Most of the time they are not worth my time - I can do somethings more profitable. At times we all get back into a corner with a good customer or friend we want to help out they we attempt the impossible - sometimes it works out well the experience/knowledge is worth the effort - sometimes we learn that next time we say no or charge a lot more. It always amazes me that when I up charge a hard project people are so happy. I have a good friend who is a jeweler and engraves a few items with a very old machine - he really prefers not to engrave at all. He is all the time sending over the strange and unusual items and customers. Most of the time I can help them, a few do not have items that will take engraving. Had a lady come in last week with a bride and groom glasses - my wife took them in and said we would do them - when I took them out of the box both glasses were really bad - glass was curved where it was not to be curved and the stems were crooked - I could not even get them to set level. I called the lady (who turned out to be the bride - marrying a doctor no less)
and told he she should return the glasses - they were a major name brand. She asked if I could do them - I said yes with extra effort - but engraving the deformed glass would not help the looks - she said whatever it cost go ahead - I did them she was happy and paid my normal rate plus extra for dealing with the odd shape. Go figure. Like most engravers I tend to be a picky about the work that goes out of my shop. If it won't look good I do not want to do it.