Arbor press

[bgmills]

Hi guys. Looking through past posts etc., I have seen an arbor press from one of the knife suppliers (I think) that is used for stamping your name, company etc. on the ricasso. Along with a hardened stamp of course. I believe this arbor was priced around $90.00. Has anyone used one the the cheaper types, like from Harbor Freight and others? These ran, I believe about $35.00 to $40.00. Thanks, Bill.

[Brett Bennett]

You have to supply your own stamp, but here is the link.

[bgmills]

Brett, thanks for the link. I know that I need a stamp, but my question was, has anyone used a press from another place like ENCO, Grizzly etc. These I have seen priced for $30.00 to $40.00 as opposed to $97.50? I just wondered if these cheaper arbor presses were up to the task. If anyone has used these I would appreciate them sharing their experiences with me, good or bad. Thanks. Bill.

[fitzo]

The expensive arbor press has the necessary hardware to accomodate a stamp, I believe. I just bought a 1-ton from MSC for $35. It has a flat face on the toothed bar and the rotating anvil...no way to hold a stamp vertical or steady. You'd have to build or buy a holding fixture if you wanted it "perfect". How they work especially on cold steel, I have no idea.
Good luck

[Terry Primos]

The standard arbor press would have to be modified. The ones Uncle Al sells, shown in the link above, have a slot milled in the ram to accept the stamp.

It is wide enough to accept any stamp. Also, the ram has been drilled and tapped and has a set screw to secure the stamp.

It also comes with a thick block of what I believe is aircraft aluminum to place the blade on. This is to protect the blade when stamping.

I've been using the one from Al's since 1996 and still love it.

Regarding how it works:

You place the blade on the aluminum block, lower the stamp onto the ricasso, apply pressure with the arbor arm to hold everything steady, and whack the top of the ram with a hammer. You can hit it once or a dozen times. No double stamps.

[bgmills]

Fitzo, Terry, thanks for the response. It sounds as if the extra cash is worth it. With the modifications needed etc., might be better going with the proven track record. Terry, do you hit the ram with a steel hammer, or with a brass/copper type hammer? Again, thanks guys! Bill.

[Terry Primos]

I use a 3 pound sledge hammer. Through the years it's put a few dings in the top of the ram, but it's no big deal. It still works like a champ.

[Darren Ellis]

Hi Bill,
Have you thought about the possibility of using an etcher instead of a stamp for your logo? I think it might be cheaper and it would definitely offer more versatility than a stamp in that you can make special occasion stencils for your knives if you wanted to... just a thought and a suggestion!

-Darren

[Bob Sigmon]

Bill,

I found this thread late.

I made a stamper out of one of the Harbor Freight Arbor Presses.





Bad photos and before replacing the original anvil with an aluminum block.

I did this before I knew that Uncle Al made one. It is a bunch of work. I did all the stuff that Terry mentioned. Milling the slot, drilling and tapping for set screws and I also use a 3 lb Hammer. It really works great. Uncle Al's unit will save you tons of time if you don't have a mill.

I like the stamp but am also going to be using an etcher (That I just got from Ron Claiborne ) This should give me the most flexibility in marking my knives.

I got my stamp from Harper Mfg in Las Vegas. They did a great job.

Bob Sigmon

[Terry Primos]

You did a great job on that arbor press Bob .

I've used both methods, and both worked fine. In 1993 I was hand stamping my initials. I finally bought an etching machine. That was used for a while, then I bought a stamp with my last name, and resumed hand stamping -- with mixed results.

The thing was I guess, that I just got sort of tired of messing with the solutions and stencils.

I remember after going back to hand stamping, lamenting to Bill Moran about getting bad stamps. I expected to get an answer to the problem. Bill just said, "Oh, I know what you mean. That just gives me fits too".

The Stampmaster from Uncle Al was around back then, but like others, I wondered if I could justify the price. Once I finally gave in and bought the thing, I realized it was well worth the money -- to me at least.

[bgmills]

Terry, thanks for the info. I did a little shopping today. Picked up some Nicholson files, (and I think I saw Mrs. Claus purchasing a Dremel router attachment). To my knowledge, she doesn't doesn't own a Dremel, so I'm hoping the router attachment is for me!! Once I get everything together I am going to try to make a knife based on your style. Man I love the knives of yours that I have seen. I hope this doesn't anger you in any way, if it does please let me know. As I get experience, I'm sure I will develope my own style. Again, thanks.

Darren, thanks for responding. At this time I think I will stick with the stamp. Even then, it will be awhile as I need other equipment/supplies.

Bob, no I don't have a mill, so I guess when the time comes I'll go with the press from Riverside. It certainly looks like you did a wonderful job modifying your press. Having the machinery like a mill, surely does allow one to make/alter things to suit the situation. The photos were great also. Thanks, Bill.