him at the f*cking stake" and it makes me think that a lot of guys here don't have experience in craft or in working a labor type job. Mistakes happen and **** get's ****ed. The "smith should replace your frame" guy especially, that's completely out of this world, and a total sue your neighbor for all the are worth sort of atitude.

Having said all that I agree that the lie is the worst part about it and the smith could have made it easier by just fessing up to it, but I'll stand by my atitude of just letting it go. Life is too short. It works, it still functions, it's not as pretty and it was surely expensive but holding all the animosity that is in this thread does you no good, and certainly doen't fix the gun or inform the smith.

I would never deliver such a job, but I wouldn't be out for blood either, I'd never lie about a mistake but I wouldn't spend this much time being angry about anything so small as a bad checkering job. To the OP I hope you get what you want, and I hope you are happy with how it turns out, whatever that may be.

You are not a gunsmith that recently botched up a checkering job by any chance are you???

[c3 rolling]

deleted

[Powder_Keg]

Please tell me it wasn't Alan Tanaka...

I have a 1911 that will be needing work soon, so I contacted the OP to verify who the smith was and it was NOT Alan Tanaka.

[xxINKxx]

Jan Merson of American gunsmith and firearms??? http://www.ccw4me.com/Feedback_125987red1gw6s4a.upfl

That douche messed up my pistol. It was a beretta m1951. Old but worth fixing. Just had to fab a new roll pin that held the extractor and bolt together (I couldn't find the correct size)

Basically lost my gun, 6 months later he contacts me that it's done (it was a measly 90$ job)

Was super rude to me the entire time when we were in touch via phone. Was super rude when I was picking it up at the gun show, and he misplaced the gun yet again. Then started talking sh** that I better be paying cash or I'm not getting the gun til I find cash. I had cash ready and never mentioned a credit card/check.

The roll pin broke in half 3rd shot at the indoor range and pieces went flying. Stay away. Hopefully that's not who you went with...That guy is a joke.

[SMR510]

I also bet that another smith could redo the checkering without an insert and you would probably never know the difference. Since it is so fine it isnt very deep, if it was 20lpi then probably not but with 30lpi it seems at least possible. Surprised the guy who did it didnt do that in the first place.

[bsg]

sorry this happened to you.

imho, the smith should pay for repair at the shop of your choice.