Stamping Blades

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Dave Behrens

Dave Behrens

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What is the minimum tonage required to stamp a blade and leave a significant indentation that will not be covered up by blade coatings. Tried a 3lb ball peen hammer, barely marked the steel. Steel has been annealed. Stamp is sharp faced, and of excellent quality. Tried to stamp 1095, O-1, and Damascus. Sales rep from stamp company said for the results I want I need a minimum of 10 tons. I trust him but would like some other opinions. Would a 6 ton A-frame press work?
Thanks for your input.
 
What blade coatings?

You are displacing the steel. While doing so you are work hardening it.

If the stamp manufacturer says 10 tons minimum, I would tend to believe him.
 
Carl_First_Timer said:
If the stamp manufacturer says 10 tons minimum, I would tend to believe him.
Click to expand...


I agree.

When they give you a minimum, why would you want to go smaller?
Compared to the price of the stamp, the jack is pretty small.

& the difference between the two is really small, less than:
-the price of a fast food meal here.
-12 pack of beer
-pack of smokes
...and so on.


8 ton is $30
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-ton-hydraulic-bottle-jack-96648.html

12 ton jack is 30$
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-hydraulic-bottle-jack-66480.html

20ton is 40$
http://www.harborfreight.com/20-ton-hydraulic-bottle-jack-66482.html
 
cold annealed 01 + 12 tons + a rigid press =

IMG_11l93_op_776x1034.jpg

IMG_1244_op_776x594.jpg
 

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Yep, make you a good solid press with a 12 to jack and you'll be in business. Here's a tip. Make the press so it holds the stamp in a rigid position and let the base have some flex/play. This allows the blade to level out against the stamp so you get a nice even impression.
 
I saw Darrin's press quite a while back and more recently saw BMK's. Jeff (BMK) gave me some specs off his, which is good if you can adequately weld 1" plate. I can't, but I can find the materials and tack it up for my friend to final weld (which is what I did). I did a couple of things a little differently than Jeff, but the end result is the same - good stamps. I test stamped in CPM 154, AEB-L and mild steel. The results were 100% better than my 1 ton arbor press and sledge hammer combination. Deeper and more controlled/consistent marks.

I think Darrin's press is probably more economical and easier for people without serious welding resources. For the life of me, I can't find the tread that shows his press, so I'm going off memory.

Whatever you do, I'm told and believe the importance of everything being square and true when building a press. That is not always easy with heavier materials. If you have never fabricated anything out of metal other than a knife, this may not be the project for you. If you are willing to try anything just the same, you might try either heavy plate and 3/4" all-thread, assuming you can drill 3/4" holes, or heavy L-channel like Darrin did (is that right, Darrin?) and bolts.

I'm going to build an etcher for thinner or beveled areas, but the press stamp thing is cool.

IMG_0239.jpg


The stamp in the middle is with the arbor/hammer. The outside stamps are with the hydraulic press. Stamps are hard to photograph, the outside ones are a lot better.

IMG_0238.jpg


In CPM 154

IMG_0229.jpg
 
Glad to see you got your press built. I like your mark, the border sets it off. Good to see you're getting nice even stamps too. Don't to forget to show us a pic of the first knife you stamp with it. And for those of you that can't or don't want to weld here's a couple of shots of my press. If I can help anybody who wants to make one in any way, don't hesitate to contact me.
 

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darrin sanders said:
Glad to see you got your press built. I like your mark, the border sets it off. Good to see you're getting nice even stamps too. Don't to forget to show us a pic of the first knife you stamp with it. And for those of you that can't or don't want to weld here's a couple of shots of my press. If I can help anybody who wants to make one in any way, don't hesitate to contact me.
Click to expand...

Hey Darrin,

Well there it is. I'm sorry I couldn't find the thread again. The beauty of your design is that it can be trued by adjusting the nuts that secure the U channel. I know it is economical as well. Nice job and thanks for posting it again.

EA
 
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This is the fixture I made. I run it with a 2lb. BFH. It has worked well for me so far, but I can always use it under a hydralic press if I wanted to. There are to slots in the fixture, one for my name, and the other (round) for my makers mark. The anvil is made of 1.500" thick A2 that is hardened to 60Rc. The name stamp is M4 steel at 64Rc. IIRC, and the mark stamp is S7ESR at 59Rc. It makes a nice clean impressions in soft material. I do sand down the material that the stamp raises before heat treat though.

JULYMEL033.jpg

JULYMEL035.jpg


Here are a few examples of the finished product
MELANIE2011289.jpg

tooth015.jpg
 
After doing some research and figuring it costs around $120,plus or minus, to get all of the rods, plates, and nuts needed to make a press. This is not including the $40 bottle jack. You can buy a manufactured 12-ton press for $120.
Unless you have the parts at hand or can weld your own, it's cheaper to just buy a press plus you don't have to build it once you get the parts.
 
Mine was made with scrap yard channel iron which was free. The all thread rods and nuts cost me $38 bucks and change. So including the high tech Krylon paint job mine was less than $50 bucks.
 
I used cold rolled steel scrap at $1.20/pound. I could have used hot rolled steel at $0.60/pound but the cold rolled is cleaner and more precise. I spent $120 for everything (jack included). As Darrin has shown, it can be done much cheaper. I think those bench top presses are around 42" tall and 18-20" wide. I didn't want something that big if I could help it. Space is a premium for me.

I don't think this is the project for everyone, but there is nothing in Darrin's design that anyone with the skill to make knives couldn't do.
 
Outstanding job on the fabrication. You made some well thought and notable improvements to my design.
 
I just thought I would post the figured costs of purchasing everything vs. buying premade so if someone else is interested in a press they save the time of figuring costs. I would prefer the smaller built press myself too as space is a big factor for most people.
 
No problem at all and yours was an appropriate post. Cost is always a factor. That's why Darin and I specified our costs after your post. ;)
 
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