Tang stamp VS etching

flatblackcapo

flatblackcapo

Joined
Mar 25, 2012
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Could any of you guys give the pros and cons of stamping tangs vs etching? Also anyone ever use the stamps from Evers corp? As always thank you for your time and knowledge.
 
Some feel that a steel stamp could possibly put stress risers in the steel that could weaken the blade or give a place for a crack to start. My thoughts on this are that as long as the stamp is done prior to heat treatment any stress in the steel will be removed in the normalizing/annealing portion of the heat treating process.

I personally use a electro-chem & stencil for my logo because I get a nice clean consistant branding on my blades. Other like the look of that in the steel look of a stamping. Each to his own?

Laurence
 
Etching can be done on the inside of a radius , for example , where as stamping needs a flat surface .
I do like the look of stamping though .
 
Stamping is faster, deeper, costs about $75 for the stamp, and simpler as far as equipment ( a hammer or simple press). With a stamp, you mark the hot blade before HT and grind the surface clean afterward. That leaves a very crisp mark. It is also more "sure-fire". The draw back is that every new mark or change in size will cost about $75 for a new stamp, and any amount of detail and small lettering is nearly impossible. Stamps are best kept simple and short - like "MORAN"- as a long name will require a lot of space or very small letters ( which do not stamp well). "J.A. HENDRICKSEN" would be tough to stamp cleanly on a 3/4" ricasso. Mistakes in stamping can ruin an expensive blade you have spent twenty hours working on, as the mark is permanent and can rarely be removed and re-done. You should practice on mild steel a lot before marking a blade with a stamp.

Etching is much more detailed, cheaper as far as the stencils ( $15-30 for a sheet/book of multiple stencils), and more expensive as to the etcher ( an etching transformer can run from $20 for a home brew t0 $200 for a pro model ). The stencils can be made by many suppliers, and the book/sheet will often have three sizes of the same stencil. Etching can be done on curved surfaces, or across the "V" of a dagger center. The drawbacks are that it is not as deep, and bad etches can be a common problem. Any clean-up beyond a very light sanding may remove part or all of the etch. "R.A.Frazier" over "Powhatan, VA" can be etched in 1/2" of space easily. With some practice, an etch can look almost like a stamp. Mistakes in etching are annoying, but fairly easy to re-do. As with stamping, practice on scrap steel before doing your first blade.

Most folks go with etching, even if they started with stamping.
 
I started with a stamp but recently switched to an etcher. I don't think I'll ever use the stamp again.
 
On the topic of stamping : I have seen many knives that are stamped ,where the displaced metal that mounds up around the stamping is left proud of the surface . Is this carelessness or is it a look that is prefered in its own right ?
Or , is it better to grind or sand that area flat , as bladsmth said , creating a "crisp " stamping ?
 
Thank you for your replies. I really like the old time look of stamps but it sounds like etching makes a lot more sense for me. I might get a stamp later down the road to use a on a special blade or two . Plus I like hitting things with hammers :D
 
I'll add that with etching you can make it look like a stamp. I have the Personalizer, and it takes me 4 minutes to etch, 2 minutes to etch and 2 minutes to mark. When done it's a deep mark and I've had a lot of people think it's a stamp. Of course you can get a deeper mark with a stamp, but etching is so much easier to control, at least for me.
 
Will52100 said:
I'll add that with etching you can make it look like a stamp. I have the Personalizer, and it takes me 4 minutes to etch, 2 minutes to etch and 2 minutes to mark. When done it's a deep mark and I've had a lot of people think it's a stamp. Of course you can get a deeper mark with a stamp, but etching is so much easier to control, at least for me.
Click to expand...
Well,that makes the etcher even more appealing to me . It sounds like you are pretty happy with the Personalizer. Is there another etcher that you would rather have or is this the one?
 
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