Recycled vise/stamping jig

cybertrix

cybertrix

Active Member
I recently had a problem with my old vice when the main screw stripped a couple of threads so it was time to recycle it. I have been wanting to make a stamping jig to help with stamping my makers mark with a little more consistency. I suffer a little from neuropathy in the fingers and I don't get the feedback I used to. I find it more and more difficult to get the stamp square. The stem of the vice being made from cast iron would make a good striking surface so I had a base to work with.



Next a quick trip to the toolmakers room at work and a couple of cups of coffee from the machine by way of encouragement and we have a simple jig. He skimmed the surface flat and welded a couple of pieces on nice and square for me. A quick coat of paint and it's done.



I tried it with a scrap piece of ground flat stock, just a light tap to see how even it would be.



The impression is nice and even and will be the same distance from the spine of the knife every time.

Quite happy with it, simple but effective.
 
That is a nice setup. Is it possible to tap some holes and make some clamps to hold the blade while you stamp it?
 
I could easily add a clamp but so far it's worked fine, The scrap piece is annealed but I only struck it very lightly to see if it was an even impression. I have also found that when holding the stamp I sometimes get a second stamp mark, usually a small impression close to the first although not a full double stamp.



Since I got the jig finished I have stamped a couple of knives and I can get a good deep impression without any double strikes. It will save me a great deal of time.
 
Can you show us how your jig works? I'm thinking you lay your blade on the flat and hold your stamp up against the welded piece then hit it ? But I'm really not sure .. Thanks.
 
backtines said:
Can you show us how your jig works? I'm thinking you lay your blade on the flat and hold your stamp up against the welded piece then hit it ? But I'm really not sure .. Thanks.
Click to expand...

That's exactly right the 2 welded pieces give a right angle for the stamp to be pushed up against, the angle is square and the back piece is square to the flat bed. Now I know that every time I hit the stamp it will be in the square position. (As long as I hold it properly) My stamp is quite chunky and the top of the letters and the back of the stamp is about 5.5mm so areasonable amount to be spaced from the spine of the knife.



If I need to alter it I can make a shim to put behind the stamp or the blade being stamped. I have stamped a couple of blades and it works well.
 
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