Ed,

A forum member's earlier suggestion of sandblasting the piece, was a good one.

Here's the deal: Your mention of perceived value hits the "nail" on the head.

The trend toward laser engraving and digital-imaging is so prevalent, the "forgotten" processes have become more unique!

Hand engraving is all-but-dead; manual pantograph engraving is hot in pursuit. Rotary-drag equipment brings up the rear, in viable "old technolgy" processes, still in demand.

Even the oldest, lowly, most-limited piece of engraving equipment, is capable of elevating a person's station in life.

Every process has its place. To anyone stuck in a day job, or searching for a niche, I say,

"Ya gotta start somewhere!" :-) 

It's too easy to get caught in "new" technology. Many jobs passing through our shop are still done in one of our pantograph engravers or even by hand because it's QUICKER!

The time taken to set up and align in a computer system is often longer than to simply put it in the machine or freehand it, especially when dealing with jewellery items.

I can't remember when we last had complaints about the quality of our work. Mistakes perhaps, but not quality.

What you say is true. Sometimes, the old-fashioned way can be quicker.

Of course, if the demand for engraved ceremonial shovels became a strong niche, common sense would say, it's time to get a computerized system that could do the job.

For prototyping or testing the strength of a niche market, what's old, is new. :-)