Newbie's question on labeling

[Chas.]

I see many knife makers etch/engrave their names on the blades they make. I'm attempting my first knife - a simple Bowie and I thought it would be neat to put my name on it. How is that done?

[Eli Jensen]

www.etch-o-matic.com

You will also need stencils made which will cost about $30 the first time. Etch-o-matic does them and so does T.U.S.

http://www.tustech.com/admin/

[gsimmo]

The two methods that I have seen, at least to my knowledge, are etching and stamping. Neither is that cheep for someone who is just starting out and not sure if they will stick with it. I'd make a few and if you want to stick with, then invest in the extra equipment. If you google etching knives, some of the setups will come up to look at. Hope this helps, and welcome to the fold.

-Geoff

[Eli Jensen]

Also for just starting out is engraving. Your local jeweler or trophy shop can do it. You are limited to font styles they have available. It only takes a few days to get it back and its inexpensive. My local jeweler charged me $4/blade.

[Ray Rogers]

One word of caution, should be obvious but from experience I know that not everyone realizes this: don't take a sharp knife to the jeweler for engraving. Sharpening the blade is the very last step in making a knife. Have the blade engraved at some point before the sharpening is done. If you're working with a pre-sharpened kit blade then either dull it first or at the very least tape the edge with heavy blue masking tape ....

[Eli Jensen]

Ray is right. Tape that baby up. Jewelers don't like knives, or evidently acid either . . . .

[Crex]

C-J
Not a good idea to cookie-cut jewelers. One of my best customers is a profesional custom jeweler, very highgrade guy. He and his daughter are both prize bladesmithing students of mine and have both rapidly moved to "Advanced" status.
I believe there are a few of the members here as well that are experienced jewelers.
Surprising thing with my jeweler is he not only collects, he uses and uses hard. He scrapes rust & paint off farm equipment with a $400 folder. I let him fieldtest a hawk and bushknife last year and he won't give them back (He has a small farm). Yeah, I have to admit, he's not the norm

[Eli Jensen]

Well thats true too, I shouldn't. MY jeweler doesn't like knives or acid. Guess he had some bad experiences.

[Horsewright]

Sign the back of the sheath with a sharpie pen. That would be the easiest with out spending $$$$. If you are making your first knife from a kit then the steel is already heatreated and while I've never personally tried it I would wonder if it would be stampable or engravable? So etching would be your best bet. If ya had the stencil made I bet ya could find someone close by that would etch it for ya saving ya the expense of the equipment. Also the etching does seem to have a learning curve to it. Post some pics when you've got er done.

[Trenton Entwistle]

You can also use a resist, sign your name in it, and etch it with acid. Lots of makers do this, and it can be done for quote cheap.

Trenton