• Minimal stress stamps are for highly sensitive products such as pressurized containers, electrical components or parts for the aeronautical industry, where microscopic fractures must be avoided.
• Roll dies are shaped like a donut to mark flat, concave or convex surfaces and can mark flat or cylindrical products. They can be used for bar marking or marking tubular metal as well as leather and hot stamping plastic products.
• Hot stamps are typically made from brass or tool steel alloys and are used in hot stamping machines. They can be used in conjunction with hot stamping foils to add color to the product marking for a logo or any variety of text or numbers.
• When you need a raised image we create steel stamps for embossing. The embossing die set is meant to be used in a press. We make these according to your specifications and we can reproduce your artwork accurately.
• Hand steel stamps are best used with a mallet for marking wood, steel, leather, plastic or jewelry.
• Hand held inspection stamps are also used with a mallet to produce a clear impression for professional applications. They are manufactured from high speed steel or metal alloy tool steel.
• If you need to mark your products with your company name, serial numbers or patent numbers for example, alphabet stamps are available in sets with uppercase and lowercase letters. You can also get them in kits with numbers and symbols.

We machine grind our steel type stamps to fit any holder and we are able to accurately reproduce special designs or more than one letter. These steel stamps can be used to mark metal or for date coding paper and plastic products. We use the finest grade of tool steel for maximum life and perfect alignment. Our steel type holders are used for marking irregular or flat surfaces and single or multiple line marking. The type holders are heat treated to ensure a uniform impression depth. Contact Illinois Engraving today at 1.800.528.2050 to place your order for custom steel stamps.

Tool Steel to Mark All Materials

Product manufacturers are sometimes concerned that their products cannot be marked, but there are many types of tool steel available on the market that can handle even the most stringent situations. For example, companies that manufacture forged products have to deal with the issue of wear and tear on the stamp caused by the stress of constant high temperatures. Hot working steel stamps created from H-13 tool steel hold up particularly well under the high heat of forging. Other tool steels could lose their hardness levels under these conditions.

Steel stamps for metal are made from high grade steel such as A-2 tool steel – the most popular choice in the manufacturing industry since it handles most marking needs. High speed tools steels (M-2, M-4) are used for high volume metal marking. These are made from metal alloys with high carbide content and can be designed with raised images to leave an impression on a surface or with reverse characters for making molds.

Steel stamps for making impressions on leather are typically made from heat-treated tool steel to ensure maximum lifespan and durability. They are made either to serve in a clicker or press or to be used in conjunction with a mallet. Hand held stamps for wood products can also be struck with a mallet to leave a more refined impression that with a branding iron.

Clay and concrete stamps are fully customizable with your logo to leave a precise mark in soft materials such as potter’s clay, precious metal clay and wet cement. Jewelry stamps are also custom designed to create perfect marks every time using a mallet or ball hammer.

Steel stamps for marking plastic are created to use with a press or with a hand mallet, depending on the volume of use. Marking plastic can be tricky so special attention to detail is taken to ensure a clear, accurate impression on the product.

Quality and Expertise at Illinois Engraving

At Illinois Engraving we apply our expertise to custom design your steel stamps with the appropriate tool steel for the job. Quality matters to us. We emphasize this throughout each step of the manufacturing process. Call us today at 1.800.528.2050 for your custom steel stamps.

We are known in the marking industry for making steel stamps so strong they keep on stamping long after other stamps have retired. Regardless of the application for a stamp we take pride in manufacturing durable products with a monitored heat treatment for proper hardness. We are aware of the cost of production down time and use only the best quality materials to minimize tooling break downs.

In our art department we work with Mac or PC platforms using the most recent layout and design software including CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. You can give us your original designs and logos in digital format or as a drawing, sample or sketch. If you need help with a design, we have over 85 years experience in the industry and can give you suggestions that will give you a competitive edge. We will provide a layout for your approval and give you many options from our font gallery. We keep your artwork on file so it can be reproduced at any time.

There are three basic faces we use for your steel stamps:

1. Flat-faced Stamp. This is a design, character or logo that is created with a flat surface at the uppermost area where it contacts the material being stamped. This face style works well for soft metals and wood, cardstock, tooling leather, precious metal clay, potter’s clay, soap, wax, sand and wet concrete.
2. Round-faced Stamp. This face style has rounded peaks on the design or characters and is used in low stress applications were micro fractures must be prevented. Dot-style fonts are frequently used for these stamps.
3. Sharp-faced Stamp. The characters and designs on these stamps are made with sharp peaks and are used on materials that can stand up to a heavy impact. They are used for marking shoe leather, unhardened carbon steel, mildly hard steel, hardwood, and heavy duty plastics.

At Illinois Engraving our goal is to give you the best customer experience while delivering you the most durable, long-lasting steel stamps produced with absolute accuracy. When you call, a customer service representative will answer all your questions and make sure you have everything you need to place your order or get started with a new product. We share our expertise with you at no cost or obligation. We will analyze your products and determine the best solution for your marking needs. Call Illinois Engraving today at (800) 528-2050 for all your steel stamps needs

Illinois Engraving is highly reputed for excellent craftsmanship and precision results for designing custom steel stamps. We use only the best quality tool steel to manufacture your steel stamps to produce the final product most suitable to your particular applications. Our goal is to increase the quality and value of your final products and minimize costs incurred in your manufacturing process due to tooling break downs.

Tool Steels for Strength and Durability

During the manufacturing process we use combinations of carbon and alloy steels that are ideal for their distinctive hardness, ability to hold an edge and resistance to abrasion, wear and tear. They also have the ability to maintain the integrity of the steel stamps even under elevated temperatures.

We use only tool steels that have been produced under stringently controlled conditions to produce the superior raw material needed for creating the accuracy and hardness required. The carbon content is generally held between 0.7% and 1.4%.

For certain tool steels, in order to reduce the potential for cracking during hardening and to increase the toughness various alloy metals are combined with iron. We use better quality tool steels that are appropriate for oil quenching (oil hardening 0-1) since these are generally appropriate for hand stamps and steel stamps.

Accommodating Tougher Marking Applications

We also use various grades of air-hardening grades of steel (A-2, D-2, M-2, M-4) for your tougher marking needs. The M grades of tool steel are best for stamping products where the hardness and strength must endure when temperatures exceed 760 °C (1,400 °F).

Where the stamp is going to be used in a forging process we use hot-working grades of steel (H-13). This type of steel can withstand prolonged exposure to very high temperatures. It is made with a significant level of carbide forming alloys with 5% chromium content. We also use other special purpose grades or powered metals such as CPM 10V or CPM 15V for custom applications.

Solid Background Serving the Custom Engraving Industry

Illinois Engraving is proud of our 79 years of service in the industry specializing in custom engraved steel stamps manufactured exactly to your specifications. We employ the latest in engraving technologies including CAD/CAM, CNC, and Plunge EDM to expedite your order quickly and accurately. Please call us today at 1-800-528-2050 to order your custom steel stamps.

Historically oil hardening steels (0-1) have been used for manufacturing hand stamps and steel stamps where the stamp will be used in a low stress application. Low tensile strength metals in this case can sufficiently handle the job required. The heat treat temperature used to create this type of steel runs from 1450 to 1600 °F with a resulting hardness of Rockwell 56 – 62c.

Oil Hardened Tool Steel for All-Purpose Use

Oil hardening steels are typically used in the manufacturing of reamers, taps, shear blades, knurling tools, coining dies, trimming dies and drills. They have the tendency to undergo reduced distortion during the quench operation although a minimal amount does occur. The oil hardening operation of the steel is more thorough than happens with water hardening grades and less than with the air hardening steels. It is a fine, all-purpose steel with super wear resistance and strength, and excellent machinability.

Low Cost and Durability

01 tool steel has a good resistance to abrasion and a high enough level of toughness to handle the stress load required for steel stamps. It is the cheapest and most readily available stool steel on the market with the capability of holding a keen edge, such as demanded in the manufacturing of knives and razors.

Chemical Composition of 01 Tool Steel

• Iron 97.1%
• Carbon 0.90%
• Chromium 0.50%
• Manganese 1.00%
• Tungsten 0.50%

The alloying elements in tool steel improve the over quality and durability of the final product. Increasing the carbon content results in slightly harder steel and improves the wear resistance considerably. The chromium adds to the toughness and wear resistance of the steel as well as raising its ability to harden. The manganese in small quantities decreases the brittleness of the steel and makes it easier to forge. In greater amounts it increases the hardenability, permits the steel to be quenched in oil and cuts down on deformation of the steel during quenching. The tungsten greatly improves the “hot-hardness” of the tool steel.

Illinois Engraving for Precision and Exceptional Service

We set ourselves apart from the competition in the steel stamps industry with over 75 years of experience and exceptional adherence to detail using the best materials on the market. We can accurately reproduce your logos and drawings with the assurance our stamps will give you the toughness and long lasting durability you need. We emphasize quality through every step of the manufacturing process. Please call us today at 1-800-528-2050 to order your custom steel stamps.

When steel stamps are made from tool steels, the inherent characteristics of the steel plus the changes that are affected from its manufacturing process and heat treatment dramatically influence its long lasting durability. The chemical composition is of the utmost importance. With the correct balance of alloy metals, marking or stamping instruments provide the service life that ensures the integrity of your final products and keeps your manufacturing costs down.

A-2 Air Hardening Steels Provide Increased Toughness

Air hardening (A-2) tool steel can be used in the same applications where water and oil hardening steels are used. Some of these include cold chisels, blacksmith tools, cold forming tools, hand  punches, scissors, shears, razors, knives, taps, trimming dies, shear blades, knurling tools, drills, woodworking chisels, embossing dies and of course, steel stamps. The difference between this and other tool steel lies in the fact it has deeper hardenability and less tendency to deform during heat treatment. It is used in applications where greater accuracy is necessary.

The toughness of A-2 steel is due to higher levels of carbon and chromium. A typical chemical composition of the type of steel is this:

• Carbon 1.00%
• Silicon 0.30%
• Molybdenum 1.10%
• Manganese 0.80%
• Chromium 5.25%
• Vanadium 0.21%
• Iron – balance

Various steel alloys are combined with iron to produce the quality and toughness of A-2 steel for steel stamps. Raising the carbon content produces slightly harder steel and improves the wear resistance to a higher standard. The chromium adds value in terms of toughness and wear resistance of the steel in addition to further hardenability. The greater amount of manganese develops the hardenability, permits it to be oil quenched and decreased the distortion of the steel during quenching. The silicon is beneficial for the overall toughness and durability and makes it shock resistant. The vanadium refines the carbide structure of the steel and makes it a better metal to forge with improved hardness and resistance to wear.

Illinois Engraving Improves Your Bottom Line

The Illinois Engraving craftsmen take pride in the precise art of engraved tooling. With a dedication to designing with accuracy and using superior quality tool steels we assure the best products to suit your applications. We can suggest production techniques that reduce your overhead and increase your productivity. Please call us today at 1-800-528-2050 to order your custom steel stamps.

There are several key mechanical properties steel stamps must possess to make them suitable for a given application. The tool steel from which the stamp is manufactured must have specific hardness, heat resistance, toughness and wear resistance in the final heat-treated product. The most important element in an alloy steel is the carbon. It provides the essential hardness in the tool steel and adds the necessary attribute of wear resistance.

D-2 Tool Steel for Added Strength

D-2 air hardening tool steels are used in applications where greater tensile strength is required. This is the amount of stress or pulling force the metal can withstand before the tool becomes permanently distorted in shape. In marking tools the ability of the tool steel to maintain its integrity and its resiliency is critical. It represents the ability of the steel stamps to mark with precision over a long lasting service life for more intensive applications. These typically involve increased tensile strength metals such as stainless steel.

The heat treat temperature for D-2 air hardening tool steel is 1600-1650 °F and it is has a hardness of Rockwell 60c-62c. It has high resistance to wear and tear with reduced distortion. It is ideal for tools that must have long lasting durability. It includes the following elements:

• Carbon 1.55 %
• Chromium 12.00%
• Molybdenum 0.80%
• Vanadium 0.90%

The high level of chrome (12%) along with the high volume of high carbides in the steel matrix makes this tool steel strongly impervious to abrasion and deterioration. It is offers dimensional integrity or stability and has high compressive strength or is not easily crushed by pushing forces.

D-2 steel has a high level of carbon for strength and hardness. The very high level of chrome greatly improves its hardenability, toughness and resistance to wear. The molybdenum increases the deep hardening nature of the steel and helps to cut down on the costs, being less expensive then tungsten. The vanadium improves the overall quality of the steel’s carbide structure and develops its forgeability.

Illinois Engraving Provides Superb Workmanship

Regardless of the size of your operation, Illinois Engraving is competent to handle your individual needs. Our workmanship is superb, with acute attention to detail in every step of the process of creating your steel stamps. We use your drawing, CAD-CAM file, graphics file, sample or specification to accurately reproduce your logo or any character style. Please call us today at 1-800-528-2050 to order your custom steel stamps.