Engrave on a zippo?

[curtis rosche]

Im sure letter on a zipo would be easy, but how hard would it be to do an actual picture on a zippo?
Does the small size and the material of a zippo limit detail?

[Mike Null]

Curtis

How do you plan to engrave it? What equipment, materials?

[Joe Pelonio]

I did a few with Cermark. It was difficult, due to the coating over the metal. Had to run the job first with no Cermark to get to bare metal, then without moving it, apply Cermark with airbrush, and run again. Results were OK with basic text, but I'd be surprised if an image would come out well.

[Dan Hintz]

I see no reason to think a Zippo would turn out any differently than any other coated piece of SS... remove coating (through lasering), apply Cermark, laser again. I'm not saying the process is easy, only that it's no different simply because it's a Zippo...

[Steve Clarkson]

If you're talking about a silver metal zippo, then the other guys are right, it's really no different than using cermark on any other piece of SS.

I assumed you were talking about the powder coated zippos........I've done those and you really can't do a greyscale or half toned image......it really should be 1bit or black and white, and then I think you will be happy with how they come out.

Here are a few that I have done.

246852246853246854

[Chester Lindgren]

The powder coated ones turn out great! Here's one I did the other day:
246858

[Frank Corker]

Chester I agree it did turn out well but the image you engraved is a negative. All the ones that I have done using cermark turned out fine, even a brass one which actually quite surprised me as brass is notoriously difficult to get any type of mark on it.

[curtis rosche]

I was looking into getting another zippo to add to my collection and have it engraved, I was gonna use a 1940s, but it appears from what you guys have said I will be better off with a newer powdercoated zippo

[AL Ursich]

PCN Tours a PA Cable Network has a Zippo Factory Tour Video from 2000 that you can view for $1.99. I have seen it a few times on our cable. Search "PCN Tours Zippo" Gibson too...

[Tracey Bakewell]

Hey Joe! What were your settings with this? I lost all my chrome settings with cermark for some reason. I just ran a few tests, and the image did wipe off. It is script text, I am running again with high power and slow speed to try more times to remove coating. I've successfully done chrome in the past. I'm so bummed I lost my settings though!