Makers Marks

[Pyewackette]

What do you guys use for your maker's mark?  I know some people make their own, but I've tried that and been unsatisfied with the results so far.  Some people recommend metal stamps, but they are tool steel and I would think they would tend to rust.  I would guess I would have to dry it thoroughly, wipe it down with mineral oil on a regular basis, and keep it in its own container (have tools, will travel).

I am aiming for fairly simple stamps, mostly so I know what's mine going into (and coming out of) the community kiln.  I'm looking for a gecko, and the Greek symbol Pi.  Different stamps - one for my favorite critter and the other to indicate, well, ME.

There's an Etsy shop that will make a brass makers mark for $30 and up depending on the size.  Would that be wiser than trying to use a tool steel stamp?

What do you guys use?  What sizes have you found most useful?  Do you have more than one?

Thanks for any advice.

Edited February 24, 2023 by Pyewackette

[Hulk]

I've seen markers carved from wood and other materials, modeled in clay, and cast in metals - curious to read what other Forum contributors do...

I use a small stylus (ball point pen) to mark my Studio initials (TC) within the foot ring. The edges of the mark I leave rough, for the edges are easy to clean up after bisque fire.
Almost always I fill the mark with a colored glaze or underglaze, wiping with a damp sponge to leave just the mark highlighted.

Unfilled mark, clear glaze over

 

Filled with blue glaze, liner glaze over

 

Filled with blue glaze; here the zircopax is clearly visible in my "clear" liner glaze over this red clay. 

 

I like how this red glaze sometimes picks up blue flecks.

 

I like how these soap dishes came out.

Those last two, sigh, am missing the clay, took some time off to heal up after a fall, then we sold our house and moved, so enjoyed paging through images of my old works!
Looking forward to getting back into it!

[Callie Beller Diesel]

Do you want the metal for the feel of the tool, or would you be happy with something 3D printed? I got a set of letter stamps from an Etsy seller in the font of my choosing, and I think she did other images too.

[Pyewackette]

@Callie Beller Diesel Oh I just want something that won't stick much, is easy to clean, and won't rust.  Wood tends to stick to the clay, or the clay sticks to it; tool steel rusts.  I was thinking $30 or $40 isn't too badly priced for brass. I have some wooden Indian block printing stamps I was hoping to use for "inking" with slip or underglaze or something, but I don't think they'd work for making imprints, at least not without a lot of cleaning out with a pick, LOL! Which would probably damage them over time. And of course they're Indian abstract designs so ... not makers marks even if they weren't 3" or 4" long.

Please share your source!  Thanks!

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I used this seller because she’s in my province, but she ships to the US. If you want to use someone closer to home for you, there were lots of custom stamp makers. I just went to etsy and used 3d printed stamp as my search terms. Lots of folks making custom cookie cutters/polymer clay stamps/pottery stamps  in all kinds of materials, including brass. 

[Kelly in AK]

A decade ago I carved a half dozen stamps with my initials in leather hard clay. Smooth, fine grained clay. After bisque I tested them and kept the best one. Still using it. 

[elaine clapper]

I just sign my name with underglaze on the bisque ware before wax the bottoms.

[Pyewackette]

@elaine clapper It must be nice to have such beautiful handwriting LOL!

I have to mark it before it gets fired so I can be sure to get my stuff back.  It annoys the kiln loader mightily if you don't mark your stuff before it gets fired.  I've tried writing my name in the clay with a needle or mishima/sgraffito tool - very messy.  And I've tried marking it with iron oxide - still messy, sometimes even illegible.

I figure my best bet is some kind of stamp, the kind they use to mark leather and jewelry, or an actual clay stamp.  I'm still weighing the option of just going for tool steel, the stamps are very cheap and so far I've not had a lot of trouble with the (too small) first attempt I got, rustwise.

That may change when we move somewhere where it actually rains though.

Edited March 2, 2023 by Pyewackette

[Piedmont Pottery]

I make my stamps using a 3-D printer.  It's a fairly simple process to design the printer file, and the cost of filament is only a couple of dollars. Of course, you do need to have access to a 3-D printer.

[Magnolia Mud Research]

My mark tool started a square shaped piece of soft clay with a carved design on that piece; had it bisqued and start using the then hard stamp.  I have made many over time; it took more time thinking about the "design" than it took to actually make the item.  I now have different sizes for different sized objects. 

Just prior to sending all objects to the bisque firing, I also mark the bottom of the objects with an "iron oxide and water ink" applied with a fine tipped brush; the iron oxide mark has shown on all clay bodies from white porcelain to red clays for low temperature (cone 08) to cone 12 electric, gas, wood, and Raku firings; this homemade "ink" works better than any other material. 

LT