Big learning curve on stamping?

Got to say I'm glad I went with the personalizer etching machine. Doesn't mater if the steel is hard or soft, and can get it as deep as a stamp. If I was going to stamp I'd probably go the rout of a press and jig holder, no way I could stamp it perfect with a hammer on the anvil all the time.
 
I made the stamp holder but the blade still jumped around when hit with the hammer so I made another gadget, works well now.Put the knife under the stamp and tighten the big bolt then give the big bolt a good whack or two .
Richard

MVC-020F.jpg
 
cant go wrong with an etcher. I have had the same problems using a stamp, I use a small hyd press now helps a lot on placement. That said I was working on a knife and bumped the plunge line( rounded off the corner ) on my disc grinder. I fixed the problem just messed up my name so had to grind it off. I went in an ordered a stencil to match my stamp and brought the etcher out of retirement LOL. I will say your your etched mark looks great
 
Steve Randall said:
cant go wrong with an etcher. I have had the same problems using a stamp, I use a small hyd press now helps a lot on placement. That said I was working on a knife and bumped the plunge line( rounded off the corner ) on my disc grinder. I fixed the problem just messed up my name so had to grind it off. I went in an ordered a stencil to match my stamp and brought the etcher out of retirement LOL. I will say your your etched mark looks great
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+1 on the etcher. I've been using a stamp since I've been selling, and I'm tired of crooked and double stamps. Going to build an etcher soon!

I've found that an 8 pound sledge works best for stamping. I stamp my blades on my 110 pound anvil.
 
Daniel Fairly Knives said:
I will try that if it comes down to it. Thanks for the great photos! I have never tapped anything so I was hoping to hold off on building a fixture but I will do whatever it takes to get this right.
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Freehand tapping is easy once you get the feel for it. Get a cheap Harbor Freight or similar tap set to practice with before you get a set of the good ones though, lol. Also, start practicing on a few pieces of soft materials like aluminum and plastic til you get a good feel for it.
 
Daniel Fairly Knives said:
Update: I got an etcher!
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Etching is really the way to go with stock removal blades, IMO. I still hot stamp my forged pieces but I doubt I will ever cold stamp another blade (except sometimes on the butt end of the tang, for my own marking purposes). Not that it's impossible to screw one up with an etcher, but cold stamping just gives me the willies for some reason (several reasons, actually).
 
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