Anyone who owns a 1911-style pistol knows the feeling.

During reassembly, the slide stop can slip and leave a permanent scratch on the frame. Enthusiasts commonly refer to this as an "idiot scratch." While the name may be humorous, the damage certainly isn't.

For modern pistols, the scratch is frustrating. For collectible firearms, it can be heartbreaking.

The idea for the Idiot Scratch Prevention Tool™ began in the summer of 2009 after a slide stop slipped during reassembly of a brand-new Colt Combat Commander. The scratch wasn't catastrophic, but it raised an uncomfortable question:

"What if the same thing happened to a collectible pistol?"

At the time, a recently acquired three-digit Colt M1911 manufactured in early 1912 was sitting in the collection. The thought of accidentally scratching a firearm with that kind of history inspired the search for a better solution.

The goal was simple:

Create a tool that would protect a pistol's frame during reassembly without interfering with the maintenance process.

The challenge was far more difficult than it appeared.

The tool needed to be thin enough to fit into a gap that is often around .010 inches wide, yet durable enough to withstand repeated use. It also needed to remain in position without requiring an extra hand while the user focused on aligning the slide stop and controlling spring pressure.

Dozens of prototypes were created and tested before the design was refined into the product used today.

A major contributor to that refinement was Dan Wray's son, Jake Wray, an Industrial Engineer, who helped optimize the design and manufacturing process.

Numerous materials were evaluated before settling on Mylar® polyester and Rowlux® polycarbonate, which provided the combination of thinness, durability, flexibility, and manufacturability required by the design.

Long before the ISPT™ was created, Dan Wray had spent years studying, evaluating, buying, and collecting M1911 and M1911A1 pistols.

That experience included evaluating historically significant pistols and helping collectors identify rare examples and authentic military-production firearms.

One especially memorable evaluation involved a pistol that was nearly sold for a few hundred dollars before being identified as a rare experimental Union Switch and Signal prototype worth many thousands more.

Experiences like these reinforced a simple belief:

Historic firearms deserve to be protected.

The ISPT™ was designed by a lifelong student of the platform specifically to help preserve these pistols during maintenance.

Before applying for patent protection, extensive research was conducted to determine whether similar products already existed.

None could be found.

During the patent process, the United States Patent and Trademark Office ultimately recognized not only the physical design of the Frame Scratch Prevention Tool™, but also the broader concept of protecting a pistol's frame during reassembly.

The result was a level of protection that reflected the uniqueness of the idea itself.

The ISPT™ was conceived, developed, patented, and manufactured in the United States.

The inspiration for the product was the iconic Colt M1911/M1911A1, a pistol carried by American servicemembers for generations, including Dan Wray during his own military service.

Manufacturing in the United States was never considered optional.

From the beginning, the goal was to design and produce the ISPT™ domestically while maintaining control over quality and production.

Today, ISPT™ products have been purchased in more than 35 countries.

The company has received testimonials from collectors, competitive shooters, hobbyists, gunsmiths, and longtime firearm professionals.

Among the most rewarding feedback comes from experienced users who report that once they begin using an ISPT™, they never want to reassemble a pistol without one.

For a product that began with the desire to protect a single historic Colt, there is no better validation than helping firearm owners around the world protect theirs.