Etching versus Stamping

[vmicraig]

Why did some manufacturers stamp their swords, whereas others etched them? Was etching significantly cheaper? And for those etched, was it a hand etching process, as some etchings look truly juvenile (see below for etching vs stamping)

 

[Booner]

A stamping is "stuck" on the metal by the use of a die, and it displaces the metal by someone hitting the die with a hammer. Etching actually removes the metal by the use of a tool called a graver. Are you sure your etching isn't actually a stain or acid?

 

[yulzari]

To be sadly pedantic: removing metal with a graver is 'engraving' whilst etching away metal with acid is the true 'etching'.

These days there is also laser marking which burns away the metal by local heat and assorted versions of electric engraving whereby an electric current is used to remove the metal by electrolysis.

I suspect the upper example was a very crude and shallow etching.

 

[Booner]

To be sadly pedantic: removing metal with a graver is 'engraving' whilst etching away metal with acid is the true 'etching'.

These days there is also laser marking which burns away the metal by local heat and assorted versions of electric engraving whereby an electric current is used to remove the metal by electrolysis.

I suspect the upper example was a very crude and shallow etching.

Thanks for the correction. I meant to say that, I really did.

 

[vmicraig]

Etched or engraved, still wondering if it was simply cheaper and more common among contract sword makers than those offially sanctioned by the US for military provisions. They often seem hand etched even among the same contractor....my guess is each blade was hand etched by various "inspectors" at the contractor or bladesmen as opposed to a stamp that was used for all the blades made by the manufacturer....but why not all go with stamps? Can't be that much of a cost savings

 

[ikesdad]

I would think that stamping would be of less cost as there are fewer motions involved along with needing only 1 stamp to hit, or impress with.

 

[Camp Randall Armory]

I'm pretty sure the top etching is fake. I don't think acid etching was a thing to mark equipment during the war, I've never seen it. If someone knows of documented examples I'd like to know about them.

The art of engraving (cutting out the metal) was a dying art in the arms industry. It was very labor intensive, and with the industrial revolution in full swing it was much cheaper to have a die manufactured and stamp the metal. You saw in on some European Arms, particularly older ones. Occasionally lower-quality Confederate arms would have roman numerals crudely engraved to mark matching parts but that is about it.

 

[yulzari]

In the old British Army long arms were unit marked and rack numbered by engraving done by local jewellers near the unit, paid for by the regiment. This led to varying qualities of engraving depending upon the available local skills and the pocket of the Colonel. One or two financially challenged Colonels seem to have given a sharpened nail to the armourer serjeant and told him to do it himself.... By the mid 19th century cheap letter/number stamps were being mass made in Birmingham and units saved their money by buying a set of stamps and leaving it to the unit armourer. I would presume something similar was happening in the USA at the same time. A close examination of the fonts used in stamps can guide one in establishing the authenticity of stamps found today on old arms. Too often modern fonts are found which give away the fake provenancing by naughty dealers or sellers. I would caution that there are ways to mimic years of wear on a brass butt plate.

Inspectors from a very early time had their own stamps made as they inspected thousands of parts and whole guns so the cost of hand making a stamp was amortised by the saving in time and the minor imperfections authenticated the stamp. As military production became more centralised the extra cost of a roll stamp was worthwhile for lock plates especially. A roll stamp is one raised upon a cylinder in a press. The flat metal is passed through the press by the cylinder being rotated in a frame which applied pressure and came out with, for example, a Remington Eagle or a British Crown over the Royal Cipher.

 

[vmicraig]

Actua

I'm pretty sure the top etching is fake. I don't think acid etching was a thing to mark equipment during the war, I've never seen it. If someone knows of documented examples I'd like to know about them.

The art of engraving (cutting out the metal) was a dying art in the arms industry. It was very labor intensive, and with the industrial revolution in full swing it was much cheaper to have a die manufactured and stamp the metal. You saw in on some European Arms, particularly older ones. Occasionally lower-quality Confederate arms would have roman numerals crudely engraved to mark matching parts but that is about it.

Actually, etching were quite common on swords and sabers during the time. Even Tiffany used etching on many of its blades. Ridabock, which etched their name on the Musicians sword I posted, often marked their blades that way.