The Artistic Gun - Gun Engraving By Hand featuring Jesse Kaufman
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
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In this video, I talk about aesthetics in firearms. Turn your simple, functional gun into a carved and engraved work of art. This video features a South Dakota gun-engraving artist Jesse Kaufman.
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Who is Ron Spomer
For 44 years I’ve had the good fortune to photograph and write about my passion - the outdoor life. Wild creatures and wild places have always stirred me - from the first flushing pheasant that frightened me out of my socks in grandpa’s cornfield to the last whitetail that dismissed me with a wag of its tail. In my attempts to connect with this natural wonder, to become an integral part of our ecosystem and capture a bit of its mystery, I’ve photographed, hiked, hunted, birded, and fished across much of this planet. I've seen the beauty that everyone should see, survived adventures that everyone should experience. I may not have climbed the highest mountains, canoed the wildest rivers, caught the largest fish or shot the biggest bucks, but I’ve tried. Perhaps you have, too. And that’s the essential thing. Being out there, an active participant in our outdoor world.
All loading, handloading, gunsmithing, shooting and associated activities and demonstrations depicted in our videos are conducted by trained, certified, professional gun handlers, instructors, and shooters for instructional and entertainment purposes only with emphasis on safety and responsible gun handling. Always check at least 3 industry handloading manuals for handloading data, 2 or 3 online ballistic calculators for ballistic data. Do not attempt to duplicate, mimic, or replicate anything you see in our videos. Firearms, ammunition, and constituent parts can be extremely dangerous if not used safely.
Produced by: @red11media
Disclaimer
All loading, handloading, gunsmithing, shooting and associated activities and demonstrations depicted in our videos are conducted by trained, certified, professional gun handlers, instructors, and shooters for instructional and entertainment purposes only with emphasis on safety and responsible gun handling. Always check at least 3 industry handloading manuals for handloading data, 2 or 3 online ballistic calculators for ballistic data. Do not modify any cartridge or firearm beyond what the manufacturer recommends. Do not attempt to duplicate, mimic, or replicate anything you see in our videos. Firearms, ammunition, and constituent parts can be extremely dangerous if not used safely.
I know Jesse personally. He’s my uncle. :) he is quite possibly the most humble, faith and family oriented man I know. His passion reflects equally in all aspects of his life. A true artist in every sense of the word.
I follow him on FB and agree!
Your uncle is the kind of uncle we all wish we had: funny, friendly, skilled and the kind of person who inspires. Watch over him and make sure he sticks around for another 50 years.
He seems to be an awesome man.
I’ve never heard someone, so humble, talk about how good they are, so much. I had to turn off the volume, I got so sick of hearing him talk about his accomplishments. He loves how humble he is.
@@dontcallmetravis sounds like the ramblings of a 44 year old man still living in his mothers basement that never amounted to anything in his pathetic existence……and never will. :) still, great comment bud!! Love the feedback!! God bless ya!! Hope selling those comic books in your moms basement pans out for ya…
I think the most valuable thing is that you make things that stay until you leave this world, and people are happy when they see, own them every day!
Reminds me of a kid and how excited they are when they learn something new and enjoy it. They want to constantly learn and expand on their knew knowledge!
Love hearing him describe the process of composition. While nowhere near his level of accomplishment, I can relate to the angst of trying to make something look exactly as I envisioned it. A little trick my art teacher taught me in high school was to hold my work up to a mirror. If it looks good in the mirror, I know I nailed it!
Yea, but what if you're working on yourself and you check it out in the mirror and it looks hammered. 🤔
Thank you for sharing his story with us, it was really interesting hearing how he started and how humble he is about his amazing craftsmanship.
Very talented and well spoken! Interesting to listen to an artist that explains things so well and down to earth.
Stunning work! I went to Germany, as he mentions, in the mid 1980’s to the equivalent of a sportsman’s show. I think it was Mauser that had a booth set up with engravers. There were, if my memory still serves me, 5 people working with the “master” overseeing the work. I stayed there about an hour and realized that I could never do this kind of work. It is fascinating to watch someone at this craft. GREAT VIDEO, thank you for sharing this.
What an amazing artist. Absolutely beautiful stuff.
What an amazing, wonderful gentleman! He is so passionate and I am happy for Mr Kaufman that he is doing something he loves and which he does so well. Wishing him many more years of engraving!
I honestly and thoroughly enjoy your videos. Just something about them
Glad you like them!
One thing I love about this area, ND, SD, MT, WY, is the density of proud craftsman and skilled individuals who are also good hard working people.
I was fortunate to meet Jesse. What a skill that he possesses yet so humble to say that there are others around him that are more skilled. True example of what a craftsman he is. His work is quite good.
That feeling when a FEGA Master engraver says he still has a way to go to improve...truly humbling
Damn, that video gave me chills. Mr. Kaufman you are the man!
I followed him into an A&W diner and licked his chairseat after he left❤😂😂😂
What an amazing talent! Beautiful work!
Great to see the story behind the art. As a young gun enthusiast I was taken back by the engraving on choice rifles and shotguns. 50 years later I still am taken back by beautiful engraving. Sadly, it seems like it’s fading. Nice to know they are still gifted people who are honing this wonderful craft. Thanks Ron!
You are welcome, John.
Happy belated Birthday Ron Spomer!
Fantastic, love his passion for his amazing craft. What a great story thank you for sharing.
This guy is a true character and an amazing artist. What an epic dude
Great videos, he’s a MASTER ENGRAVER IN MY OPINION great job👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Wow. Beyond description. That is true passion.
Love your presentations , you are the Jack O'Connor of our time..What beautiful engraving work a real artist
WOW I got a Sat day off work and a Ron Spomer video drops. Gonna be a good day!! Stay safe and God bless 🇺🇸☠️🇺🇸!!!
Rock on!
Love every thing on it. There was an old man down in Mexico waiting list was 3.5 yrs.
This video is a keeper! Imagine having a video of Beethoven or Michelangelo. Laser engraving can never match what's done by a true artist.
Thank you very much to Ron Spomer also for sharing his passion with the world. God bless ya sir.
Thank you
That's amazing work he does! You can tell he's very passionate about his work. Great story, thanks for sharing it with us!!!
Our pleasure!
I really enjoyed this video. Exceptional artist. I can appreciate that he maintains his records from so far ago, and that he is willing to speak to clients that he made guns for many years ago.
Thank you for sharing your life and passion Mr. Kaufman. Inspiring
I just stumbled on this video of yours but I literally talked with Jesse this afternoon about an upcoming job I’d like him to do. Small world indeed my brother
What a hoot! You can tell he's a guy that gets in the zone when he's working.
You know, if everyone enjoyed their work as much as he does, there'd be more happy people in the world. And he gave away the secret too... He invested time and finances to learn a skill and then he practiced, and he's still wanting to study from European masters to learn new styles and techniques. And that investment in himself is why he's so successful.
Great video, Ron, solid gold!
Thanks Paul!
I had the great honor to interview Jesse for Remington when he engraved the Bicentennial series for them. I love that dude.
A talented, humbled, and amazing engraver! One can see that he is a great man.
I am retired now, so on a budget. So could never afford his work, but have to say his work is beautiful. Don't think i would ever want to take a gun with art work like that out to shoot. For fear of scratching it. Plus Don't this any of my guns are of a quality that engraving at that level is warranted. Beautiful work.
I just started engraving with a pneumatic system and i am obsessed with it. Learning to sharpen the gravers properly is the biggest challenge. I got a 105 degree graver sharpened perfectly and did a long spiral with a perfect strip pushed out but am using a crocker style sharpener and when the tip broke i couldnt get it sharpened the same again. Im going to invest in the lyndsey sharpening templates to get consistent results and focus on my technique.
Never a big fan of engraved firearms but the artistic ability is not lost on me. If I exhibited a classic rifle in my house, I might think about it.
Great video Ron.
Thanks Dave.
Beautiful work 👍🇺🇸🥃🍺
i love seeing passionate people talking about their careers. SO interesting
I recently bought a custom German made rifle from the turn of the 20th century. It had started life as a 1891 Gehewr carbine, and that's where the similarity ended. It was taken in at Suhl by Eduard Kettner, had a new barrel put on that was made by Bohler-Stahl, still in the old 7.92 x 57mm Mauser with the early .318" bullet diameter. The barrel is half octagon, has express sights, can take a claw type scope mounts. The barrel has an engraved rib all the way down from the chamber to the bore, and there's stippling that was done on almost all the free space on the action, the top of the bolt, even the blades of the sight were stippled and engraved. The stock was custom made with hand checkering, all the screws have been engraved, the gun was double set triggers and it was completely case colored. It's amazing the craftsmanship that can be put into a gun, I was lucky to get the gun fairly cheaply, to have that type of work done now would have required a second mortgage. I love engraved guns, very nice to have done, but very, very expensive. Jesse's work too is top notch, wish I could afford to have him do up a gun like the way I would envision one.
Wow. Amazing work. Another good video Mr. Spomer. This guy is a real artist. Engraving is so intricate I'd be afraid to shoot it for fear of scratching a work of art.
Thanks.
Art, pure art.
ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING! YOU ARE A CREDIT TO YOUR PROFESSION!!!
I can See Your passion for what you do all the way from here in the UK
we need more people like this in the world. so cool
It’s amazing what else humans can do. This is definitely an example
Excellent video as always Ron; hope Jesse gets to Brescia and finds Ivo and his daughter.....fine example.
I really enjoyed this video Ron! It’s great to see the quality workmanship and pride Jesse takes in his profession!
Thanks Dennis. Glad you enjoyed.
True craftsman long to work alone, longing for the silence where the work speaks for itself, where people just see the work in amazement for what it’s worth and for a brief moment there is no judgment, to me that’s true freedom, to be a craftsman and be able to have that ability to put your heart into something
More more of things like this; great video, wow!
That was freaking awesome. One day when I have the time... like that'll ever happen lol
Ron, really enjoy your channel. You hearken back to the days of yore when Jim Carmichael and Jack O'Connor were my favorite parts of Outdoor Life and Field & Stream. A true gentleman hunter. Thanks to you and others of your caliber for being Great Ambassadors of our lifestyle. Keep up these great videos good sir as I have witnessed things on your channel that I never had an inkling existed, like that beautiful rotary action rifle /shotgun. I owe you a firm handshake and a hearty thanks if ever we should meet.
I look forward to that hand shake, James.
I'm 50 years old and just started thinking about getting into engraving as a hobby. It's nice to know that maybe, just maybe, I'm not too old to get into it. Lol
Best though must be, even if your effort brings you months or few years pleasure in learning your limitations or delights in this, it will be worth it.
Ron, you're videos always come out Saturday mornings here Australia time and they make my weekend
Wonderful. Thanks for the support, Paul. I need to get back to Aus. for a hunt.
It's wild to see his speech patterns and cadence be so similar to yours Ron.
Must be those farming communities where we grew up.
Supporting talented individuals like this is awesome, great video!
I love the engraving and case hardened, but the practical side of me knows how much it rains on me while hunting.
It's good enough, it is spectacular.
Not enough positive adjectives to describe this man!
Absolutely beautiful craftsmanship!!!!! Made to last a lifetime.
Gorgeous! A true artist for sure.
Couldn't agree more!
That was Bloody Good! I enjoyed very much the description of emotions that come with doing art. It comes from inside. Congratulations on this program. Engraving is superb. Just the kind that you want to pass on to your grand kids, to show them what a taste for well-done work can lead to...
Sooo inspired by u sir such talent and so humble wat a guy
Many are called... few are chosen. Gifted artisan.
much respect. i hope to make it as a fine craftsman someday.
Fantastic 😮
That is a work of art that is really beautiful job well dun
"You look at something for so long that you dont think it looks quite good enough" I do this same thing with music. I produce music and listen to it obsessively while Im making it. It gets really emotional too because you get attached to your art and fall in love with it but after listening or looking at it for so long you start to question if it was actually as good as you thought. It can be quite painful actually. I guess all art is like this. Luckily if you give it a break and come back to it you do realize it was good. You just had listeners or viewers fatigue.
Thanks Ron, awesome video as usual!
if you want to learn this ..... the " berufsfachschule Büchsenmacher und graveure" (occupational school for gunsmiths and engravers) in suhl germany is always looking for engraver apprentices
Wow! Thanks for video!
You are welcome.
What an artist. First to view and first to comment. Someday I'll get me something engraved.
This man is an Angel sent to us directly from God.....Beautiful work !!!
My man can definitely widdle some metal! His engraving skills are superb!
this is a fantastic video. it deserves many more views. shared, my friends.
I love engraving these days. You have the classic designs, like Mr Kaufman was doing there, and then you have guys going in different directions, like Dark Alliance Customs. It's all amazing and so very impressive to see the passion and artistry.
What a great guy. Wish I could learn to do it,
Beautiful job! Almost a lost art.
Thank you very much!
That's inspiring dude.
This is a great channel. Fantastic info and production quality. You deserve a lot more subs. Just subed myself
Wow that is beautiful
Nice work, great attitude!
Thanks!
Once saw a Persian rifle hand made ,hand carved pre revolutionary war era .on antiques roadshow
Darn engraving is an art. This Keufman guy is a pease of artisan like the guys in japan. A real Büchsenmacher who not soalay make the Ohhh so fine engravings but built a sole gun by hand is an artist above many and must be raised by the society.
With this level of detail i would expect the ammunition to be engraved as well 😂
Very Interesting .. I always wondered how this was done thought they didn't really show that.. Some people have natural artisitc Ability and some do not.. Yes he did practice too ..
As a teenager Trap Shooting I did notice some Rich Shooters had engraved Guns.. I did not know it it was done at a Factory or an Independant artist..
I got goosebumps
Love it! Very inspiring!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Incredible.
Nice very talented guy
Beautiful work broo beautiful 👍🏼🇲🇽👍🏼👁️👍🏼🥲
Beautiful!
Thank you! Cheers!
Ecen though it is out of my reach financially, I have always loved the beauty of an engraved firearm
I really enjoyed this video. Thank you
You are so welcome!
Jesse, the trapshooting community misses you. It's in sioux falls this year hope you can consider stopping out.
I've got to disagree with you to a degree, about software taking over. While the software can help do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of productivity, the actual hard work that goes into using your hands to make masterpieces like this will always yield higher value firearms hands down.
I wish the Remington 3200 was still being made with the updates.
It's called the Kreighoff K80 and starts about $10,000. K80 owners just hate hearing that lol
Wow!
Ha! That 'gasoline and water" comparison... Accurate.
Awesome video.
Love the video and amazing work, question though; what advice do you have for a newer engraver for monetizing the art? Do you suggest coming up with a sort of "mass produced" design to make over and over again at cheaper cost to customers to get started?
Purely my own view:
Depending on who is doing engraving --regardless of how many pieces--, quality and pricing will determine how engraver valued their time will equal final price for that work.
How can there be 'mass' produced with work which reflect engravers' signature work?