Engraving bolsters?

[wordsmith]

I've been thinking about making a knife with bolsters to be engraved, but don't know much about what, if anything, I need to do differently than normal. What grit do I polish to? Are some materials preferable to others? Who should I use? Would the value increase from the engraving be recoverable in my price? Is this something I can even afford to do? I hardly even know what to ask, but these questions should get us started.

Travis

 

[Jim Adams Customs]

Engravers like 416 ss for bolsters. The rest I couldn't tell you. I been aiming to do some engraved integrals. Maybe this round I will be able too. I work on four Integrals now.

 

[Frank Niro]

Not all knives will look good or better with engraving, and the engraving must suit the knife. The engraving will not increase the value of the knife if the knife isn't very well made in styling and finish. As well if the engraving is of poor quality that wouldn't increase the value either. I believe the knife should have all the good qualities so it will sell at a good price and then the maker looks at it and decides if it will get engraving or not. If all is in place, I'm sure it will sell for more than without. Of course if the maker has been doing fine quality work that are in demand, then he is able to plan in advance for this to be done. Frank

 

[Redrummd]

I have some engraved knives on my website and the contact information for the two engravers who work with my knives if you want more information....

The engraved knives do sell for enough more than the others to pay for the cost of the engraving but do not sell for enough more for any opportunity to mark the works up to increase the profit margin. I just like the looks so do some of them.