Naval Academy Sword

[Tira]

Does anyone have any experience engraving on a Naval Academy (or other service academy) sword? One of my friend's son is about to graduate and he asked me if I would engrave his name on the sword. I'd love to do it, but I fear that the sword will not be friendly to engraving tools. It looks like it was acid etched to put the initial pattern on. The sword is a Vanguard V-21-N made in Toledo Spain and is stainless if that helps anyone to know. Thanks!

 

[Brian Marshall]

Only one I ever tried to work on - back in my hungry days when you took any job you could get - was too hard to cut.

I did wind up etching it. Mainly because I didn't warn them early enough and they HAD to have it for a presentation. So I HAD to learn to etch.

It's been a long time, and all I had back then was HSS. Maybe one of the new Kryptonite alloy gravers would cut it?

I'm glad it's not gonna be me that finds out...

My new "policy" is to avoid PITA jobs... (At least until next week)


Brian

 

[SamW]

I did one some years ago with the owner's name and it was very hard and difficult to cut. I managed it but not to the quality of cut I would have wanted.

 

[ED DELORGE]

Hello Tira, the only engraving that I have done on any swords was with my pentagraph machine. No problem with the diamond tip. The blade was as hard as a spring. I would not try it with a hand graver. The best way to letter those hard blades (swords or knives) is with etching. If you havent got an etching machine look into lectroetch.com. They can make a stencil with just about any design or lettering job you have in mine for about $50.00, and the quality of a deep etch is supurb. Five minutes, its done.
That is how all of those knife makers put their name on those hard blades. Like with all lettering before using the stencil double check it for spelling. I can testify, if it can go wrong it will.

Good luck
Ed DeLorge

 

[monk]

i have done 2 for the us army- they were "full dress officers' models. don't know the manufacturer data. i ended up using acid with resist. the "factory embellishment" on them was quite fancy-- was also done with acid. when i tested the first sword, back by the hilt, a hss graver wouldn't do anything on the blade. maybe time to learn the acid technique, tira. simple to do, with great results.. with your drawing skills, doing the resist thing would be a snap. good luck

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Yes Tira, if you look at any embellished sword blades they're always etched. Give it a go, it's not that difficult just remember safety if you're going to mess about with acid and always belt and braces when you are using resist as acid has an uncanny knack of finding the minutest of pin holes!

 

[DakotaDocMartin]

...and always belt and braces...

There's a good old saying!

 

[Texasgerd]

Tira
I'm going to differ with the others. The Air Force Academy swords were soft metal which bent easily. They were not real sword blades, just display blades, and were often chrome plated. The standard method the mfgr used to embellish the blade was via a light acid etching. The hilt on the Naval Academy and AF Academy were cast metal. I can't speak for West Point. I'd expect both would have a number of inclusions.
Fast way to figure out what you have is to connect with the USNA Association of Grads. They are the org the cadets typically purchase their graduation sword thru. They will provide you with the mfgr of their swords. From there, you can discuss directly w/the guys who make them to figure out what you'll be dealing with.
Dan

 

[Brian Marshall]

Could be that quality of steel used changed over the years?

What was given me was definitely not chrome plated or soft.


B.

 

[billrice@charter.net]

Tira Ken Brown teaches a Hand lettering method for glass and hard metals using a high speed dental drill and carbide or diamond bits. When I get someone in my studio that wants a hand engraving that I cannot do with my Lindsey Palm I go to my high speed drill. when I first started out I did allot of practice until I got pretty good control. Everyone I have engraved this way has gone away happy. However let it be know this is not my favorite way of engraving it just helped me to solve a problem. Look up Ken Browns web site http://kenbrown.com/site/HOME.html

 

[Roger Bleile]

I gave a naval officer's sword to a friend years ago and engraved his name on the throat of the scabbard.

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Forget rotary tools unless you want a bodged job. Google "wilkinson sword swords" and do an image search, you'll get all kinds of swords not just Wilkinson. The thing they have in common is the blades, where decorated, are all etched. Looks bloody good too! Do the job properly Tira, you'll be glad you did. Use a dip pen and resist. It might be worth experimenting with ferric chloride first as nitric can be nasty stuff. Keep your gravers well away or they'll rust.

 

[monk]

if you want to test the waters-- www.cronite.com. i get my stuff there. they sell acids for copper & brass, as well as one for steel. it's hit or miss if you go to an electronics outlet. ex-- my local radio shack never heard of ferric chloride. they had no clue how the blank copper boards they sold were turned into circuit boards ! cronite also sells colorants ( oxidizers) for the metals i mentioned.

 

[Tira]

Thanks for all the suggestions and help. Unfortunately, I am strapped for time as is the client (graduation in a couple of weeks). I don't have the time to practice and learn the acid etch right now. The client wants the engraving right on the sword (there is a place specifically set out for this) and not anywhere else. I do know that the rotary would work, but especially in this case where it will follow him for the rest of his life, I don't want to do anything but my best. Thanks again!

 

[SamW]

Pantograph/diamond tip...send him to a trophy shop perhaps.

 

[Peter E]

I have a "Presentation sword that I bought because I liked the "etching" on the blade. The advice given seems right on the money Tira.