Your thoughts on maker's marks

[canineforge]

Less is more.

There is a lot of variety in marks, and that is fine with me. I just don't like them to be overpowering. Takes away from the piece, IMO.

- Joe

 

[TK Steingass]

I'm in the "Less is More" club. With that said, I personally feel that the mark has to be finely executed, crisp, and sized correctly for the blade. I have five different sized maker's marks.

As an aside, I designed my maker's mark to be similar to the one used on the German made Steingass Drilling Combination Rifle. See the similarity?

 

[Redmeadow Knives]

Great thread,I've been watching this since it began, being a "less is more" type, I struggled with my mark. My last name is common, and it has been used, though in conjunction with a different first initial. Redmeadow is the translation of my two kids names merged together and is stamped on the ricasso. I would like to etch it on the spine eventually as I think it leaves the blade clean.

A large, busy mark is a turn off,especially on the bevel. I've never been a fan of the billboards. Just my two cents, that and a quarter seven bucks will get you a cup of coffee.

 

[Scott Hanson]

This has been my mark since I've making knives and every once in a while I think about changing it such as adding a location under the name or a touch mark to the opposite side. But yes keeping it small and simple is my preference. Also I like a stamp instead of an etched mark and I also prefer the mark to be on the ricasso only and not on the bevel. One other thing I forgot to mention, this came up in an other discussion is perhaps also marking the type of steel the blade is made out of on the reverse side of the blade.

 

[Lorien]

Lastly having read this discussion many times in the past I think it is safe to say there will likely never be a consensus on what is right.

no one is looking for consensus, only discussion
and photos- sweet photos

 

[daizee]

I like a simple symbol or the makers initials done in a symbol

I wasn't going to DARE post in this thread, but Joe made it ok.

My glyph looks like a stylized dagger horizontally, but vertically it reads 'Au'. My last name is 'Gold'. I have versions with and without the 'USA', and one that looks more like the classic symbol from the periodic table. I recently got some smaller ones as the original one was overpowering modest-sized blades.

 

[HSC ///]

Well here goes then. HSC ///
My initials - Harbeer Singh Chahal. My older brother and father have the same initials. So I'm hsc3.

Since I generally work with laminated steel where the cladding is soft, I only have a stamp

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Matthew Gregory]

I'm not in a position to tell anyone what to do, but I did work retail, selling decidedly extravagant things, for a very long time. Things that absolutely no one can genuinely justify owning, except that they just want it.

Along with that comes a considerable amount of 'marketing'.

For my own knifemaking, I've intentionally avoided doing anything like that, for various reasons, however, here are my thoughts on MY maker's mark:

It's more than just my last name, because there's bound to be more than one 'Gregory' making knives.

It's a stylized, but clear font that really doesn't lean toward a particular format or style of knife - for example, Japanese-stylized lettering, as all of these might look awkward on a knife that wasn't Japanese-styled.

It's my name. Not a nickname, not a cryptic character, not a reference to a childhood influence, or an associative connotation. Too many ways for that to not point at ME.

It's easily transferred to various sizes. I could scale this up to a billboard, if I needed to, or even make it so it's teeny tiny to mark a small surface.


I'm not saying I'm doing it right - I'm just saying that these are some of my thoughts behind why I do it this way.

I also believe that the odds of someone managing to utilize a stylized mark akin to Don Fogg's cherry blossom or Jimmy Fike's tang stamp and make it as ubiquitous as these two have (perhaps), is highly unlikely. I say 'perhaps' because I wonder just how many people on Instagram, Facebook, youtube, SnapChat, Pinterest, etc. have any idea of who these two men are. Perhaps the ubiquity that I associate with those touchmarks has already faded...?

 

[Matthew Gregory]

...I think my point is, if you need to explain it, it's not going to work.

 

[P. McKinley]

It's my name. Not a nickname, not a cryptic character, not a reference to a childhood influence, or an associative connotation.

...I think my point is, if you need to explain it, it's not going to work.

Quite true!

My stamp, broken face and all, is/was how I have signed my initials on documents for many years. I know exactly what it is, and to stamp a completed piece of my work with my initials has meaning to me. But, as you say above, Matt, "...if you need to explain it...." and, I had to explain it often.

-Peter

 

[evanPGH]

I also admire Lucas Burnley's halfmoon logo. Plain, tasteful, simple, similarly works nicely with his aesthetic.

Beat me to it, one of my favorites and I'm glad my kwaiken has the halfmoon. Not a huge fan of his newer script style mark.

JWS has an excellent one too, superb in both design and placement.

 

[Lorien]

I wasn't going to DARE post in this thread, but Joe made it ok.

My glyph looks like a stylized dagger horizontally, but vertically it reads 'Au'. My last name is 'Gold'. I have versions with and without the 'USA', and one that looks more like the classic symbol from the periodic table. I recently got some smaller ones as the original one was overpowering modest-sized blades.

love it. Multiple meanings conveyed through one graphic is cool

 

[AVigil]

I have been into the custom knife hobby for 40 years and a knifemaker for a few. I have gone to shows, read all the magazines and most of the forums.

I can instantly identify a knifes maker if they use their name on the knife. I still can not remember whose cryptic logo belongs to who.

If you leave people guessing who made the knife when they are looking at it, then what is the point of marking it in the first place?

 

[Ben Seward]

Interesting discussion. I've considered a stylized logo for my tactical line...any thoughts on having two marks for two different genres?

 

[KamSingh]

Great discussion.

Singh being such a common last name I went down the logo route. Recently redesigned it, nice not to have to rely on graphic designers to relay your vision.

Went with a lotus for a few reasons, part of my first name actually translates as lotus in sanskrit, going forward I'll be focusing more on Indian style knives so it fits the theme well. Lastly I like the symbolic idea of something beautiful being born from a very dirty environment, somewhat captures the essence of knifemaking.

If your in any doubt as to who made it, a quick google of "lotus knives" brings up my website as the first result.

 

[J. Doyle]

My glyph looks like a stylized dagger horizontally, but vertically it reads 'Au'. My last name is 'Gold'. I have versions with and without the 'USA', and one that looks more like the classic symbol from the periodic table. I recently got some smaller ones as the original one was overpowering modest-sized blades.

In all honesty, if I may......I like your mark BUT I personally had no idea what it was (aside from some semblance of a knife). I could have stared at it for hours and never come up with AU. The 'U' i can see and I can see the 'A' now that you've brought it up. The broken bar of the 'A' seems confusing to me and the way the logo is oriented it's difficult to see and decipher. Your name being Gold, it's quite clear now (and clever) why the AU. But it took this thread to see it.

Which is why I agree with Matt's point about "If you have to explain it, how effective is it?"

Sorry, not trying to single you out specifically. Like I said, I like your mark. It's well done and neat but it's not abundantly obvious that it's yours and what it means. Your style and the lines of your knives, however, I would recognize across a crowded room and I very much like your knives and style.

 

[wesley4758]

This is a really great discussion. As an aspiring knife maker and near 20 year professional working in branding and design I'd add this: the right solution depends on the application. Have a think about who your knife is for. Who's the audience? Just like there isn't one perfect kind of steel for every type of knife, there isn't one perfect approach to branding. Some people want straight forward information others want poetry. Nothing wrong with either. But trying to be all things to all people is usually a lost cause. I'd also add my (personal) love of logos that use clean and classic typefaces is something that draws me to knife making.


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[Kevin Jones]

Interesting discussion. I've considered a stylized logo for my tactical line...any thoughts on having two marks for two different genres?

A maker's mark is just one of many marketing tools a knifemaker can use to help build a brand / brand recognition. I believe using two different marks would be counterproductive to that,
in addition to confusing some people.

 

[Ebbtide]

40 years in advertising as a commercial / graphic artist here & I have to say...

...I think my point is, if you need to explain it, it's not going to work.

BOOM!

Great discussion.

Singh being such a common last name I went down the logo route. Recently redesigned it, nice not to have to rely on graphic designers to relay your vision.

Went with a lotus for a few reasons, part of my first name actually translates as lotus in sanskrit, going forward I'll be focusing more on Indian style knives so it fits the theme well. Lastly I like the symbolic idea of something beautiful being born from a very dirty environment, somewhat captures the essence of knifemaking.

If your in any doubt as to who made it, a quick google of "lotus knives" brings up my website as the first result.

If it were me, I'd use that wonderful graphic in conjunction with my name.
While it may be the #1 hit now, things could change and somewhere down the line that could make a difference.
But that's me and my dot the i and cross the t obsessive mentality.

Having said that, it is a wonderfully rendered graphic.

 

[evanPGH]

A maker's mark is just one of many marketing tools a knifemaker can use to help build a brand / brand recognition. I believe using two different marks would be counterproductive to that,
in addition to confusing some people.

I agree with this.

The exception would be when custom makers have a different mark for their midtech/production line.