Black Anvil
Engraving
Bulk Quote

The shop

How a laser engraved mark gets made

Laser engraving is not printing. The beam changes the material itself, which is why the mark cannot wear off — and why the settings matter more than the machine.

On glass, the beam frosts

Micro-fractures scatter light and turn the surface white. Depth is controlled by power and pass count — too hot and the glass chips, too cold and the art looks grey and thin.

On steel, the beam oxidises

A fiber laser heats the surface without removing it, growing an oxide layer that reads as warm bronze, deep grey or near-black depending on frequency. Nothing is added to the blade, so the edge and the heat treat are untouched.

Three steps, no surprises

Step 01 · You send

Artwork or a name

Vector is ideal. A clean PNG or a photo of a business card works too; we redraw it. No art fee on 25 pieces or more.

Step 02 · We proof

You approve the layout

A to-scale digital proof showing exact placement, size and mark tone on the actual product. Nothing goes under the laser until you reply yes.

Step 03 · We mark & ship

Marked, boxed, tracked

Engraved in-house, inspected and shipped gift-ready. Bulk orders arrive individually labeled by recipient.

What we can mark

Substrate 01

Metals

Stainless, tool steel, titanium, anodized and bare aluminum, brass, copper, powder coat. Annealed mark, no filler, no coating.

Substrate 02

Glass & stone

Rocks glasses, tumblers, decanters, slate and marble. Flat or 360° rotary wrap for cylinders.

Substrate 03

Leather, wood & board

Veg-tan leather, hardwoods, coated presentation board. Colour-shift marking on printed stock without cutting through.

Artwork guidelines

Best file typesAI, EPS, SVG, PDF — true vector, outlined text
WorkablePNG or TIFF at 300 dpi or better, transparent background
We will redrawBusiness card photos, JPEGs, screenshots — free on 25+, $35 below
ColourMarks are single-tone. Send art that reads in solid black.
Smallest legible text1.6 mm cap height on metal, 2.5 mm on glass
Thinnest usable line0.15 mm on metal
PhotographsPossible as halftone raster; contrast matters more than resolution
Proof turnaroundOne business day, every order, no exceptions

Technical questions

About the process

What file format should I send for engraving?
Vector is ideal: AI, EPS, SVG or PDF with text converted to outlines. A PNG or TIFF at 300 dpi or better with a transparent background works. A photograph of a business card or a screenshot also works, and we redraw it as clean vector art free on orders of 25 or more, $35 below that.
Does laser engraving wear off?
No. On steel and titanium the laser grows an oxide layer out of the metal itself. On anodized aluminum it removes the colour coating to expose bright metal. On glass it fractures the surface. In every case the mark is a change to the material rather than something added on top of it, so there is nothing to chip, peel or fade.
Can you engrave a photograph?
Yes, converted to a halftone raster made of thousands of dots of varying size. Contrast matters more than resolution: an image with clear light and dark areas reproduces well, a flat or busy one does not. You see the converted art on the proof before anything is engraved.
What is the smallest text you can engrave?
About 1.6 mm cap height on metal and about 2.5 mm on glass, with line weight down to 0.15 mm on metal.
How long does a proof take?
One business day, on every order, with no exceptions. Production time is counted from your approval of the proof rather than from your payment.