?........ before engraving?

[Shotgunone]

I hope this is not a really dumb question.

But how do engravers want the metal finished before they engrave it?

As a knifemaker I long to make a knife worthy of having it engraved. Specifically, I would like to get the bolsters engraved and I generally use 416 Stainless steel for them. How or what kind of finish do I need before I send it off to get it engraved? Highly polished -- satin finish or ??? Or will the engraver put the finish he or she wants on the bolsters before engraving them?

I am also assuming that I would finish the knife completely right down to sharpening the blades. Is that correct?

Also I usually make slipjoints and pin them together. Will that cause a problem for the engraver when he "hits" them while engraving?

Also is the arc in the top of the bolster a factor? On most of my SJ they tend to be more rounded than flat. Is there a preference or does it matter?

I am really getting the bug to have a knife engraved so any information on this would be helpful.

Regards

[Tim Adlam]

Hey Tony,

There are no dumb questions here!

Re: Bolster finish.
A 400 grit finish is more than adequate.
The shape of the bolster or arc can be challenging if it is rounded with no square edges to scribe from if a border is desired. Challenging but not impossible to deal with.

Re: Pins.
I've never encountered a real problem. The only one time I did was on a very small knife...bolster was soldered and pinned. The pins seemed tight but you could actually push them through.
I did a relief engraving job that managed to lock those pins in place.

Re: Finish.
I've had them either sharpened or unsharpened. If the knife is going directly back to the maker...a non-sharpened blade is ok. In either case...I cover the blade edge with soft plastic tubing and wrap the whole blade with tape...protecting it from being scratched accidentally.
Finish the knife completely before sending it out. The only exception would be if you want the blade done. Have that engraved before heat-treat.

I hope I've pointed you in the right direction.

Tim

[Bob Sigmon]

Tony,

Your knives are great as they are, but if you get one engraved by one of the guys on this forum you will really be stepping into the next dimension!!! What a great combo it would be.

You should take the plunge. You'll never be sorry! And your knives are most worthy of engraving.

Just my opinion!

Bob Sigmon

[HermanKnives]

Finish the knife the way you normally would. I like 1000-1500 grit hand finish to engrave. But the engraver will work on whatever your finish is.

[Shotgunone]

Thanks for the kind words and help with my questions. I will probably finish the knife completely - sharpen and all. Could not stand the thought of having the "engraved" knife around a grinder while sharpening the blade.

Now to build the right knife and find an engraver to do the work.


Thanks again everyone.

Regards