@jsnowfreedman have yall taken a look at the Laser Pecker brand? Some reputable knife makers I know are saying the model 3 and 4 can engrave a most any materials. And less than $2k
Check them out:
@jsnowfreedman Iāve also heard the XTool is a good unit and can do metal for a lower cost than a fiber laser.
The XTool F1 can mark some metals as black but cannot do any depth engraving unlike a 30+watt Fiber Laser.
A diode laser can only mark metal if there is a coating like ceremark, ect.
It can also do colors on stainless steel, but that usually takes a 20W to do as far as i know, i havenāt experimented with a 5W yet to find out for sure.
Diode lasers can also mark/etch glass and tile as well, but requires a coating of white paint for black etching or black paint for white etching.
The XTool F1 can mark some metals without Cermark but it isnāt super dark. Instead of paint, the Titanium Dioxide coating method makes super black marks on ceramics, glass and metals. Have not tried black paint or tried doing colored marking on stainless yet.
Talking with a friend that has the Xtool F1 he says he sets it on āStainless Steelā and it will actually engrave his knives, not just mark them. I know he uses both stainless and high carbon steels.
Another friend with a Laser Pecker 3 does the same things, sets it on full power, and it engraves. He said you can catch a nail on it. Not sure if he meant fingernail or hardware nail, but etiher way, it engraves as well.
Just a thought if we wanted a much cheaper option for engraving metal.