If you’re keen on getting something engraved, you’re probably trying to decide between a company that uses a laser engraver like Jamieson Laser and one that utilizes more traditional engraving methods such as hand-stamping and etching. The first question you’ll have to ask yourself is, “Can my item of choice be laser-engraved?” Read on to find out.
Hand engraving methods require physical contact between the engraving tools (e.g. hammer, chisel) and the item that is to be engraved. This is all very well and good when the engraving surface is flat as with a plaque or a medal, but what happens when the surface is uneven? It would take a very skilled artisan indeed to be able to etch complicated symbols or long phrases into a highly uneven surface such as a textured photo frame, and hiring master artisans comes with an exorbitant price tag.
What about laser engraving? In laser engraving, no physical tools are used on the engraving surface. The laser engraving machine projects a high-power laser beam onto the engraving surface and the beam is then used to cut through the surface to make patterns, symbols or words. Since there are no physical tools involved, it makes little difference whether the engraving surface is even or uneven. It doesn’t even matter what material the engraving surface is made of. Whether it’s steel, glass or ceramic, rest assured that the laser beam will cut through it like a knife through butter.
If you were to ask me the question, “What items can be engraved with a laser engraver?”, I would tell you the question you should be asking is “What items can’t be engraved using a laser engraver?” The answer to the latter question is much shorter. There is no doubt that laser engraving is the most versatile and most precise engraving method available to engraving companies today. If you aren’t sure whether your item is suitable for hand engraving, just opt for laser engraving – it’s the safer choice.