Question on stamping my blades

Whit

Whit

Joined
Dec 27, 2001
Messages
729
I was having trouble with getting a good, clear stamp on the ricasso of my blades. I talked to Ed Caffrey at the Blade Show and he recommended I try heating them up and then stamping them while hot. Worked like a charm the first time, on a carbon steel blade. Now I'm working on a blade in A2. Can I still heat the blade up and stamp it without damaging the steel? How hot is too hot? Thanks.
 
If you planning on stamping before heat treat it should work. I'd be a little leary using a steel stamp on air hardening steel.....
 
Here's how I do mine:

I have a stamp made by Harper's. I use it in a 1-ton arbor press. I milled out the ram to accept the stamp and be tightened down with a couple 1/4-20 set screws. I align the stamp on the ricasso by eye, and while holding it down firmly with the press handle, I use a 2-lb bronze hammer to give it a sharp rap. This works every time. Oh and btw, I set my stamp before heat treating.
 
Richard,
What's the issue about stamping an air hardening steel? I guess that's really my question. Educate me!

Ryan
 
Ryan, With the air hardening steel you'll most need to heat the blade up hotter than normal steel. As soon as you get it away from the heat sorce it starts hardening pretty fast. My main concern would be wrecking your stamp. Most makers that work with stainless steels and A-2 use electro/chemical markers. I've never tried a stamp on these steels so this may be a fruitless warning.
 
reading your post on stamping air hardening steels and your comment on the arbor press and how you've set up your stamp. I was wondering if you could post some pics of the press ram and your stamp for us as I'm about to do the same thing. I think my stamp is BM-6?? and alrady hardened of course; and quite long, say maybe 5 inches? I have the same press that Harper's offers....

thanks, mitch
 
Hey Mitch, I'll take a couple pics of my setup tonight and post them in this thread.
 
I use a stamp made of S7 I believe (could be wrong on that). Anyway, I just use a 1000 gram hammer and a heavily gloved hand to hold the stamp. All the stainless steels are delivered annealed so it's not a problem to use it on S30v or any of the others.
 
I have the same setup as Jeff and while I use mostly carbon steel, I have done 440C with no problems even after cryo.Dave :)
 
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