I'm a Wimp!

P. McKinley

P. McKinley

Joined
Jan 27, 2008
Messages
2,010
A rather curious issue has appeared.......

I'm going for a mirror polish on the flats of this rather large blade and as I'm working my way up through the grits, I'm watching my stamped maker's mark initials fade away into dust. Obviously I'm a wimp with the hammer.

I'm at 600 right now and the damage is done, so what's the fix for this screw up...... spend another 10 hours hand sanding it all down until the entire stamping disappears completely thereby making the guard notch to wide necessitating carving a new guard,....... or lazer etch over it..... or.....??

I am not annealing and re-stamping!! :grumpy:

This should, and did, read "PJM". Any thoughts?

Finkle032.jpg
 
I'would sand it completely and etch it, instead of annealing, stamping and re-HT..

Emre
 
I have had this problem several times myself. I have considered trying to fix them by etching the rest of the design in but have not had a chance to try it.
 
What is the steel type? It doesn't help on this blade, but perhaps in future, you could finish further before HT so you don't have so much to sand away.

For the current project - and try this on scrap first - might it be possible to redefine the mark with a dremel and a fine diamond burr? I have never tried this, but it sounds like you have limited options. If you have to redo the guard, it's going to be fun trying to line up the holes.

Keep us posted

Rob!
 
Do a spot anneal and restamp. I've done that before, and it works.
 
Rob - Its 5160.

in future, you could finish further before HT
Click to expand...

Yeahhhh..... I had this to 400 on all faces before HT and it got pretty gunked-up in the quench. The HT process was quite successful, but it left a lot of crap to sand off and I really had to do it all by hand, so.....

I rather think the cause is just plain ole' wimpy hammer strokes. I didn't hit hard enough.

Philip - "Spot anneal"?, please explain.
 
TekSec said:
Well, not the part you're heating... :p
Click to expand...

Thank you for clearin' that up!! :p:p

Phillip - So with the blade immersed I'd really just heat up that small oval of steel to blue, then cool immediately in water....then re-stamp?

Hmmmmmmm.....

Thanks! :)
 
TekSec said:
Well, not the part you're heating... :p
Click to expand...

Yeah, thanks. :p


Phillip - So with the blade immersed I'd really just heat up that small oval of steel to blue, then cool immediately in water....then re-stamp?

Hmmmmmmm.....

Thanks! :)
Click to expand...

You're welcome! I hope it works for you.
I would repeat it several times, and let it cool slowly, though it shouldn't hurt it to cool quickly as long you don't take it above critical.
 
As a last resort you could probably take it to a jeweler and have him engrave your initials back.
 
Another way to spot anneal if you have to is heat the end of a 3/8" or so thick (maybe less) piece of barstock to a good orange and apply to the area you want to anneal. Can be easier to control than a torch. I think phillip's advice is good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top