Maker Mark on 1075 ? -

R

rlinger

Joined
Mar 29, 2002
Messages
4,591
I have noticed the 1075 blade I have not yet finished tarnishes easily, patina, whatever. Finger marks and the such cause it to discolor. When finished it will have a 400 or 220 grit sheen but that won't last forever once delivered. My question:

Would it be best to not blacken the maker mark but rather fill the etch with gold? I like gold on a blued firearm but gold embelishing manufacture marks on stainless barrels and receivers gives very little contrast. So, in other words, what do you 10XX steel fellows like for your maker marks?

Thanks.

RL
 
Wow, I'm waiting for the answer to that one also! I just got in a order of 1075 and L 6 from Admiral, and they sent a spec sheet with the 1075, but nothing on the rest of the order. I wasn't aware of the "darkening" tendencies of 1075. Wonder why this is seemingly more apparent with in than with say, 1095?
 
Bob,

This one is my very first 1075. I've been carrying it around unfinished but with a test edge on it for a couple weeks+. I've done edge retension testing and some abusive edge chip testing by chopping hard woods, both kiln dried and fire wood and even ply wood. Several people have handled it before I attached the scales and it layed in the drawer for a week or better before I got back to working on it. My best guess is oil from handling has caused discoloration in areas of the blade. Its spotty. All that will be ground off soon after or shortly before I finish buffing the handle up. To me its like O1 but not quite as much as O1 does. Don't get me wrong; I like this 1075 just fine. Its a killer. I still can't find a chip and she shaves after cutting about 250 ft cardboard and wood chopping. I have become a fan of the 10XX steels. Just forget about a hard spine if quenching thick 10XX.

RL
 
RL, One thing to think about is setting the cutting edge in water and brazing in your logo then grinding off the brass and finishing it the same as the blade.
Then think about some kind of etch so you end up with a blade that will resist discoloring. I have a knife that I am working on that is in the etching stage and that is what I did and it worked good.
Gib
 
Gib,

I have been etching my 0-1 to a med gray. Almost the same tone as a beed blasted blade and then hitting it with a buffing wheel to shine or clean things back up. Is this what you do to help in the discoloring of 10xx steels?

Also, how did you ht the 1075 and is it a good replacement for the 1085 that isnt being made anymore?

Would you go 1080 or 1075? IF I am learning things correctly 1095 has different ratios of material than 1075 but to me it seems eighter will make a nice blade.

Rlinger, if you are used to etching the logo, thats what I would do. I dont think that the blade will turn as black as the logo with normal handling so it would still be visible.

Gib, how do you braze in a logo? Sounds nice......

(I'll be out of town for a week so I'll look up your posts when I get back.)
 
I use a stamp of my sunfish logo and a 2 lb shop hammer, I mark it before heat treat. It shows up good on a tarnished blade. I also do a light etch on my blades to show temper line and my mark still shows good.

Don Hanson lll
 
I used a stamp too. Roger, you've seen mine. I use my stamp in a 1-ton arbor press that I especially milled to fit the stamp and keep it straight, then whack it with a 2lb brass hammer.
 
When I etch I don't go back to the buffer, if I do any thing I hand rub with fines wet or dry paper or my recent favorite Scotch Bright.
To braze a logo in set it in fairly deep then clean it up with a carbide bit in a fordom. I have a piece of square tub with one side cut off and a expanded metal grate in the bottom to control the water depth, I lay the blade at about a 45deg. angle and fill with water to cover the cutting edge and then braze the logo full of brass and grind off and finish. be certain that the blade has been well normalized and heat treated and tempered before trying this or you may have a blade with a WOW in it.
Gib
 
very interesting stuff here, guys......had no idea...!
 
Also Roger
if you are electro etching you can set it on DC
( I think if you have the bigger unit?) and go deeper with it before you turn to AC for the black a deeper etch will stand out pretty good anyway...
 
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