touchmark came today, very unhappy

[ironstein]

So i got my touchmark which i ordered from buckeye engraving. It measures exactly three inches long! Come on, people, do you really think a three inch long stamp for a blacksmith is workable? I guess i can make a handle for it. I was just getting used to the fact that it is so small. I went out into the shop and heated up a piece of flat bar, stamped it, and i began to be annoyed. You can't read what the stamp says. I guess it is my fault for having faith in people. I told the guy i wanted the stamp as small as possible, but still legible. aI guess he took me literally! Maybe he figures i'm gonna stamp grains of rice with it. The really annoying part is that it is only three inches long. I used it on hot steel and had to use tongs, and its a weird rectangle shape so i would have to make tongs or a handle to use it. I can live with that, i just want something readable. Oh well, $120 bucks for a knife stamp. Thanks for listening to my rant.

[Sam Falzone]

Sorry to hear about that.

Did you try a shallower impression to see if it was more legible?
Just spit-balling ideas.

Sam

[Glenn]

Contact stamp man this site.

[ironstein]

I will do that Glenn. I should've done that in the first place. but i couldn't remember his screen name, i knew it was something stamp This is what i get for trying to go the quick route. I have an email in to the place i got it from, maybe they will rectify the situation.

[HWooldridge]

FWIW, I always use tongs to hold stamps - saves my fingers. While I can't help you with overall legibility, you might try it under a treadle hammer or a sledge (while holding it with tongs. It also helps to make sure the stamp is in full contact and flat against the work or you will see a lighter impression on one side.

[JNewman]

I would call them, often a second stamp is much cheaper. Making the master is the most expensive part of making the stamp if they are using a conventional engraver. I bought a stamp a few years ago, the first one was around $120 a second smaller one was only $40. No point is paying for two setups. You may find that you use that stamp for smaller items. Now that you have the layout you can figure out how big you want it before ordering.

[JNewman]

I made a dedicated pair of tongs for my touchmark stamp. They have an integral ring on the reins, the stamp stays in the tongs, I didn't get around to making a pair for my smaller stamp and I think it got swept up by my daughter.

[ironstein]

Great advice! hopefully they will give me a deal on a slightly larger one.

[Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver]

Wow, you didn't specify a size or length, and it's WHO's fault again?

[BarryC]

It will likely be a litte more readable on a smooth clean surface like a knife blank. Maybe you could hit your test piece on a belt sander a little and make it readable. I etch my knives and have to hit it a time or two with on the belt to clean up the etch and sharpen the image. Just a thought.

[Francis Trez Cole]

When I ordered my stamp the shop was very acurate on every thing length, size and recomendations on what would be a better options on my design. talk to the shop first give them the chance to correct the problem

[clinton]

Ya be careful what you ask for, it looks like it came out good, just real small and you do need a handle to hold a tool like this, I made a groove in my touchmark and wrapped a piece of round stock around it this way I can turn the touch mark around, makes it easy to position

[Dave Budd]

maybe save it for cold stamping, or at least stamp at a black heat. I've a stamp that has letters about 2mm high and as long as the impression isn't too deep I can still read it on a forged surface.

Trouble is that a hot stamped impression needs to be quite bold to stand out clearly, also the stamp will wear better than a detailed one. guess how I know that? :rolleyes:

[ironstein]

Well played Sarver! I talked to them today, they offered to make me a new one for free. I refused and told them i would just like to purchase a larger one. After all it WAS my fault, just ask Grant. Seriously though, i felt that they held up their end of the bargain and did a great job on the stamp, it just wound up being smaller than i expected. By the way Grant, i posted a thread before i ever ordered this stamp, asking you to make me one. It must have been lost in the mix, or slyly brushed aside!

[bruce wilcock]

when hot pressing the mark the job should be clear of scale ,and not be at a heat that will form a layer of scale ,and not taken back to a scaleing heat after marked. Take a good look at hot impressed marks on cutlery surgical tools fine woodworking tools and so on,the stamp you have there is huge compared with some of them ,i think with use you will get to be able to bring the best out of your stamp ,and you start to apreceate the work that went into cutting your mark .

[ironstein]

I agree Bruce. I think they did a great job with the cutting and artwork. I will definitely use it for smaller stuff. I should have communicated better with the maker. I have talked to them and am going to purchase a larger stamp with the same design so i have something for bigger work. Thank you everyone for the advice.