@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:
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@jsnowfreedman Iâve 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 havenât 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 isnât 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 âStainless Steelâ 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.
Hey, sorry to revive this after more than a year, but I have the same question (laser or other best practice for makerâs mark/logos on knife steel) and I wonder if the answer has changed in the interim. Do we have any updated equipment or procedures for this since this thread was posted?
Thanks!
Interestingly - I donât know a lot about it yet - but there is a rather new consumer grade competing with xTool www.wecreat.com - a lot of interesting options - of which they have a changeable laser module - of which they offer their 1064nm IR Laser Module - âideal for engraving all metals, plastics and acrylicsâ (their quote - not my experience). Itâs worth a look - and its on par with xTool seemingly offering more options and flexibility (oh yeah - and is supported by LightBurn)
Yes the Xtool is great. Would be nice to be able to engraved metal.
I have the original X1 and it is pretty good at marking. Cutting is a different story.
nice! I wish we had something in the space that could mark metal. would be so cool