An engraving can be a beautiful finishing touch on a pen.
Engraving the body of a pen personalizes it for yourself or as a gift. This is most common with fountain pens or other expensive pens. It does reduce the pen's resale value, so if it's particularly expensive or a collector's item, you may want to avoid engraving. You will need a steady hand to engrave well. If your handwriting is poor, have the pen professionally engraved to avoid ruining it.
Instructions
1. Purchase an engraving tool if you do not already own one. Air engravers are small, easy to handle and adjustable for a variety of materials. Because they do not heat up, they are particularly safe. Electric engravers can cut a deeper groove and work well on fountain pens that have wood grips. Laser engravers have the most power and can cut a deep groove even in metal and other hard materials. They require a very steady hand. See NexTag.com in the Reference section for information and price comparisons on hundreds of engraving tools. If you're a beginner, go with an air engraver. If you have more experience and want to work with a hard metal such as titanium, get a laser engraver.
2. Set up your materials on a flat surface in a well-ventilated area. Consider clamping down the pen for added stability as you work. Wear protective goggles and gloves. Rubber gloves will give you the best traction on both the pen and the engraving tool.
3. Test the engraving tool on a cheap pen made of similar material, or on a piece of scrap material. Get material as similar to the pen body's as you can so you get a feel for the depth of the groove. Try different depth settings with the engraving tool to settle on the groove depth you want. Practice making letters. If you find your hand is a little unsteady, consider using all capital letters on the pen.
4. Create a design on paper to use as a guide for the engraving. This could be a name, an image, a company logo or other decorative design. Use a fine-tip marker or pencil to trace the design on the pen. Begin engraving over the design. Work slowly and steadily and follow the design closely. If your hands or arms start to get tired, take a break to keep your hands as steady as possible.
