Need help making a decision.

[the_sandy_creek_forge]

really though, the name of the business and your name don't have to be exclusive. I always mark projects with my initials "ADL", or sometimes with "LINDSTROM" if there is enough room on the project for it. If it is something that was produced by way of connection with the Sandy Creek Forge, it also gets "SCF" stamped on it. Example: if I make up a christmas gift for a family member it will usually just get the "ADL" stamping. If I build a railing or a set of hooks or whatever for a paying customer they get the "SCF" stamp and the "ADL" stamp. In the case of a railing there is probably room for "LINDSTROM" so I'd use that instead of "ADL." So, in summary, I think it's very much acceptable to use both a "business" name and your own personal/artist touchmark.

-Aaron@ the SCF

[hammerkid]

yeah like bb said flip a coin! mine is the Inferno Forge ie: infernosmithing . I mostly stamp my intials CDJ on my work expect on a gate I`am working on it will have CDJ stamped on it and may have Inferno Forge on it LOL

[jayco]

M brothers.........I can't say what you should do since I've never really named my shop.
I'm torn between two possible names for my shop.
I want a name that's simple,yet unique......that's not always easy to do.

1st choice: Flannery's Forge (my name.....and it has a certain 'ring' to it.)
2nd choice: Hog Branch Iron Works ( where I live......but not so catchy )
(But.......a snarling pig with a hammer would make a great logo!

[Mills]

The choice of a name or touchmark, once decided, will become the identifier. If a smith just blows smoke then whatever identifies him will be related to either his name or touchmark. To me a touchmark is easier to use than letter stamps. If your name is made on one stamp then it is a touchmark, no?

It is semantics to some extent and Mark Aspery is certainly a fine smith whose work needs no 'touching' up.

dief gives good advice, all else being equal choose something with a sound that YOU like to say, so that when you do you smile because of what it means to you. That is infectious.

[ApprenticeMan]

Originally Posted by mcraigl

Ah.. I was wondering about this same thing and ran some stuff past Mark Aspery about why he doesn't have some cool sounding name, or a cool looking touchmark. His response was that when somebody sees a piece of work that he's done he wants them to know that it was Mark Aspery that made it. That's why his touchmark is Aspery. Rather than some cool sounding name, or design or whatever. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense to me. I guess I'd rather have folks be amazed by, or talk about, or muse over my work and the quality of it rather than the cool / catchy name of my smithy or how novel my touchmark is. So for now, my touchmark will be my initials.

DITTO TO THAT. I managed to combine my initials into a cool looking symbol also, so win win.

[primtechsmith]

maybe if you can't think of the name it isn't time for it yet....sometimes pushing one out just to have one will make you rethink it later on and want to change it. Then the hassle of changing everything with the old name, etc.

I say when it smacks you in the face thats what it is...until then. just wait for it. it will come to you in due time.

Peyton

[m_brothers]

I have come up with it now.

"Enter the Dragon's Lair,
and bring forth the Dragon's
rage, and forge it into shape."
Silver Creek Forge Motto

Silver Creek Forge

[Ice Czar]

get around employing the 2nd (or first) and

its nearly there

"Enter the Dragon's Lair,
bring forth his rage,
and forge it into shape."

something like that, avoid department of redundancy department type descriptors
say it out loud a hundred times, corrupt it, make it lazy

my informal motto (in a heavy Russian Accent)
strong like bull,
smart like tractor

[newbiesmith]

My plan for a name for my smithy is "FrostFire Forge". My hometown's name is Frostburg and well I wanted to have a little bit of it in my smithy's name. No matter where I'll end up, that's still where I've come from ;-).

-Dan

[philip in china]

The only western named department store in Dujiangyan is called Trustmart so I simply removed the first letter for my name. It seems to work. I also have my slogan which really sort of means that if you can pick it up it is probably not one of my products which tend to be somewhat robust. Sean out here says I do everything too heavy but that is only professional jealousy on his part.