All About Pocket Knives

Hi everyone. I just bought a scanner and have been trying to scan some knives. I am following the instructions I found on another site. It seems to work well with the handles but I can't seem to get a clear image of etching on the blades. Here is an example. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance. s-k

I've experamented with this knife scanning thing, but pretty much gave up on it. I wish I could figure it out though. I have seen some great results with this method. I think my problem is that I have a cheap low quality scanner.

I have heard that it helps to put a colored towel or cloth on top of the knife prior to scanning. Blue was highly recomended if I recall correctly. I've tried several colors, but still no luck with that.

SK, What kind of scanner are you using? Care to share the instructional link? Thanks!

Bryan -> hoping someone might have some usefull info to share.

Hi Bryan, thanks for the reply. I very recently joined this other forum just to expand my horizons a little. I imagine my scanner is not brilliant. It is an HP cost around $70. Bought it more for docs. http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showt ... id/762232/ is the link
s-k

Thanks SK. I've been on the fence about buying a better scanner. I think I'm going to go ahead and get me one and give Mr. Levines instructions a try.

Only problem is that the cost is going to have to come out of my knife budget

I'll keep this thread posted if I find a scanner / process that works well for me.

Bryan -> signing off to research and shop for a good scanner

I have found it can be the way you lay your knife on the glass and the picture software you use.

I may have example on machine, If so I will add a photo/image or two asap.

You will have to experiment.
Lay your item in there with a towel over it, scan, crop on the blade or etch only, adjust resolution to at least 600, tang stamp 1200, then re-scan that area.

Try it two or three different positions, then make your scans, with an ink pen mark where you find that sweet spot on scanner. Be sure to crop the area you want.
If you can compress the images also, that would help folks like me on dial-up, load pictures faster.
I paid $49 for mine (HP 2400) and use the software that came with it. After rebate $0

9ball

Are you confused yet?

Here is a Winchester etch I scanned awhile back, a silver band, and coin also, much better that camera IMO.

Hi 9-ball. Thanks very much for the useful tips . I think my resolution is set at 200 so that may be part of the problem. I will experiment with it this weekend. Hopefully the sweet spot on my scanner is easier to find than the one on my 3 wood. s-k

p.s., nice looking tupence you have there.

Good morning Smiling-Knife & Others today ,

Scanning cutlery handles of natural material is not problem, you will always have the problem with the etch or tang stamp and some man-made materials.

You will not have to worry about the resolution for the first scan, could be set at a 100 or even less. Just be sure to crop/adjust size when you make that second pass. At 600, it may sound like a deep hum on a blade etch.

After you do it a couple of times and moving it around, when the etch starts looking clear that will be the image you want to work with. You will have to do it a couple of times. Post the results or PM them to me when you get in the ball park, if you need help.

I have found that if I use the Sharpness control too high, it makes the etch or tang stamp look fake or maybe just too good. That is where your software comes in.

Those folks over on eBay will tell you to get PhotoPro/PhotoShop or some high end thing with lots of gizmos. Just more stuff too confuse you. MS "Picture It" will work just fine if you feel you need to spend some extra money, I mean Pence. Some times I hold the item up next to the screen to get it just right.

I have been taking close-up pictures long before EduKated TeeVee's and Hi Tech Pitcher boxes, still use my 35mm SLR for portaits and landscapes.
I can always scan those and adjust if needed and have prints made for pennies.

9ball

Howdy S-K,

The problem your dealing with here is your scan is picking up what is closest, that being your bolsters & handles, its not picking up the blade etch because it is 1/16" (or less) lower than the front side of the knife! Try this, place the knife on a piece of foam (1/2" to 1" thick) that has a piece of material (any color) on top of the foam, then hold the scan lid down with a minimum amount of pressure over the the knife so it will sink down into the foam & you may have better results? ....I used to work for a print shop & we did this to get more detail from smaller objects on our scanner to reproduce them again on black & white PMT's with dot & it may work with your knife scanning?


"Texas collector", Roger - 50/2050

Thanks for the advice Roger . I'll try that this weekend. s-k

I also have been trying to scan. I tried the blue cloth the scan was good but for some reason it would not attach, all my other scans would attach, any ideas.

Thanks Stockman

Hello Stockman,

I am really not sure what you are saying here.
Could you clarify or post an image?

9ball

Hi Stockman

I am going to speculate a bit here as to why the picture will not post...

I'm thinking maybe your image is not a .jpg file ...? (I have the forum set up to only accept .jpg files.)

or...

The file size might be super huge...? If so, it might get rejected by the forum software, or your browser might get tired of waiting for it to upload and time out...

If you could email the picture to me, I would like to have a look see to figure out what is going on...
[email protected]

Thanks!
Bryan

Oh yea...

I've been at this scanning thing some more also. I've searched around on the web and read a bit about flat bed scanners and 3D objects. After seeing the prices on some of the scanners that are recomended for such things, I'm right back on the fence about buying a new one.

I've decided to try out some better scanners located at a few offices in my area to see if I can get better results with those.

The best results I can get right now with my hp officejet 5510v mirror S-K's first post. I just can't get the tang stamp to come out clear no matter what I do.

Bryan

I use an Epson 3710 Photo scanner. For software I use Adobe Photoshop CS2 (the full professional version) or Photoshop Elements 4.0. CS2 will do a lot more things, but I haven't used it too much yet. Elements 4.0 will usually do everything I need.

Here are two scans, before Photoshop Elements & after. As you can see the software can bring out a lot more color in the handle. You can also adjust it to see the etching on a blade better, though sometimes it throws the color off.

Dale