There's a local company that offers custom laser etching. Has anyone ever tried inputting a custom design on their straight (either the blade, scales or both)?
Laser Etching a Straight Razor
- Thread starter stripec30
- Start date
I haven't had a razor etched, but I have had some stainless steel guitar parts done.
Most of the laser etching services that I've dealt with don't have the sort of lasers that are powerful enough to etch hard steel; most of them will however offer laser ceramic deposition, which looks nice and is typically quite durable.
Scales would be another thing; those are usually some comparably soft material and easily laser etched.
Most of the laser etching services that I've dealt with don't have the sort of lasers that are powerful enough to etch hard steel; most of them will however offer laser ceramic deposition, which looks nice and is typically quite durable.
Scales would be another thing; those are usually some comparably soft material and easily laser etched.
I have 2 sets of scales being laser carved and inlaid with my monogram.
(Image courtesy of Jim Kyle)
(Image courtesy of Jim Kyle)
I use a laser engraver at my work, and the problem with engraving steel is not that steel is hard. The problem is that steel reflects. Anything that reflects is problematic, and in most cases may damage the engraver if the laser is at full power.
The most popular thing to do with stainless steel is to do what is called laser acid etching. Basically, you place tape over the section that is going to be etched, then you use the laser to cut away the tape in the shape of the engraving. Then you use acid to etch the exposed parts of the steel. Once the acid is cleaned off, you pull off the tape.
I don't recommend this process with anything you care about, as there are plenty of slips between the cup and the lip.
You can always engrave stainless steel with a diamond drag rotary engraver. (Like the engraver they use at Things Remembered).
The most popular thing to do with stainless steel is to do what is called laser acid etching. Basically, you place tape over the section that is going to be etched, then you use the laser to cut away the tape in the shape of the engraving. Then you use acid to etch the exposed parts of the steel. Once the acid is cleaned off, you pull off the tape.
I don't recommend this process with anything you care about, as there are plenty of slips between the cup and the lip.
You can always engrave stainless steel with a diamond drag rotary engraver. (Like the engraver they use at Things Remembered).
Yeah, it is tricky. The only metal that we can work with on the laser engraver without any problems is anodized aluminium.
If someone came to me with a high carbon steel piece to be engraved, I would use our diamond drag rotary cutter to do it.
For delicate work like plastic, wood, glass, leather and even frozen steaks, a laser engraver is awesome. For harder metals, it gets problematic.
