Emotional blades on our engraved knives for eternity

Tears of happiness or shouts of joy, which emotion do you prefer to evoke? Perhaps just a hint of nostalgia. Feeling the precious wood handle fit into the palm, the blade smoothly slicing through a loaf of bread: these are two small joys that delight aficionados of fine knives. Will you enhance the pleasure experience by choosing a personalized knife? Suddenly, your gift transforms into a keepsake, a memory. It sends a message. Engraving a knife transports the recipient into an emotional and symbolic dimension. Each use warms their heart with your intention. However, various options are available to you. Font, pictogram, type of engraving—the journey into the world of engraved cutlery is just beginning. After you, friends.

Why engrave a knife?

The emotional value

What value do we assign to an object: that of the heart or that of the wallet? When it comes to gifts, emotion always prevails. Every mom has received that magnificent noodle necklace, every dad, that famous handmade calendar. So what? Engraving a knife or any other object adds a soul to it. Engraving a name, a nickname, or a few words transforms your gift into a messenger.

Every time its owner reads the engraving, they think of the person who gave it to them. They recall moments of joy, sadness, and camaraderie. A smile, a touch of nostalgia, a surge of happiness: the engraved knife takes on a symbolic character.

The personal touch

An engraved knife becomes unique. This folding knife, a companion in travel and misfortune, is irreplaceable. It’s yours, period. After all, it bears your name, isn’t that proof enough 😉? The engraving gives the object its specific character. There are knives, and then there is your knife.

The effort invested in customization proves the significant place the recipient holds in the giver’s heart.

The connection between two beings, dear to each other. A knife marked with your wedding date brings you back to that unique moment of happiness every time you pull out the cutting board.

It also takes you back to the moment you unwrapped your gift and imagined your significant other thinking about the best marking possible.

All these emotions are as permanently inscribed in the blade as the engraving itself.

And if you’re buying this knife for your personal use, isn’t it still a gift? You’re right, life is too short to hesitate any longer.

The sense of belonging

Why do companies engrave their logo on goodies? To foster the necessary sense of belonging among employees. To give the brand a strong identity. Owning your engraved knife is joining the large family of enthusiasts of artisanal objects. Unfolding its blade marked with your name in front of friends during a hike affirms your unique bond with the object.

“I’m a knife enthusiast, a lover of beautiful blades, and a fan of traditional craftsmanship.”

That’s what the few letters or the pictogram say. In a sign, you confirm the sharing of values and declare your pride in being part of the group of enthusiasts.

The sense of belonging gives meaning to the world around us, helping us to find our place. Boris Cyrulnik, author and psychologist, says, “To belong to no one is to become no one.” This is precisely why the committed consumer buys French, in a short circuit.

How to choose the knife to personalize?

We will answer this question with three more questions. Yes, we like to split hairs; we’re not knife makers for nothing.

1. What is the recipient’s personality? Are they the type to go on a trek alone for several days or, on the contrary, are they more of a homebody? The former appreciate folding knives, while the latter will find a perfect place for their fixed blades.
2. What are the recipient’s habits and profession? A butcher expects a meat knife, a lover of dinner parties prefers table knives, a jack-of-all-trades likes versatile knives, a fishmonger… You get the logic.
3. Do you want a personalized knife for a man or a woman? Although this criterion does not change the choice of knife, it does influence the engraving. You’ll dare a more glamorous message, a finer pictogram. Again, the choice reflects the character of the lady concerned.

But ultimately, all knives can be engraved. Whether on the blade for stainless steel models or on the tang for Damascus and Raw Forged models. Then, whether it’s a fixed or folding knife, for cooking or dining, it doesn’t matter. The engraving adapts to all knives. Here are some examples of creations we engrave at Morta Knives:

🔪 Folding knives: rear pump knife, mini solid Morta, solid Morta, raw forged solid Morta, Damascus solid Morta;

🔪 Fixed knives: paring knives, Damascus chef’s knife, stainless steel chef’s knife, raw forged chef’s knife; compact fixed knife, Morta Trapper knife;

🔪 Table knives: sets of 2 or 6 Morta table knives.

The Trapper model is particularly suited to personalization. A wanderer at heart, this knife accompanies you on all your adventures. This is evidenced by Erwan Balança, a professional photographer inseparable from his Morta knife.

What types of knives to engrave?

Choosing a knife for its use

The engraving corresponds to an intention. To please, to make unique, to preserve a memory, etc. Therefore, the real use of the knife is secondary to choosing the knife that truly pleases. The knife family is very broad, covering several professions and accommodating numerous uses.

🔪 Professional knives: skinning knife, boning knife, bleeding knife, filleting knife, trimming knife, carving knife, slicing knife, peeling knife, scaling knife, oyster knife, sea urchin cutter, Japanese knife, sushi knife, etc.

🔪 Specific knives: meat knife, steak knife, vegetable knife, bread knife.

🔪 Table knives: fish knife, cheese knife, spreading knife, dessert knife.

🔪 Versatile knives: pocket knife, folding knife.

🔪 Artisanal knives made in France: adding a personalized engraving strengthens the already robust character of a product imbued with local heritage.

Which blade to engrave?

What knives to engrave? All of them! As mentioned earlier.

Straight blades, curved blades, wide blades, thin blades, forked blades, curved blades, serrated blades, perforated blades, asymmetrical blades, toothed blades, tapered blades. It doesn’t matter since the letters or the pictogram are placed on the upper part, closest to the handle, therefore the widest.

However, the length of the blade influences your choice of engraving.

3 signs, effective and elegant in simplicity: short engraving

Do you like models with rather short blades? Perfect! Folding knives (Raw Forged or Damascus) are ideal for a quick and direct message. 3 digits or 3 letters on the tang (back of the handle, opposite the tip of the blade).

Need more? Contact our cutler.

16 signs for a perfect balance: long engraving

Falling for a stainless steel blade? Wise choice! You then have enough space to choose up to 16 characters. “The maximum length for a harmony of spaces,” our cutler tells us.

The techniques for engraving a knife

The different engraving techniques

To engrave means to draw in hollow. Originally, cutlers used biting tools or acid. Nowadays, various processes exist: electrolysis, with a dry point, a chisel, a cradle, a scraper, a punch, a laser, or a diamond.

Some blacksmiths engrave before quenching (in the case of hot forging), others prefer after (cold forging).

Did you know 🤔?

Damascening is an ancient technique. It involved inlaying gold, copper, or brass wires into a steel or Damascus object (hence its name). Highly prized for decorating tools and weapons like swords, armors, or helmets. We find damascening in the Middle Ages on bronze.

Our advice 😉

Some cutlery websites explain how to engrave your knife yourself, especially by electrolysis. We cannot recommend such practices. They prove dangerous due to the use of electricity and toxic fumes.

Moreover, only the craftsman knows if the steel is really suitable for a possible engraving. For your knife, nothing guarantees the balance of materials, the coherence of details when the engraving is done by a non-professional.

How does Morta cutler engrave its knives?

Morta knives made in France are already gems in their own right. Laser technology combines with artisanal work for a precise rendering of your chosen text. Here’s how a Morta knife becomes your unique and distinguishable Morta knife among thousands.

Accessing it is simple. The online store offers a “personalization” button for knife models suitable for engraving. All you have to do is enter:

• the desired text;
• the chosen font;
• the selected pictogram;
• the position of the latter.

Click on the “validate engraving” button, and voilà, you can visualize your personalized knife.

The engraving of the JHP logo

Like any high-end craftsman, Morta cutlery marks its creations. Each steel has its engraving technique for a perfect visual balance and a few other small details that our cutler jealously guards.

Thus, the JHP workshop’s logo is stamped on all blades.

It is cold-stamped before quenching except:

• on table knives and on the Morta rear pump model where the steel is worked with a laser;
• on Raw Forge blades forged hot before quenching.

What engraving to choose? Options at Couteaux Morta

Fonts: 5 typographies to choose from

True to its rock’n’roll culture, Morta Knives offers 5 different fonts to best match the personality of the future owner.

• The round letters of the Charlie font resonate with the drumming of Charlie Watts;
• The creativity of the Ronnie font recalls that of Ronnie Wood;
• The sobriety of the Keith font contrasts with the wild character of Keith Richards;
• The musical beauty of the Mick font evokes the genius of Mick Jagger;
• Finally, the Brian font ensures the versatility of the multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones.

Which will you choose? Or rather, which best reflects the character of the lucky recipient?

Pictograms

Be warned, friends, we delve deeper into the world of original creation. These are not just simple pictograms offered to you. This is an exclusive collection designed by the artist and friend of the JHP cutlery, Nicolas Peyron! This Peyron navigates in the painting universe where each work questions the duality of the world. A wave of symbolism rides on blades adorned with his mini works of art.

Several worlds for your selection: animals, the chopper, hearts, freemasons, music (of course), vehicles, skulls, and the icing on the cake: the “extraction of Morta” models.

Popular engraving ideas

Here, everything is permitted. It’s a peak, a cape, what am I saying, it’s a peninsula of subjects at your disposal.

🔪 For the lover: “I love you”; “with love”; your name; a significant date for your couple; your personal declaration.

🔪 For the child: “happy father’s day”; “happy mother’s day”; “happy birthday”;

🔪 For the friend: “my buddy”; “hunting memory”; “fishing memory”;

🔪 For the grateful: “thank you”;

🔪 For the cooking fan: “chef + name”;

🔪 For the nostalgic: an anniversary date; a commemoration;

🔪 For the dreamer: an inspiring quote. Want ours? “Don’t walk where others trample.”

🔪 For the business owner: the name of their company (if the knife is a promotional item);

🔪 For the animal lover: the pet’s name;

🔪 For the sycophant: “to my revered boss 😉”;

🔪 For the original: ah, sorry, if it’s original, then it comes from you…

Significant dates mark the beginning of a sharp life together. Messages of love sharpen the relationship. For the rest, the secret is in the blade.

One last for a sharpened adventure: “to the best dad in the world”: oops, too long. Dads can rest easy 😉

Who should you give a personalized knife to?

The knife is a traditional object often passed down from generation to generation. If the grandfather’s knife and the communion knife are famous, other people love to own their personalized blade.

• The handyman and his personalized penknife.
• The hiker and their always ready folding knife.
• The hunter and their fixed blade.
• The fisherman and their trapper knife.
• The forager and their pocket knife, a tracker of mushrooms and truffles.
• The adventurer and their personalized survival knife.
• The dad and his engraved knife.
• The groom and his knife dated with the best day of his life.
• The bon vivant and his special sausage blade.
• The woodcarver and their fine blade.

As we’ve seen, every profession has its favorite knives (butcher’s knife, vegetable knife, cheesemonger’s knife, etc.).

What price to engrave a knife?

Each cutler determines the price of engraving. Some houses charge 6 €, others 39.50 €, or even more.

🎁 At Morta Knives, engraving is offered to you. Yes, it’s our pleasure! Our delivery times depend on the current demand. Count a few days, 1 week maximum (except during holiday periods).

Don’t hesitate to send us an email if you have specific questions or unusual needs.

How to maintain an engraved knife?

The fact that your knife is engraved does not change the way you maintain it. We recommend using a soft, damp cloth especially on blades that are not made of stainless steel. Clean your blade with a little water and dry it thoroughly.

Moreover, the Morta used for the handle has already spent 5,000 years in wet peat and now prefers to stay dry. Understandably so!

Always cut on a cutting board to avoid dulling the blade.

Sharpen it regularly with a natural stone or a honing steel to maintain its optimal edge.

Store your knives in a dry place, away from light. A knife block or a magnetic knife holder is suitable for fixed and kitchen models.

The sheath for fixed knives is perfect for storing them individually.

For folding knives, choose a sheath or a pouch.

😉 Smart tip: personalize the color of the stitching (blue or black).

The worlds of engraving and cutlery no longer hold any secrets for you. All that’s left is to head to the shop, prepare your finest quill, test a font, and place an order! Offering an engraved knife personalizes the cutting experience, making it unique, identifiable, and memorable. A bit of emotion in this rough world, what do you say, friends 😉?

Article written and engraved by the sharp blade of Christelle Lorant 🪶.

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