Putting your name/maker's mark on a folder?

N

NeilJBorja

Joined
Oct 21, 2014
Messages
168
This might be a bit of an off-the-wall question, but I've started my first "production run" (if you want to call it that) of three folders for Christmas. I initially was going to use a mill to engrave my name on the spine of the knife, but then I realized, since these are basically customs, it would be much cooler to engrave the name of the recipient on the spine. Having said that, that leaves me with no place to put my name on it. I don't want to seem arrogant, fretting about putting my name on my blades since I'm just a beginner, but since I wouldn't mind this hobby paying for itself, I'd like anyone who handles my knives to know who made them.

This thing doesn't really have much of a ricasso to speak of (because I tried to maximize the blade length), so that's kind of a no go. The pocket clip is also skeletonized so I can't put my initials or anything there (plus I think it'd look a bit gaudy with my name hanging out of someone's pocket).

Are there any solutions I'm overlooking? I hate the billboard look on blades with writing etched on them, but I might have to break down and break out the old 9V battery and salty q-tip. Maybe I'll get a stencil made, since that would be an improvement over masking tape and an xacto knife. If I have to go that route, would my initials look better along the spine or perhaps perpendicular to it?

ALPhIls.png


(For the record, they're going to have antiqued copper bolsters and backspacers, and denim micarta scales. I was going for a blue jeans theme).
 
Put your mark on it. Very important in my opinion. But if you don't want it to stand out. You can always put it on the back spacer on the inside of the knife!

:cool:
 
Interesting suggestion Brian, but that might be a little too incognito for me. I can barely see the inside of the spine on the "prototype", even in strong light! :o
Hmm, maybe the bolster on the reverse side might work, since the pocket clip is already disrupting the lines there :D
 
Thank you Brian. Statics, differential equations, laplace transforms, PID control, and heat transfer went in one ear and out the other, but one thing I have picked up in college is the ability to use SolidWorks semi-decently :p
 
Fu8HBBm.png


Looks like I figured it all on my own (yay, I'm a big boy!). I figured it'd be nicer to only have the recipient's name on the spine, then have my name and the "production number" in a smaller size on the reverse side bolster, right next to the pocket clip. I'm still open to suggestions since I'm not 100% ecstatic about this solution, but I think I'm overall pretty happy with it. It might get confusing with two names, but hopefully the original owner will remember which name is his and which isn't.

EDIT: I think the date is a much more meaningful number than the "production number", so I think it will say "NEIL J. BORJA 2014" instead.
 
Last edited:
I like that. It's an elegant solution. I also like the smiley face on the lefty thumb stud. Jeans are casual. Nice detail!
 
Off topic, Is there are reason for having thumb studs on this knife? It appears to be designed as a flipper so the thumb studs seem redundant.
 
Personal preference, I like the redundancy. Sometimes my index finger is too sore from flipping so I have to use thumb studs. Also I guess I should turn off cosmetic threads to get rid of the smiley faces.
 
Haha MrLeMay, tell you what, once I've sold some knives and paid the BF knife maker fee, I'll make you as many knives with smiley face thumbstuds as you want.
 
NeilJBorja said:
Thank you Brian. Statics, differential equations, laplace transforms, PID control, and heat transfer went in one ear and out the other, but one thing I have picked up in college is the ability to use SolidWorks semi-decently :p
Click to expand...

Kinda Funny how all that happens. What you figure out after taking that stuff, I did physics, is that you end up using it at one point in your life... At least it has saved my ass more than once.
 
Did you know that it is very common to see the makers name on the inside of the back bar or spacer if you call it that? why do all the good work only to chew it up with all that print? Go to the for sale area and see how it's being done there. Are you still in the planning stage or do you have any completed? Frank
 
Have only just roughly water jet my materials, so I'll definitely check it out, thanks for the suggestion Frank.
 
I've only been at this a few dozen years but I recommend just doing one complete before going to several at a time. I expect you did make a hard pattern of some sort to make sure everything would fit together? I figure material costs alonesort of push one into doing this.
I think your shown folder is a good looking one. Lots of success ! Frank
 
I'm not sure if you've seen my thread on it, but I have completed one folder using a similar pattern (this version incorporates a few improvements). I have not done a complete build using this process and these machines however. I don't have a hard pattern, but that's why I made a CAD model in the first place.

I hope it doesn't seem like I'm putting the cart before the horse using all this milling, CAD, and water jetting, but the truth of the matter is that the shop that I have the most access to at school has a lot of CNC machinery but not a single working drill press or band saw :barf:
 
Just to update you guys, I went with just engraving them on the reverse side. Copper isn't particularly fun to machine.
3VxakZF.jpg

I plan on using some liver of sulfur to patina the whole thing, then go over it with some 0000 steel wool, so hopefully that'll leave the bottom of the engraving dark. I'll probably make a thread asking for comments and criticism once I get these done for Christmas. I do want to switch to engraving the inside of the spine like Brian and Frank suggested, since this solution only works if the bolsters are flat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top