stainless steel for engraving

[mtlctr]

400 series stainless steels are called "martensitic" steels. They respond to heat treatment, form a type of iron/carbon crystal called martensite when rapidly cooled (quenched) from a specific elevated temp range, and harden. They typically need tempering afterwards to reduce brittleness by effecting some alloy element migration and slight rounding of crystal shape. 410, 416, 440C are good examples.
This is as opposed to the 300 series, which are "austenitic" steels that contain so much nickel and chromium it stops the formation of the hard iron carbide crystal we call martensite and consequently doesn't heat treat as such. The iron carbide crystls remain in a more amorphous crystalline configuration called "austenite." 300-series can work harden, though. 303, 304, 309, 316, etc., are examples we see in engraving.

Never engraved any, machined a lot of 416 for aviation spark plugs. We used the bar ends for punches.

 

[GusAragon]

420, 1.4116, 304 are good. 316 is the Satan's spawn on earth

 

[Dani Girl]

Edge quenched w2 buttery and beautiful.
416 great.
440c before heat treat is very nice.
I should keep a record of everything I do.
Some titanium is beautiful, some is agonizing... I forget which is which.

 

[LeeP]

I am currently engraving 440c in a dagger form pre heat treat. I love punishment so I am also incorporating gold and copper inlays. I find the hss gravers hold up better but carbide with a dubbed point is working also. I will be heat treating in a foil pack and performing the inlays afterward. This is my first time attempting inlays pre heat treat and I hope it turns out ok. In the past I have successfully inlaid gold into 1095 pre heat treat. This time with 440c, I am just doing the prep for inlay, pre heat treat. Any advice is welcome.

 

[AllenClapp]

Almost any stainless steel, carbon steel, brass, bronze, copper, nickel, or other non-prescious metal that you might want for engraving is available from www.onlinemetals.com. They even have pewter!