engraving damascus

[Raukodur]

I recently bought a Grindworx damascus dog tag for my keyring.

I had planned to getting it engraved with name and phone number, so if anyone found my keys, they could return them.

What is damascus like to engrave? And in the UK, how would I go about getting this done?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Raukodur]

any ideas?

[Essexman]

Maybe have a look a laser engraving, that's what a look of knife makers use for their makers mark on a blade these days.

Chap on BB forum had a spyderco marked a little while ago, came out well  - http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?154513-Engraving-a-Spyderco-recommendations-please-sorted


and a link to the company that did the work - http://www.razorlab.co.uk/

and a link to the laser engraving part - http://www.razorlab.co.uk/itattoo/

[Raukodur]

I've sent them an email, see what they say.

Thanks for the suggestion 

Any other ideas?

[Raukodur]

Got an email back from them, they would charge £48 per hour for this. So even if it takes them half an hour, that is £24, which is as much as the dogtag itself cost.

I dunno, maybe unrealistically I was thinking something like this could be done for around a tenner; but obviously not with lasers.

I'd try it myself by hand, but I'm 100% sure i would mess it up.

[Essexman]

Buy a set of letter stamps and a hammer?

[Montetobuso]

I hope it's not possible to find out your name or home adress from your phone number. If it is, you should not attach it to your keys. Better with an e-mail

[Raukodur]

I meant mobile number 

Would letter stamps and a hammer work on steel?

[Syph007]

I meant mobile number 

Would letter stamps and a hammer work on steel?

Yes if its done pre-heat treat.

[Raukodur]

Well then that is not an option obviously.

[Syph007]

Well jewelry and cutltery grade damascus is usually made form steel mixes that dont even take heat treat.  So find out what steel its made from.

Regardless though, just take it to a jeweler, they can engrave it.

[Raukodur]

Regardless though, just take it to a jeweler, they can engrave it.

Now that is a good suggestion 

[Boyo17]

Number stamps are cheap and easy to use and look surprisingly good if the characters are haphazard,, 3 or 4mm would be good

Why not take it to one of the high street key shops,,, they engrave canine dog tags so should be able to do a human dog tag.

Two options there for engraving,,,, the dremel like pantograph machine they use for award plaques etc or the vibrating machine used hand-held

Or how about etching with ferric chloride like the results I have achieved here,,,,

This grasshopper was masked with nail varnish in a random pattern before being dunked in ferric chloride for a couple of hours,,,,,, if you could write your number on the tag using nail varnish and then put a border around the text it would look really cool



,,or set out your text on a computer,, get a acetate copy made on a photocopier,, iron the image on to the dog tag and then etch like this done on brass sheet,,,,



Or even just use a permanent marker to write the text and then etch


 

[Raukodur]

Many thanks for the suggestions!

[Jailbird]

Just a thought, here in the US we have a chain of stores called Things Remembered. They offer "keepsakes" from picture frames, to Zippos that they engrave in store. Maybe there's a place like that in the UK. Otherwise maybe an awards shop that sells trophys and the like.

[Essexman]

Another idea, look up in the yellow pages etc for trophy shop near by. They always engrave at those places.

Love the copper work Boyo17, nice to see you here on MTO 

[Raukodur]

Another idea, look up in the yellow pages etc for trophy shop near by. They always engrave at those places.

Love the copper work Boyo17, nice to see you here on MTO 

Another good idea!