FJC:
I appreciate your perspective. The master jeweler who is crafting the silver grips for my R9s has told me that he appreicates the business. (He also made the silver grips for my G380.)
In my declining years, I have admittedly become more self indulgent. Nonetheless, for one born in the Great Depression, it sometimes worries me. One of my old COs used to criticize me for my tendency to "personalize" my "stuff." However, I'm still here -- he isn't. (And I am considering having the slide of my R9s engraved with my name on the right side and one of my two Latin mottos on the left -- which one I haven't decided.)
And so, I shall see if my jeweler friend can pull this R9s grip project off as well as he did for the G380. (He had better be able to pull it off, because I have already told Karl and Eric that I would send them photographs.) My jeweler friend is good and, assuming that he succeeds, I shall post a photo of the results -- together with the magnificent holster which my friend, RJ Hedley, has crafted for the weapon.
I'm out of here -- for now.
RS