Going to order a makers mark stamp need help

N

night man

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Aug 27, 2010
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Its about time for me to order a makers mark stamp and I am not sure what size or what design would be ok for a metal stamp. This is what I have so far. I really want a DB for Dynamik Blades and I also want USA in there somewhere, but I may have to drop it and just go with my symbol for DB. This is what I came up with. What do you think.

I know it is hard to read but that is the point, I am going for a symbol style look.

This will be used for all my knives so I am unsure what size. 1 centimeter square? More or less? I just don't know.

Like it, dont like it, suggestions? This will be the first and hopefully only stamp that I buy.

The bottom one didn't make the cut for obvious reasons. :eek:

Thanks for any help.

DBMark.jpg


DBMark2.jpg


DBmark3.jpg
 
If you hadnt told me that the second one was USA i never wouldve guessed it.
And the first one is supposed to be a db?
 
IMHO your designs are a bit overdesigned.
I´d like one that is instantly regonised for what it is.
I doubt if the letters will be regonised as letters when stamped in a blade
 
Much too busy. If you're going for a logo type design, it should be immediately recognizable. And you're right, the third one borders on the obscene.
 
Simple is better.

A plain block style DB is good. You can flip the "D" to make the letters back to back if you want fancy.

The maker's mark has to carry some sort of info about the maker, unless you plan on becoming a household name. A spider instantly says spyderco....but only because they spent millions promoting that ( and they still mark the blade SPYDERCO). If a small time maker had the nickname lizard, and used a lizard for his mark....no one would know but him.

Same goes for :
DB
USA
Sure, being proud of our country and its military is good, but there is a lot of USA here, and a lot of DB's in it.

DB
OK,USA would be better.

D.BROWN
OK,USA would say even more

Now, if you put a logo like the ones you drew on one side, and an informative maker's mark the other, like:
D. Brown
OK City, OK
USA
Then you would really have it all. People would know the maker of your knife long after the maker was gone.

The way to do this, and make any combinations or changes desired, is to use an etcher and not a stamp. One good 24V etcher will last a lifetime. You can get the logo and maker's mark stencils made in a variety of sizes and mark as needed. You don't mark the blade until it is done, so there is no need to hot stamp and deal with grinding out the mark partially. Changing your logo or mark only requires getting some new stencils.
If you make a special run of knives for the unit, it would not cost much for a stencil to say ( for example)
Team A
3rd Div
USA
 
The way to do this,...., is to use an etcher and not a stamp. One good 24V etcher will last a lifetime.
Click to expand...


Please, listen to Stacy.
8 months of use, $310.00 - down the pooper!



 
Thanks Stacy I think I will go with a etcher like you mentioned. I am a graphic designer so drawing up a stencil shouldn't be a problem. Do you have a suggestion on etcher and who can make my custom stencils for me?
 
In defence of stamps... I have been using them since I started and my current ones (logo and "MARCHAND") have been in constant use for 4years without issue. I use them for metal and leather.
 
Rick raises a valid point - a quality stamp, used properly, can last a very long time and works on leather, too. However - I don't know offhand of anyone heating up their stainless blades and stamping them, so if you don't want to be limited to low-alloy steels, that may be a consideration. Etching works equally well on carbon or stainless steel, although you may have to play with your voltage/time or need a stronger electrolyte for stainless.

Anyway, there's more than one right answer. For instance a maker might settle on a basic logo stamp and use stencils for more details, or variable stuff as Stacy described. There are plans around here and elsewhere for building your own etcher at very little cost, or you can spend hundreds on a pro machine.

Regardless, your actual name needs to on there somewhere.
 
Rick and others - Do you stamp your blades when hot, or annealed cold?

eta: sorry if I'm hijacking the thread.
 
Also curious where do you get your stamps Rick ?, I was just thinking about stamps last night actually, and figured I could search but since someone already brought the topic up. I personally am going to buy or build an etcher as well.. but stamps would be nice on forged knives I feel.
 
James is right, stamps don't work for everything... getting both is a great idea. I plan on doing that at some point. Options, options, options!

I stamp normalized blades, cold, prior to heat treat. Stamping hot with eventually temper your punch back. My stamps are from Henry Evers at Everstamp. 4yrs ago my logo was $210 and my name was $180.

I got 1/16" font for the name and 1/4" for the logo... and had them made separately so I can arrange them on even the smallest of blades.

IMG_0076-1.jpg
 
Thanks Rick :)

Do you use his stamping jig/rig/thing or just hammer it by hand?
 
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Personalizer Plus etcher is a great one. There are budget models, but the added features of 24 volts and variable setting is well worth it IMHO.
Ernie is the mane for stencils.
http://www.erniesknives.com/knifemaker_stencil.html

I have a box of stamps I use on forged blades in several different marks ( Bill Moran, W.Scagel, Bruce Bump :) ). They are great for what the type of blades I need them on. The problem is that a different stamp costs a lot. A different stencil is pretty cheap. You can also order your stencils made in two or three sizes for the same cost. This is really a plus when you do knives from small to huge.
 
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That is good advice Stacy, and thanks for the link! It has some tutorials on it as well which is nice. I have one of those budget markers from Knifekits but it's really not up to snuff compared to the nicer ones, as it marks but doesn't etch.
 
Both of mine came from Evers as well, and I put mine in an arbour press after getting some double stamps on the first knives I tried it on. I decided to use a name on one side and my mark on the other. As I will probably be a hobbist for the next few decades it should be enough for me, I'm slow to build as I start working on knives around 10:30pm-1:00am if I have energy after the kids go to bed, so only a few knives per year, and my little grinder died on Sunday....

Here are my stamps
IMG_7134.jpg

IMG_7135.jpg


And my stamping setup.
IMG_7307Stamp2.jpg

IMG_7308Stamp3.jpg


I'm not good enough to stamp freehand. I don't care the most for the Evers stamp holder, but I work with what I have.

I too feel that the marks you chose are difficult to understand, but would make a nice second stamp.
 
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