Logo marking Damascus? and your opinions please..

Trace Rinaldi

Trace Rinaldi

Joined
Oct 3, 1998
Messages
1,774
I have been working on a Damascus knife on and off for a while now.. I had it just about finished and went to put the logo on with my trusty personalizer. The mark looked very faded, and completely came off when I put some oil on it..
I am using the SCE1 electrolyte,and its abvious this isnt working..PLEASE HELP!!
This Devin Thomas high contrast made with nickel and 1095.

Also I would love to hear from makers about thier experiences with High Performance Damascus if there is such a thing.
I love the way this stuff looks, but I want it to perform too. Who makes the best, and why? Anyone use Mike Norris' stuff?
Thanks very much in advance..

Trace Rinaldi
www.thrblades.com
 
They make different etchants for different steels.I used to use one that was for stainless and didn't work well at all on carbon steel,so I had quit using my personalizer for a long time untill I had a guy tell me to try a different solution.You might be running into trouble because of the nickel.It won't etch so it may not be taking the etching from the personalizer.Alex Daniels is coming to my shop tomorrow and I will ask him about this problem and he should be able to help...
Just a dumb question,but you didn't do like I did once and leave it on mark and not etch or I also didnt get the grounding clip on good once and the etch didn't turn out worth a flip,Just for a laugh I once forgot to plug the machine in and went through the whole proccess before I realized it,and once I forgot to put the cli[p on and went through all the steps and didn't get a darned thing to etch:D :D
Just something to check.It can happen..
Alex did tell me one time that if my etchant solution was old all I had to do was add some salt to it and that would rejuvenate it,It worked to.
Bruce
 
I totally agree with Bruce. I have a Mark300K from Marking Methods that will mark just about anything...but without the solution for carbon steel it won't mark it hardly at all. Even at that, I get my best, most crisp etches in stainless.

The high nickel steel seems to need a stamp from my experience...but if I just need a different solution for it, I would sure try it.

As far as the damascus goes... My friend Tom Ferry uses 1084 and 15N20 for his damascus (the combination of choice for most smiths anymore) and it performs. Tom makes such beautiful steel most guys are afraid to use it, but he makes it to be used. I think if you can find someone supplying this combination you would be happy with it Trace.

I would think something with L6 in it would be very tough as well.

I don't think anyone can afford to do any hard-core testing with Devin's steel, as it would cause too much heart-ache to find out what it would take to break it...but it's definitely pretty.

Good luck Trace,
Nick
 
Hey Trace...
I don't know about all that tech BS,, but from a personal point of view,, your "Mark" is one of the nicest...

Looks very elegant and crisp on your blades..

Anyway,, just my 0.02

ttyle

Eric...
 
trace i have had the same problem on all damascus because of the uneveness of the steel after the etch. i know bruce evans use's finger nail polish to resist so you have a even place. but what i have come up with is to leave the beauty of the steel and use this stuff that looks like carbon paper and type, yes type on a old manuel typewriter that i found at a swap meet for $15.00. a line that says RHINO KNIVES and DATE on it a etch it on the top of the full tang that is in part of the handle that is smooth so it take's the etch. this stuff is available from Electro-chem 714) 671-7744. i have used devin's before and i have a piece of bruce evan's in the works that look's great. the thunder forge stuff from india that's 1095 / 01 has turned out to be a great working and looking steel at a good price.
 
Trace,
Let me second the recommendation for the 1084 and 15n20 combination. This way you get all high carbon damascus that really performs.

I have a question too. How far are you from Chico?

Thanks,

John Frankl
 
Question, when makeing damascus using 15n20 do you put equal thicknesses of it with your 1084, I see that admiral steel sells it in .065 which is only about 1/16" so are you using 1/8" 1084 and 2 thicknesses of 15n20 between 1084 pieces or 1 and how many layers to make a billet.

Thanks
Bill
 
Trace,

I have not worked with Damascus, but let me tell you what I know. BAKCA had there first club knife made from 1095 and nickel, approximately twentyeight knives were handmade by Jim Ferguson. After Mr. Ferguson knife was excepted he asked to have all the information, example: Club name, date and knife number placed on the ironwood handle with a lazer. Why? He said the information would not show up sharply on the blade after etching. He stamps his name and logo into each blade. If you want to ask him any questions, he is a great guy Here is his web address. http://www.twistednickle.com


Good Luck
Jeff Pelz
 
Bill B. I have been making damascus for only a month. So take this for what it is worth. I have been using 15N20 @ .049 and 1084 @ 1/8". I have also put in 1095 @ .030. The last 2 billets that I completed yesterday consisted of 15N20, 1084, 1095 & nickel. In the future I will not be adding in nickel until I get a better conception of where it lies in the billet after folding. The 15n20 is very similer to L-6. You also can attain 15N20, 1084, powdered 1084 & etc. from Swain Spring and K&G.
 
Another sorta cool way to mark a damascus blade is to polish it before you do you final etch to show the layers, use a resist, and iron on or something to mask off your mark, then etch as you usually would. This leaves your logo almost chromed on the darkened surface. It doesnt work well with stainless damscus or anything that stays rather lightly colored before the etch but for high contrast and all carbon damascus it looks rather classy. You can get rub on letters but they are rather simple and hard to get to stick and line up, Reactive Metals sells an item that you run through a copy machine to make an iron on resist you could simply reverse your image, copy it, iron it on the blade with a soldering iron or small transfer iron and then etch, you could do a logo and your name and info that way...

Just some ideas....

Alan Folts

www.warior.org/foltsknives
 
What Alan is sugjesting looks like this. works good but once in a while it can get lost in the patturn.
 

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