Using my new maker's stamp

J

JoshEarl

Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
197
I got a maker's mark stamp made by Henry Evers, and I'll be trying it out this weekend.

I had originally planned to do my stamping while the blade was hot during my normalizing routine, but it turns out that my stamp was made with O1. I'm concerned about ruining the temper if I hot stamp.

The folks at Evers said I should quench the stamp if use it on hot steel.

Should I just stick to using it on cold blades?

Thanks,
Josh
 
I used my stamps HOT. I ruined one trying to stamp a tang that was a bit harder than I thought not to mention the damascus blade I cracked. I would do one more normalizing after final grinding stamp with this heat. Then one more normalizing cycle after the stamp. Just how I did it before going to an engraver.
 
What temp should I stamp the steel at? Does it have to be glowing, or could I do it as the blade is cooling through the 900 - 400 F range?

Josh
 
I like to stamp cold. I use the Rivereside Stampmaster by Uncle Al. I have stamped hundreds of blades and they come out perfect every time.
 
Josh,I got mine from Harpers and I always stamp hot like an orange heat.I mainly use it for tomahawks and rr spike knives and has held up fine.I also use the same stamp to imprint my stencils for my other knives.I have tried cold but so easy to bounce on you and mess up.I imagine if you used a press it would work better,I plan on trying that--Regards Butch:thumbup:
 
I also did it while red or orange heat. Having an arbor press and holder will keep things aligned.. Once the blade is at temp the time and contact with the press anvil will cool it rapidly so you will not be actually stamping at that high of a temperature. If you are really fast you can stamp it at a dull red.
 
The arbor press sounds like a great idea. It looks like I could get one for around $100, instead of more than $200 for the Evers stamp holder.

Would a 1-ton press be enough to do a decent imprint? I'm guessing it would. Any suggestions for mating my stamp with the arbor?

Josh
 
You will need to make a holder for your stamp. The arbor press will hold the stamp in the position you want and ensure it is square. I used to hit the top of the ram with a brass mallet. The strike set the stamp, the pressure rating of the press is not important
 
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