Holding SS Items In Place For Engraving

[Bill Stearns]

Hi All -
Hopefully this will prove of help to someone. I can't be the only one - can I? - spending too much time figuring out how to hold odd shaped metal items securely- for engraving. Found this very, very strong magnetic strip at my local hardware store. (used for hanging kitchen knives on display.) Works great for some projects! If you have to resort to the Internet to find it - company name is NORPRO - item #16. (will try 'n see if I can attach a photo to this note.) Also: had a carpenter friend make me a 24" long board - notched so knife handles slip in - laying flat on the board - then inserted 'bunch of "earth magnets" into the board - counter sunk - I am now able to engrave about 13 items at one time, 'stead of one at a time!
Anyone with other ways to hold odd items - your thoughts appreciated. (determining positions, of course, is a matter of X-Y settings for each item.) (probably over looking a dozen better ways? - let me know ... if I am. Thanks -

Bill

[Scott Shepherd]

I have done a lot of knives like that. I took modeling clay, put it in a plastic sandwich bag (2 bags actually), and I take the knife and press the blade down into 1 bag of clay, the handle into the other bag of clay and I push it until it's flat. It's in a plastic bag, so I can slide it around the table to where I want and go. Works really really well for odd shaped objects. If you flatten it out too much, just mush it around some in the bag and it's fat again. Easy, cheap, and it works.

[gary l roberts]

Oh so simple but what a great idea......makes me wonder why I didn't think/see that before.......

[Bill Stearns]

Gary - You didn't say whether its the magnetic strip idea, or modeling clay, you think is a great idea. ? If its the mag-strip, I will elaborate on how I am refining it to work best. In the past, I've used kids Play-Doe - using Scott's method - (pressing the knife into the clay to form a mold) - but Play-Doe soon dries, hardens, and cracks - so, not practical for doing hundreds of knives. (or, odd shaped items.) Seems like modeling clay method would be a one-at-a-time method, too? (maybe, I'm wrong?) As for the magnetic strip, I run a strip of masking tape down the center - pencil lines where the knives are to be replaced as I work. Also - that 24" routed board - embedded with earth magnets - I mentioned earlier is working really well. Any other creative ways people are solving this issue - of engraving quantities of odd shaped items - let me know.

Bill

[Gary Hair]

As far as I knew SS isn't magnetic. Maybe they aren't SS? Maybe I'm wrong?

[Bill Stearns]

Gary - I Googled asking 'bout stainless being magnetic - looks like you are right - most isn't. But, it sounds like some can be - some is. All I know is the knives & hatchets I do stick to the magnetic strip. Think I'll stop saying it's SS - so not to mislead anyone trying out my magnet idea. - Thanks