Frank in Florida at Bok Towers the Yellin work is stamped with a date as well

i use touchmarks on some items mostly my finer stuff or items that could be sold as antiques... i make a lot of little items that i dont bother (25$ and under ).. i know some stamp everything but it takes time and dosnt really make stuff sell any better...once in a great while i get someone who wants theyre item marked then i do on the spot but most could care less...

I have a touchmark but rarely produce anything worthy of marking.

Am I asking a stupid question? How would I date work if I wanted to? The only work I date is work on safe or vault doors.

I tried to PM somebody but that function seems not to be working on my machine today!

Touchmarks aren't actually very expensive. If you look at the register on another site you will see the "art work" that I sent to Bluebird tools. That was enough for them to produce me a decent touch mark.

Remember a touch mark can also be used for marking a lot of other things. They do a very good mark in leather for example. I have also marked the "rack" cues I have by my snooker table. You have to get the TM aligned correctly with the grain but mine punches nicely into wood.

I have a letter and number stamp set,3/32 of an inch size,that I use for my first initial,last name and the year.I also use a hot stamp that I engraved an 'H'into.I have been doing this for a couple of years now thanks to my wifes constant reminder which is okay as I have been known to forget on occasion.I wish the old hand made tools I have were at least dated.I'm sure some of my hammers and tongs will be around in a hundred years for someone to say'Hey,I've got a Hansl hammer made in 2010!'I hope they will enjoy my tools as much as I do making them.

I rarely stamp my work as it takes time, but the idea of useing this as a way of advertisment might make me change my mind.

Personnaly, I don't find it's time consuming.
I sometimes stamp the piece when the work is done and it's still hot, I take one last heat and "Bam", Done.
Other times, I heat with the torch only where I will be stamping, and "Pow", Done.
I had a client that baught me a dragon chandellier (in a craft fair) that I had made before I had my stamp.After paying me, asked if I could sign it and he would pick it up at my house. That was a 50 miles detour for him.I thaught it was quite flattering.

Naz

I do put my touchmark on a LOT of my work......but only date the more "noteworthy" projects. And like Philip.....I also stamp wood and leather with my touchmarks.

We mark everything that is touched either in the field or shop work. never in plain sight,and if the part or repair is concealed ,in addition to the stamped mark it is dated and initaled with a permant marker. Some years back we did a repair to a large centrifugal pump for a wholesale bait fish operation. The owner [a crook] and his insurance company refused to pay claiming that we were never there. When it ended up in court we told the judge we could prove it,but then i wanted to be paid not only for the first bill but for labor and expenses . He said ok just try and settle out of court. I then removed the end cap on the motor in front of the crook,his lawyer,and a court appointed witness. Just how did my mark,initals,and the date of the bill get there? Got paid everything including our shop rate for all lost time. MARK AND DATE everything. Lee from NYS land of taxes

I never had a touchmark but I always put my initials and year and month on my work. If you're proud of your work act like it. If not just let it fall into the pit of oblivion.

When I first stared selling tongs, I put my phone number on them. Sold a lot of tongs that way. Often wondered how some others did back then who had their name on their tongs.

Old alphabets, symbols, etc from nearly every ancient language out there. Bound to be something for somebody.

http://www.ancientscripts.com/ws_types.html

Thread got me thinking about touchmarks...next project on the list....