So quick things as another fiber laser guy (I have the same ComMarker 20w): I don't know how deep you've gotten into the laser settings realm, but 5-10 passes with Speed: 1266mm/sec Frequency: 37khz Power: 100% Line Interval: .01000 (2540 lines per inch) Scan angle: 27-63 degrees (this is 100% user preference, I like 45 and 63) and Crosshatch on should get a really nice deep engrave. AFTER that do a couple "cleanup" passes where you let the laser remove all the ugly brown discolored junk out of your etch: Speed: 3000mm/sec Frequency: 60khz Power: 15-25% Line Interval .0254 (1000 lines per inch). Now the secret trick with steel and a fiber laser like this: DO NOT TOUCH/MOVE YOUR ENGRAVING ITEM and move the head of your laser up by 3mm. Yes it's going to defocus, but then you can throw in these settings and it'll mark the deepest beautiful black inside the mark you've already engraved: Speed: 50mm/sec Frequency: 25khz Power: 52% Line interval: .0254 (1000 lines per inch). You can do multiple passes with this setting to deepen the black, but I'd let it cool for 90-120 seconds between passes because it gets a little toasty. Another tip I can add is you might try doing a dozen or so "line" passes at a lower speed (and maybe try a little "wobble" in the lightburn settings, play with it a bit until you like it) before doing a series of "fill" passes, it'll help define the edges of your marks more clearly. I liked your video and hope this helps you mark your knives a little better.
Man thanks a million for these tips! I will be trying all of this next time I need to get a good mark! This has become my go to on maker's mark etching... so I'm excited to try out what you've outlined above! Very thankful
Thanks for posting these tips! I have a 50w B4, so I'm gonna try adjusting your power settings for mine. Is it typically just a factor of the power difference? Ie: My laser is 2.5x more powerful, so should I be dividing your power settings by 2.5?
Nice! Yeah that XTOOL is great for cutting out sheath templates and things like that. Huge value, in my opinion, for knife making. I was able to get a decent etch with it in the past on 1084, but for some reason it wouldn't touch eh AEBL...
@@RedBeardOps Seems the more reflective it is the worse it works, could not get a mark on aluminum at all:) So the chromium in stainless likely reduces the results in Stainless like AEBL, IMO
Tempering is generally done at 350-450F depending on the use case for the knife. The laser engraving doesn't get the blade anywhere near that temperature.
you could combine it with 3d printing to create some tumbler style knife boxes, so the knife handle could bed into the tumbler lid and the blade in a 3d printed tip holder in the base of the tumbler, then etch the outside.
The rotary stand rig is brilliant, well done! With your higher frequency lasers they will diffuse through smoke and the atmosphere in general, so it's probably robbing it of some energy when it comes to wood. The lower frequencies tend to go through clutter much better in that regard My opinion if I was going to use one of these for artwork, I'd lay out the design on computer, burn it into the material and then come back in with gravers and scribes by hand to have it as more permanent outline with some depth. But if you ever wanted to kick start some skills in hand engraving bolsters, guards and the like it could be a very useful tool for someone to have rather than transferring templates to something, course you could just try fiddling around with the settings on the machine as-is and applying them to see how they look.
I've been in the market for a fiber laser for a minute now, found you by accident from your 3d model files of your knife stands (thanks for sharing btw). Great info! What wattage is your fiber? 20W? and how do you like it for etching your makers mark in your knives so far? This is exactly what I plan on doing when I get enough info on them.
So far so good on the etching; right now it's my default. These lasers have come a looonnnggg way... I see some coming on the market that are pretty impressive! I'm sure these will be like TVs... new tech every couple of months!
could you pattern an entire blade? this could open up ideas for encorporating handle patterns and blade patterns into matching each other, or be asymetric, i imagine a lot of the old japanese woodblock paintings would look great etched.
Kewl vid, that laser mark is very clear and crisp IMO. You could do Picture on the blade, not my thing but some people like that, and yea hide a message in the hilt, I like that idea as well :)
I’ve been getting surprisingly deep etched with XTool 20 watt laser on Elmax. The resolution is nowhere near fiber but the depth is OK. I’m not sure why yours did not engrave aebl at all.
Yeah, I should have spent more time with it... Since I was able to get some 1084 depth in the past. I cared more about the comparison to the electro-chemical to be honest, since that's what I use the most.
Thanks for the review James. This one is on my short list. It would be great if you could reach out to Xtool and get a hold of their F1. Denis Tyrell reviewed it and really liked it but I would like to see it up against a genuine fiber laser. The F1 is UV but is capable of engraving steel.
Hey Jason, looks like a useful little machine, especially if you do shows and stuff and want to personalize on the spot. With the price point being in a similar ballpark; I'd opt for the fiber in regards to marking knife steel.
I understand that add revenue is important but your content lately has been very much shill content. Please come back to your roots a bit. A shill here and there is understandable but remember what you started with
The temptation will be almost impossible to resist, but PLEASE do not go all "Cold Steel" on us and overdo all that billboarding on your beautiful knives. Keep it small and simple.
Not bad right?!⚡ComMarker B4 20W Fiber Laser - commarker.com/product/b4-laser-engraver/?ref=HSxwS-ki0lqGqf (Discount code for 2% off = redbeardops)
🖨 Fence 3D Print Files - www.printables.com/model/725253-commarker-laser-bed-fences-guides
🖨 Rotary Stand 3D Files - www.printables.com/model/725252-commarker-rotary-stand-b4-laser
🔩 Other Items Used:
Laser Glasses - amzn.to/3SkafjX
xTool D1 20W Laser Kit - www.xtool.com/products/portable-diode-laserbox-d1-for-laser-engraving-laser-cutting-b?ref=RedBeardOps&
🙏All Social Media Links: linktr.ee/redbeardops
✖ | Twitter - twitter.com/RedBeardOps
So quick things as another fiber laser guy (I have the same ComMarker 20w): I don't know how deep you've gotten into the laser settings realm, but 5-10 passes with Speed: 1266mm/sec Frequency: 37khz Power: 100% Line Interval: .01000 (2540 lines per inch) Scan angle: 27-63 degrees (this is 100% user preference, I like 45 and 63) and Crosshatch on should get a really nice deep engrave. AFTER that do a couple "cleanup" passes where you let the laser remove all the ugly brown discolored junk out of your etch: Speed: 3000mm/sec Frequency: 60khz Power: 15-25% Line Interval .0254 (1000 lines per inch).
Now the secret trick with steel and a fiber laser like this: DO NOT TOUCH/MOVE YOUR ENGRAVING ITEM and move the head of your laser up by 3mm. Yes it's going to defocus, but then you can throw in these settings and it'll mark the deepest beautiful black inside the mark you've already engraved: Speed: 50mm/sec Frequency: 25khz Power: 52% Line interval: .0254 (1000 lines per inch). You can do multiple passes with this setting to deepen the black, but I'd let it cool for 90-120 seconds between passes because it gets a little toasty.
Another tip I can add is you might try doing a dozen or so "line" passes at a lower speed (and maybe try a little "wobble" in the lightburn settings, play with it a bit until you like it) before doing a series of "fill" passes, it'll help define the edges of your marks more clearly.
I liked your video and hope this helps you mark your knives a little better.
Man thanks a million for these tips! I will be trying all of this next time I need to get a good mark! This has become my go to on maker's mark etching... so I'm excited to try out what you've outlined above! Very thankful
Thanks for posting these tips! I have a 50w B4, so I'm gonna try adjusting your power settings for mine. Is it typically just a factor of the power difference? Ie: My laser is 2.5x more powerful, so should I be dividing your power settings by 2.5?
Looooooove this!!! Opens up so many creative possibilities with blades, guards, etc. someday….
Thank you! Agreed
Excellent results I will have to start with electro first as I am still needing a heat treating oven
Great video - thanks for taking the time and sharing 👌🏻🍺🏴
Glad you enjoyed it!
As I've said before, this is way above my pay grade, but thank you for all the info you provide. 👍🍺
Cheers Will!
I'm like you my friend 👍 I'm really wanting to buy one of these but I know I'm not smart enough to use it 😂
You are starting to gather quite the tool collection. Would love a shop tour/workflow.
That's a good idea! It's been a while since I've done one of those
Thanks J, this was awesome. Also to note: I wanted a laser etcher and I went with the Xtools D1 20w like yours, so thanks for that too:)
Nice! Yeah that XTOOL is great for cutting out sheath templates and things like that. Huge value, in my opinion, for knife making. I was able to get a decent etch with it in the past on 1084, but for some reason it wouldn't touch eh AEBL...
@@RedBeardOps Seems the more reflective it is the worse it works, could not get a mark on aluminum at all:) So the chromium in stainless likely reduces the results in Stainless like AEBL, IMO
You could use the rotary tool to mark out lines for fluted handles and texturing for handles perhaps.
That's a good idea!
Oh yes that looks fantastic!!
I was pretty stoked after cleaning it up!
Looks great...Just question...doesnt it destroy edge cos of temperature after temper proces? ...what temperature comes out from there...thank you
Tempering is generally done at 350-450F depending on the use case for the knife. The laser engraving doesn't get the blade anywhere near that temperature.
you could combine it with 3d printing to create some tumbler style knife boxes, so the knife handle could bed into the tumbler lid and the blade in a 3d printed tip holder in the base of the tumbler, then etch the outside.
The rotary stand rig is brilliant, well done!
With your higher frequency lasers they will diffuse through smoke and the atmosphere in general, so it's probably robbing it of some energy when it comes to wood. The lower frequencies tend to go through clutter much better in that regard
My opinion if I was going to use one of these for artwork, I'd lay out the design on computer, burn it into the material and then come back in with gravers and scribes by hand to have it as more permanent outline with some depth. But if you ever wanted to kick start some skills in hand engraving bolsters, guards and the like it could be a very useful tool for someone to have rather than transferring templates to something, course you could just try fiddling around with the settings on the machine as-is and applying them to see how they look.
Good points! I like the idea of applying templates for engraving for sure!
I've been in the market for a fiber laser for a minute now, found you by accident from your 3d model files of your knife stands (thanks for sharing btw). Great info! What wattage is your fiber? 20W? and how do you like it for etching your makers mark in your knives so far? This is exactly what I plan on doing when I get enough info on them.
So far so good on the etching; right now it's my default. These lasers have come a looonnnggg way... I see some coming on the market that are pretty impressive! I'm sure these will be like TVs... new tech every couple of months!
could you pattern an entire blade? this could open up ideas for encorporating handle patterns and blade patterns into matching each other, or be asymetric, i imagine a lot of the old japanese woodblock paintings would look great etched.
I have a lady use her 50w fiber to etch mine and I've never had to sand afterwards. I typically put mark on at very last.
She must have her settings dialed in!
Try making flutes with the rotary tool......
From one smith to another.... ✌ outa Cape Town South Africa.....
Cool idea! Cheers from Texas!
Kewl vid, that laser mark is very clear and crisp IMO. You could do Picture on the blade, not my thing but some people like that, and yea hide a message in the hilt, I like that idea as well :)
Will this work on carbon steels? Such as 80crv2
Yes this ComMarker B4 and the Xtool F1 Ultra I just reviewed both work well on high carbon steels - ua-cam.com/video/nQfBzlzeMro/v-deo.html
If you ever do axes, the rotary tool might give you some etching capabilities on the back side…if you add a hammer head or spike, etc
That's a cool idea!
Will this engrave glass?
I haven't tried glass, sorry about that
I’ve been getting surprisingly deep etched with XTool 20 watt laser on Elmax. The resolution is nowhere near fiber but the depth is OK. I’m not sure why yours did not engrave aebl at all.
Yeah, I should have spent more time with it... Since I was able to get some 1084 depth in the past. I cared more about the comparison to the electro-chemical to be honest, since that's what I use the most.
@@RedBeardOps I find diode usable for simple marks. Definitely not something with a lot of detail.
Thanks for the review James. This one is on my short list. It would be great if you could reach out to Xtool and get a hold of their F1. Denis Tyrell reviewed it and really liked it but I would like to see it up against a genuine fiber laser. The F1 is UV but is capable of engraving steel.
Hey Jason, looks like a useful little machine, especially if you do shows and stuff and want to personalize on the spot. With the price point being in a similar ballpark; I'd opt for the fiber in regards to marking knife steel.
Using Industrial-grade mikro/nano-tooling for creating decorative designs. Hm. Neat.
Nice overview, thanks. Still biding my time for the price to drop…
Great
Thanks!
wow your great i love it but its to much,fo me thanks.love making knives.need more time with that,,need to finish like your video,,,
Thanks 👍
Kano wins!
lol
I understand that add revenue is important but your content lately has been very much shill content. Please come back to your roots a bit. A shill here and there is understandable but remember what you started with
Sorry it bothers you Cain
The temptation will be almost impossible to resist, but PLEASE do not go all "Cold Steel" on us and overdo all that billboarding on your beautiful knives. Keep it small and simple.
Fear not, just shotting to have my makers mark on there