Makers mark stamp?

Charlie Mike

Charlie Mike

Sober since 1-7-14 (still a Paranoid Nutjob)
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Nov 1, 2000
Messages
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How much do you suppose it would cost to have a stamp made in steel with FTWCM in the most simple font? Where would be a good place to look? When using a stamp like this, would I need to get the steel hot for a good impression?
 
That sounds right on the mark but remember you probably need a press setup or at least a solid surface to hammer on. I tried to stamp my signature and just couldn't get it right.

I got an etcher and still use the stamp for sheaths. I can get an etch that is seriously deep, probably deeper than any stamp and there is no stress (or less) on the steel.
 
I just had buckeye make me one for $130 . The impression is less than stellar if you don't hit it just right. It harder than you may think . I have had much better luck hitting it when its hot. Someday I will get a press of some sort.
 
We stamp al our meal hot..It does take some practice but after a while its second nature...Just dont leave your stamp on the hot steel past its thermal mass threshhold(dont let it get to hot or it will loose its temper)..I can leave my stamp on hot metal for a good three seconds before it starts to get even warm.
 
My logo from Buckeye Engraving was $115 a year ago, the letters CPM3V $85, and a single letter $60.
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. I use a 12 ton bottle jack on cold steel. A top and bottom plate supported with allthread and nuts does the trick.

Ed
 
I used to stamp (and sometimes still will on certain things).
When I did use the stamp, I used it in an arbor press. I drilled a hole the size of the stamp's handle into the ram (secured the stamp into the hole with a set screw), positioned the stamp on the workpiece and whacked the other end of the ram that sticks up out of the press, all the while holding the stamp in place on the blade by leaning on the press lever. It worked well and making another strike accurately was easy since you could position the stamp into what mark was made and hold it there with the press' lever for the second strike.

Just pressing it in is good too.

Now, mostly my marks are laser machined (rather than marked). They're about .015 deep and very crisp. Not real common (or cheap), but it produces the best mark results I know of--especially for more complex/graphic marks.

Here is the old letter-only stamp, and the new mark.
 

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JCaswell said:
Now, mostly my marks are laser machined (rather than marked). They're about .015 deep and very crisp. Not real common (or cheap), but it produces the best mark results I know of--especially for more complex/graphic marks.
Click to expand...

Are you doing that yourself, or outsourcing ?
 
12345678910 said:
Are you doing that yourself, or outsourcing ?
Click to expand...

Outsource.
Don't know how 'special' the process is, but I worked with the vendor that does my marks to develop a protocol to deliver exactly what I need. The mark is made by repeating the mark 6 times at different angles at pretty high output. Most of the time laser marks are just stains--called "dark marks". Those are fast and cheap marks--one pass, low power.
Machining with the laser was something new to them, and most vendors I'd tried were not capable (or willing to make it happen).
I'm thinking of adding a fiber laser next year. Pretty cool capability to have around.
 
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Sounds like really cool stuff, J! Lasers in the shop.....winning! :D

JCaswell said:
Outsource.
Don't know how 'special' the process is, but I worked with the vendor that does my marks to develop a protocol to deliver exactly what I need. The mark is made by repeating the mark 6 times at different angles at pretty high output. Most of the time laser marks are just stains--called "dark marks". Those are fast and cheap marks--one pass, low power.
Machining with the laser was something new to them, and most vendors I'd tried were not capable (or willing to make it happen).
I'm thinking of adding a fiber laser next year. Pretty cool capability to have around.
Click to expand...
 
jonnymac44 said:
Sounds like really cool stuff, J! Lasers in the shop.....winning! :D
Click to expand...

Yeah, the new fiber lasers are pretty cool. They're very capable, use a fraction of the electricity, take less floor space, virtually no maintenance and much cheaper to get into than Yag, etc. .:thumbup:
 
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