Thread: Thoughts on using a hot stamp?

I'm gearing up to start making my own razors and I'm looking at my options for tang stamps.

My current plan is to just go with stock removal. I'll (hopefully) have access to a waterjet to cut blanks, and I intend to do all my shaping with grinding tools.

But it looks like to get the kind of stamps I'd like I'll need to go with hot stamps.

To start with, I'll be sending the blades out for heat-treat.

Is it reasonable to think that I could heat the tang with a propane torch enough to get a nice hot stamp before it goes off for heat treating, or would I cause problems down the line with getting a good temper by not evenly heating the piece?

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

I'm gearing up to start making my own razors and I'm looking at my options for tang stamps.

My current plan is to just go with stock removal. I'll (hopefully) have access to a waterjet to cut blanks, and I intend to do all my shaping with grinding tools.

But it looks like to get the kind of stamps I'd like I'll need to go with hot stamps.

To start with, I'll be sending the blades out for heat-treat.

Is it reasonable to think that I could heat the tang with a propane torch enough to get a nice hot stamp before it goes off for heat treating, or would I cause problems down the line with getting a good temper by not evenly heating the piece?

Your plan would work, propane and stamp. I do not have a lot experience with stamping but I have watched as others have done it.

Bob Allman made stock removal razors and would stamp his maker marks with a propane torch and hammer.

My preference an electro etch process, but I really like some of the stamps or marking others do. Bruno's makers mark that he chisels out is super cool.

I also like the concept of a hot stamp, although I’m not a maker, but perhaps in time.

Originally Posted by spazola

Your plan would work, propane and stamp. I do not have a lot experience with stamping but I have watched as others have done it.

Bob Allman made stock removal razors and would stamp his maker marks with a propane torch and hammer.

My preference an electro etch process, but I really like some of the stamps or marking others do. Bruno's makers mark that he chisels out is super cool.

I'm ultimately plan to get an electro etch rig because I want to do elaborate blade etches like a lot of the old Sheffield stuff had -- but I'm going as cheap as possible to start, with the idea of plowing all proceeds from razor sales (once I'm to the point of making things I'm comfortable with people using) back into a nicer setup. Stuff like my own kiln for heat treat, a good bandsaw, etc. But at the beginning I'm going to make as much use as possible of other people's tools, partly because I don't have room for much in my tiny house.

Don't know anything about stamping but i'll be looking forward to seeing what you produce!

I wouldn't think it be a problem, if done before HT

Maybe do it before final shaping.

Electro etching the logo can be done inexpensively, the biggest cost is having a sheet of stencils made. The stencils are reusable, you can use a single stencil a lot of times. I had my stencils made here Blue Lightning Stencil Etch

The etcher can be a wall wart 12v dc adapter or even a battery. There is lots of information on the net. A improvised set up like this might not be the thing for whole blade designs, but would work for putting you maker mark on the tang.

Food for thought.

Originally Posted by spazola

Electro etching the logo can be done inexpensively, the biggest cost is having a sheet of stencils made. The stencils are reusable, you can use a single stencil a lot of times. I had my stencils made here Blue Lightning Stencil Etch

The etcher can be a wall wart 12v dc adapter or even a battery. There is lots of information on the net. A improvised set up like this might not be the thing for whole blade designs, but would work for putting you maker mark on the tang.

Food for thought.

I should probably run some experiments. The last time I half-heartedly tried doing that with some random 12v wall wart, it didn’t work very well.

This time I’ll try with the good vinyl stencils I can make with my CNC cutter, and also on carbon steel — I think the other test I did was on a stainless flask (because who doesn’t want a flask etched with a 15th century woodcut of whatever morbid thing was fascinating me that week).

Originally Posted by tintin

Don't know anything about stamping but i'll be looking forward to seeing what you produce!

If you’ve been following my posts, you can almost certainly make a pretty good guess about what I’ll be doing. :P

I don't do razors yet (still learning), but I do plane irons, chisels, and carving knives.

I hot stamp with just propane or MAPP for my simple mark. No problem. An instant read infra red thermometer was a big help at the beginning to get the metal to the right temperature without overheating or underheating. After a while I got to the point of knowing when it "looked" right to stamp.

I electro etch more complicated designs. The better the stencil the better the cleaner the etch. There were still a bunch of mess ups at the beginning. It is a learning process and will take time to learn.