Logo marking help needed!

[Grussing_Custom_Knives]

Hey guys so ive been making knives for a while just started marking my logo and i just cant get it right its fading and I can't get it right. Anyone else experienced it all help appreciated!

 

[taylormadeknives]

Use the etch cycle first. Try 6 to 8 touches to the steel. You need to remove the metal before you try to darken it with the mark setting. Try the same sequence for the mark setting to darken the mark after etching.

You want your pad moist, not wet. Some steels etch differently. Carbon steel etches much faster than stainless steel in my experience. You'll need to play with the amount of time and such with different steels. Once you find a good process, right it down. Say 6 touches on etch setting and 8 touches on mark setting for 0-1 tool steel at 3 on the power setting. 154 cm may be 10 and 10.

I cut my pad down to just a touch bigger than my mark. It's way to big the way it is. At least for me.

Here's my etched mark

Hope this helps

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[taylormadeknives]

I forgot to mention. I apply Windex to both sides of the stencil. Make sure the blade is clean of oils and fingerprints before you etch.

You might want to etch the blade prior to the acid washed and tumbled finish. I have had better luck. Just go a touch deeper on the etch setting

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[EdCaffreyMS]

I agree with said above....of course I think everybody does it slightly differently. Windex is what made all the difference in the world for me, and I do about 10 "touches", holding the pad on for a quick 5 second count each time. First is the "etch" setting, then I do the same thing for the "mark" setting.

In your case, the blade's finish is going to force you to "change" how it's done, versus a "clean" finished blade.


OK, I've just gotta ask the question..... is that "picture" what you are marking your blades with? Anything else? Unless you have your NAME on there somewhere, I think you're making a mistake. I can't count the number of people who have walked into my shop over the years, with a knife that had either initials or some strange logo on it, asking me if I knew, or could help them find who made it....so they could order another. While a logo might have a special meaning to the knifemaker, you have to think about what it will mean to someone who's never seen it before. Just by viewing the information on the "mark", will an individual be able to immediately identify who made it? Will they be able to locate you by a quick internet search? See where I'm going here? If your intent is to EVER sell a knife, its in your own best interest to ensure that anybody who sees the "mark", can identify who made the knife, and at least give them a direction to find/contact you.

 

[Grussing_Custom_Knives]

I agree with said above....of course I think everybody does it slightly differently. Windex is what made all the difference in the world for me, and I do about 10 "touches", holding the pad on for a quick 5 second count each time. First is the "etch" setting, then I do the same thing for the "mark" setting.

In your case, the blade's finish is going to force you to "change" how it's done, versus a "clean" finished blade.


OK, I've just gotta ask the question..... is that "picture" what you are marking your blades with? Anything else? Unless you have your NAME on there somewhere, I think you're making a mistake. I can't count the number of people who have walked into my shop over the years, with a knife that had either initials or some strange logo on it, asking me if I knew, or could help them find who made it....so they could order another. While a logo might have a special meaning to the knifemaker, you have to think about what it will mean to someone who's never seen it before. Just by viewing the information on the "mark", will an individual be able to immediately identify who made it? Will they be able to locate you by a quick internet search? See where I'm going here? If your intent is to EVER sell a knife, its in your own best interest to ensure that anybody who sees the "mark", can identify who made the knife, and at least give them a direction to find/contact you.

hey thanks for the advice ive sold quite a few blades i hust etched grussing custom on them so i wanted to have my logo on their also

 

[Grussing_Custom_Knives]

Use the etch cycle first. Try 6 to 8 touches to the steel. You need to remove the metal before you try to darken it with the mark setting. Try the same sequence for the mark setting to darken the mark after etching.

You want your pad moist, not wet. Some steels etch differently. Carbon steel etches much faster than stainless steel in my experience. You'll need to play with the amount of time and such with different steels. Once you find a good process, right it down. Say 6 touches on etch setting and 8 touches on mark setting for 0-1 tool steel at 3 on the power setting. 154 cm may be 10 and 10.

I cut my pad down to just a touch bigger than my mark. It's way to big the way it is. At least for me.

Here's my etched mark

Hope this helps

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

thanks for your help i do clean theblade with alcohol first and i have windex on both sides of the stencil... the steel im using is 1084 and next time ill try etching first

 

[C Craft]

So the conversation has spurred a question in my mind!

Ed, the Windex you are speaking of are you using the new formula of the old one that has ammonia in it???

I know that may sound funny:les: but, it is not meant to be. The old original formula with the ammonia is what makes it clean in my opinion. I bought some of the new formula and too me it does not clean as well!!

I agree with the to wet point as well, I will usually keep a folded paper towel handy to blot off the pad if I get too much fluid on it!!


And as too the point Ed brought up a logo should have your name on it as I have seen many a conversation about logos and who used a picture of a Rhino, Bat, Cat, etc., etc. Most of the time no one knows who it is!! Logo's are something that evolve often in my opinion. Even big name makers such as Randall
http://www.randallknives.com/
https://www.google.com/search?q=ran...X&ved=0ahUKEwiTvPbLjM3MAhVLOSYKHZZ5AKsQsAQIMA
changed his logo a couple of times over the years! Often his knives are dated now by the Logo stamp, being one way or another. However the one thing that did not change is he used his name!!

 

[EdCaffreyMS]

Ed, the Windex you are speaking of are you using the new formula of the old one that has ammonia in it???

The "windex" I use is basically a homemade thing..... I buy the jugs of "window cleaner" from Big Lots, along with the jugs of "ammonia". and then mix then in the spray bottle approx 2/3 window cleaner, and 1/3 ammonia.

I'm not using the "windex" to clean anything, but rather tape the stencil in place, then wet it down with "windex" before I start etching the mark... doing so gives me a much cleaner/darker mark without any "shadows" versus not wetting the stencil down with "windex".

That's different then the etchant.....I wet the etcher pad then dab it on a paper towel a couple of times (like you mentioned) to get the excess off before putting the pad to the stencil.

 

[Grussing_Custom_Knives]

Bump


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[Grussing_Custom_Knives]

So i did it with etching first... some of it stayed (the black from etching) and some of it came off... Any help?


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[C Craft]

The "windex" I use is basically a homemade thing..... I buy the jugs of "window cleaner" from Big Lots, along with the jugs of "ammonia". and then mix then in the spray bottle approx 2/3 window cleaner, and 1/3 ammonia.

I'm not using the "windex" to clean anything, but rather tape the stencil in place, then wet it down with "windex" before I start etching the mark... doing so gives me a much cleaner/darker mark without any "shadows" versus not wetting the stencil down with "windex".

That's different then the etchant.....I wet the etcher pad then dab it on a paper towel a couple of times (like you mentioned) to get the excess off before putting the pad to the stencil.

Ed thanks for the tip. I did not realize how you were using the Windex and I think a lot of people I have talked to may have the same assumption about cleaning the blade with the Windex!!!!

I did not relaize the Windex was being used as a wetting agent, so to speak. I will try wetting the stencil with the Windex next time and see how that works!!! Great tip!


Quote: So i did it with etching first... some of it stayed (the black from etching) and some of it came off... Any help?

Grussing knives, don't know what to call you as I don't see your first name. You say the etching came off, if the process is done correctly the name/logo is burnt into the steel basically. So the etching needed to be deepened to get it (too stay) so to speak!!

When you say you did the etching first, what are you referring to??? Before what?

I am not sure what the finish is on the blade but I am wondering if it left a rough area and that may be why the etching is not taking well!!! A little more info might help with diagnosing the problem!

 

[Darrin Sanders]

When I acid etch a blade, I don't use the marking side of the switch on the etcher because the acid will etch everything and turn it black anyway. I just go as deep as the etcher will go before I etch.
In order for us to be able to help, you need to do an etch on some plain hardened steel to see what that type of etch looks like. That way we will have a better idea of the problem. Oh, BTW, I suggest starting with a new stencil to eliminate that variable.

 

[Grussing_Custom_Knives]

When I acid etch a blade, I don't use the marking side of the switch on the etcher because the acid will etch everything and turn it black anyway. I just go as deep as the etcher will go before I etch.
In order for us to be able to help, you need to do an etch on some plain hardened steel to see what that type of etch looks like. That way we will have a better idea of the problem. Oh, BTW, I suggest starting with a new stencil to eliminate that variable.

Thanks and it is a new stencil and it worked fine on a satin finnish

 

[Grussing_Custom_Knives]

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[Bill Hubbell]

Just a thought-
Have you had the same results with more than one stencil? The reason I ask is awhile back I was etching a knife that I wanted to have the absolute best etch I could do. The stencil I had been using had probably been used about a dozen times. So, I grabbed a fresh stencil. That stencil was defective. About half of my makers mark was missing (from the knife). What was there looked great- but the rest did nothing. Come to find out, the stencil was defective. Fortunately, I was etching the spine of a pretty large knife and could go back to the grinder and take off enough to remove the defective etch, and then work back through the grits. When I went back to the older stencil, everything worked great. I now keep a scrap of mild steel in my etch box. I will always try a new stencil on scrap stock now before risking a botched etch job on a knife that I have countless hours invested in.
-Might not be the problem with yours, but something to think about.
I apologize- I just saw a post stating that the stencil worked great on another knife. I have edited this and will leave this post, just as a reminder that stencils can be faulty.

 

[Darrin Sanders]

Ok, are you doing the blade etch before or after the stencil etch?

 

[C Craft]

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So my first thoughts on the logo is a very angry panda with a gas mask on! Am I close?? LOL

If the stencil is working, they usually continue to work unless you burn it up, (staying to long on the count for etching) I am thinking it may be either your etch on the steel or the etchant you are using!! Your stencil is not wrinkling is it. That is an indication of a stencil that has/is burning up!!

The Radio shack etchant is what a lot of people use for etchant but I made poor man's etchant when I first started and it works!!

I mixed up a salt etch, 1 box of pool salt to a gallon of water. Leave a cup or two of water out of the jug. You will have to keep coming back and shaking it for a while to get all of it too dissolve into only a gallon of water!!! I mixed it for a week every time I walked by the gallon jug! When I finally got all of the salt to dissolve I topped off the jug! I am still using that first gallon and all I do is shake it vigorously before use!!

IMO it looks as if something resisted that etch, since the top part of the etch took well! Maybe someone else can shed more light on it!!!

 

[John Wilson]

etching stencils are just like screenprinting stencils. It's a screen covered in a coating and then the image blocks the coating from curing, and is washed away. Voila, a solid sheet with holes in the shape of your mark. That hole pattern is what you are etching/marking through. (you can't see holes unless you look through high magnification. But your mark is passing through a screen mesh.)

Just like with screenprinting stencils, those holes get loaded up with debris, especially if you are etching/marking really dark. Those dark particles clog up the holes and some of your mark may come out looking faded because those holes in the screen mesh were clogged and blocking the current flow/etchant during the process.

I have found it to be a good practice to clean my stencils with the cleaner solution after each use. Lay the stencil on a clean paper towel and wipe the stencil with a paper towel wetted with cleaner. Do both sides. You'll see heavy black debris from your mark holes collect on the paper towel. Now you know you just saved your next etch by getting that blocking crud out of the stencil.

 

[Grussing_Custom_Knives]

etching stencils are just like screenprinting stencils. It's a screen covered in a coating and then the image blocks the coating from curing, and is washed away. Voila, a solid sheet with holes in the shape of your mark. That hole pattern is what you are etching/marking through. (you can't see holes unless you look through high magnification. But your mark is passing through a screen mesh.)

Just like with screenprinting stencils, those holes get loaded up with debris, especially if you are etching/marking really dark. Those dark particles clog up the holes and some of your mark may come out looking faded because those holes in the screen mesh were clogged and blocking the current flow/etchant during the process.

I have found it to be a good practice to clean my stencils with the cleaner solution after each use. Lay the stencil on a clean paper towel and wipe the stencil with a paper towel wetted with cleaner. Do both sides. You'll see heavy black debris from your mark holes collect on the paper towel. Now you know you just saved your next etch by getting that blocking crud out of the stencil.

Thx and yep it pretty cool i make my own stencils!

 

[Grussing_Custom_Knives]

Just a thought-
Have you had the same results with more than one stencil? The reason I ask is awhile back I was etching a knife that I wanted to have the absolute best etch I could do. The stencil I had been using had probably been used about a dozen times. So, I grabbed a fresh stencil. That stencil was defective. About half of my makers mark was missing (from the knife). What was there looked great- but the rest did nothing. Come to find out, the stencil was defective. Fortunately, I was etching the spine of a pretty large knife and could go back to the grinder and take off enough to remove the defective etch, and then work back through the grits. When I went back to the older stencil, everything worked great. I now keep a scrap of mild steel in my etch box. I will always try a new stencil on scrap stock now before risking a botched etch job on a knife that I have countless hours invested in.
-Might not be the problem with yours, but something to think about.
I apologize- I just saw a post stating that the stencil worked great on another knife. I have edited this and will leave this post, just as a reminder that stencils can be faulty.

Yep tried a couple 1 professional 1 i made same results