Makers mark

[Drac]

Hi,

Ran into a problem with my makers mark. I was using a symbol:

But was informed that it's a company's symbol, so I'm left with trying to come up with something new. My real name is either to common (Jim) or too big (Drouillard) for a knife and my nick name of Drac sounds way to funny for most people to take seriously.

One of my co-workers recommended:

looks to much like a cattle brand and I think I've seen it elsewhere. So does anyone have any ideas?

Thxs,
Jim

[Bob Warner]

Your last name is not as big as some others. I recommend you use that. If you use your name, everyone knows who made the knife. No doubts about it.

[SVanderkolff]

I am not sure why Drouillard is too big. If I can fit Vanderkolff on mine your should fit.
Steve

[Sandy Morrissey]

Drouillard is a #### fine name. Either use smaller letters or a longer blade----HA HA

[Bob Warner]

It is also unique. I have never hear that name before. My name is pretty common and could possibly get confused with others but I don't know of anyone that has the same name that is making knives.

[Ray Rogers]

I feel the same as the others, use your name if you can. If you really feel that it's too much or maybe you only make tiny blades, you could consider a phonetic equivalent like Drulo or Druilo or whatever works with the correct pronunciation ....

[Alan L]

Jim, that interlocked "JD " is used by Jock Dempsey over at Anvilfire.com. Do you stamp it or etch? Have you thought about engraving it?

[krept]

I dig messing around with letters and came up with these in just a couple minutes. Obviously they are freehand with marker and very crude but it gives you a couple ways to look at JD going together other than the standard brand way as you put it. Any can be refined and made cleaner, adjusted for proportion to the other letter, angles changed, etc.

the ones in the top left are more of a vertical style made by starting with a bar and an "S" shape and joining them

fwiw...

cheers,
Erik

[krept]

also, what did you like about the first symbol that was already being used by a company? It's easy to tweak things like that around as well especially if there is some kind of meaning behind it... i.e. use of interlocking shapes, repetition, things like that.

cheers

[SharpByCoop]

My preference is always towards a smaller mark. Icons are a good way to achieve this, as you tried. I like Erik's scrollings better than a full longish name. That's just me.

Coop

[Mr Mike]

Hi Drac,

I vote for the name mark. . . yours is a name you should be proud of and as mentioned before, one that is unique enough that it will stand out and also be remembered.

Try experimenting with different font styles, and maybe you'll hit on one that strikes your fancy. . . something like these:




Good luck to you,
-Mr Mike

[santino]

I've been thinking about making a logo for my knives,saw where alot of you think the last name is better thought a symbol would be better than just MARANI any input thanks

[Ray Rogers]

Santino,

Symbols are cool but you can't read them. Case in point: the Artist Formerly Known as Prince changed his name legally to an unpronounceable symbol. Well, ain't that cool, but now how can you talk about him or refer to him? You can't, so people still call him Prince.

If someone doesn't know your symbol, they won't be able to look you up on the internet if they see one of your knives and like it. They can't say, " I saw a knife that I liked that was marked with a thing that looked like an S with something across it or a lightning bolt or yadda yadda and does anybody know who this guy is?"

A hundred years from now it may not matter how you signed your knives, but if you want to develope a reputation they need to be able to put a name with the knife 100% of the time....

[santino]

thanks

[Drac]

Thanks for the input guys; I did some research over the weekend. There doesn't appear to be any "Drouillard" knife makers besides myself. My name is kind of rare away from the Canadian border but fairly common in the Detroit and Ontario areas of Canada, even a street in Windsor with that name. It's kind of funny a few years ago everyone was "What kind of name is that?" Since the bi-centennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition I've had more than a few people recognize it.

I'll probably go with my full last name. It will be a challenge to get it to fit on folder but I could always just put it across the blade instead of the recaso (sp) the way several other do.

Jim