4 Branding Iron Tips

Here are a few tips I’ve learned over the last couple years of using a branding iron. If you know any others that I missed, share them in the comments below!
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[@FishersShop]

Nice one, Nick! I haven't tried the water tip yet, but I will now after seeing how it sharpens things up. Another couple potential tips... I've had a bad experience with branding end-grain glue seams. The seam opened up where the heat hit it. Instead, I use the CNC to engrave my logo when doing end-grain boards if the pieces are so small that my branded logo would span a glue seam. Secondly, and this is kind of a weird one, you could make a mount for your brand on your drill press. That way, if you didn't get it perfect, you could reheat and try again in exactly the same spot.

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks Drew! It's been kind of hit and miss with end grain for me too. Luckily, I've never had the problem of a glue joint opening up because of the heat. I have noticed that end grain can be very subtly out of flat. Like, so subtle that you don't really notice it with your hands or your eyes, but it's enough to cause a portion of the brand to not make contact and then ruin the brand or at least make it look super uneven. That probably has a lot to do with hand sanding the end grain since I've always been afraid of running it through the planer (though I know a lot of people still do it). A drum sander would probably fix that issue altogether. A CNC is very high on my wish list! But until then I'm stuck with just the branding iron. I've thought about making some kind of mount for the drill press, but never got around to finalizing any ideas for it. I know some companies sell that as an option, but it couldn't be too hard to come up with something. I'll have to look into that a little more. Thanks for the tips!

[@choddboi219]

I had a question. Do you clean your brander or is it just fine the way it is?

[@thebarnyard5633]

I love jigs! Never thought about making something like that corner marker for the feet. Time saver! Thanks player!

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Definitely a time saver!

[@christopherperisho4819]

Great video. Love the subtle top edge bevel, looks great!

[@shellbacksclub]

beautiful work! i now am obsessed with wanting to buy one of ur pieces!

[@deweyoxburger5470]

Just got my new branding iron. Thanks for the helpful tips.

[@carlenegodfrey4108]

Excellent tutorial. Very helpful to me. Thanks for the peo tips on branding.

[@mmfallon]

Thanks! I just received my branding iron (looks like the same model). Appreciate the tips.

[@bitemyram]

Great video: awesome tips, love your logo and I have the same palm router and love it. 👍🏻

[@lostsailor2759]

Right on. I just got my new brand today. Thanks for the tips brother.

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Lost Sailor Awesome!

[@halfmoonwoodworking3229]

Another great video. I will have to get a branding iron someday. Keep up the great work!

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks Loren! You definitely should pick one up!

[@anncoomber4859]

We just started and this video is very helpful! Thank you.

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks for watching! 🙏🏼

[@bernieschau]

Thanks for making this video. I love your crest, may I ask what dimensions yours is.

[@dangrinthal4541]

Sweet! Great tips. Love your brand too haha it fits you

[@zarachyah9965]

Thank you for the tips!

[@shellbacksclub]

I'm a big fan of pyography art & i try my best to get better at it. Always wondered how to even get started in brands. Who makes them, how much... & ur awesome!👌

[@simondesu1]

Great tips. Thanks!

[@tagliaboo]

Great tips, thanks

[@shawnbeckner5882]

Loving the diresta ice pick 👊👊👊

[@toddozaki3318]

Thanks for this. That is a sweet logo!

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Appreciate it, Todd!

[@user-nl6lt3ls4n]

You should make a video of how you made the cutting boards. They look nice.

[@jaimesaucedomarquez6111]

Thanks for sharing this tip! and by the way, so, sooo cool logo!!!

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks, Jaime! 🙏🏻

[@patricksullivan1350]

You should create a video for your boards. Very nice edges that aren’t seen on a lot of other boards. How did you get your top edge? That very subtle angle is great.

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks for watching Patrick! The larger bevel on the bottom was done on the table saw with the blade set to a low angle. Can’t remember exactly, but looks like 10-15 degrees or so. The top edge was just profiled with a 45 degree chamfer bit in a trim router.

[@derwingholston2550]

Nice tips, love the board's do you have a video on how you made them.

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks! I've never made a cutting board video myself, but there are tons already on KZbin.

[@yalu8614]

Great tips to share , Nick, I am Yang , who make flame heated branding iron and electric branding iron , could you tell me what you think this tool can be improved ? For example , I want to make the temperature controllable so temperature can be fixed so it can make Sure ever mark is same and clear , secondly, I have no clue yet , Because it looks not very easy , but if there is any simple way to help you to find the right place to do branding and make it looks level , I do believe it will be helpful , any other thoughts? I can send you a test model to you when I done the improvements .

[@agetherge]

What type of oil do you use ? And those gels for the bottom what brand are those and is there a link for them ?

[@lexigrenzer6523]

These are gorgeous! Quick question, I’m using mine on leather & get some fire scale while it’s warming up, does this ever happen to you? If so, any suggestions on how to avoid? Thanks for a great video with tips & tricks!

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks Lexi! I’ve never used my brand on leather before, but would love to try it. I do get a bit of fire scale, but it’s never been enough to cause a problem with the end result so I’ve never looked into how to avoid it. Maybe wood is more forgiving than leather in that way? Thanks for watching!🙏🏼

[@JoshJorg44]

does anyone have recommendations for best branding iron? I have found options on etsy that come with iron and stamp, but want to see what others use

[@MyConnieD]

Thank you sooooo much.

[@Hatchmade]

Good tips. I need to get a branding iron.

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Hatchmadeit Thanks! I recommend it! It’s a good way to sign your work

[@TheWardagh]

Beautiful work, thank you! Do you just let the oil soak in or do have to buff it? Just glued up my first boards and I’m currently struggling to scrape off all the glue that squeezed out.

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Hey Mark! Thanks for stopping by and sorry for the delay! Sometimes I'll use an oil/wax blend as a final coat (after a coat of just oil), which does need to be buffed off after it's soaked in. If you just use oil, you really just need to wipe up any excess that didn't soak in.

[@TheWardagh]

@@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith thank you, much appreciated

[@chrisdenison6550]

Great video as I’ve just purchased a branding iron 👍 what oil did you use to seal the cutting boards please - regards Chris “The Aussie living in the Netherlands “🇳🇿

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks Chris! This is just standard mineral oil you can get at the pharmacy

[@v9816]

Love this video! Which grit sand paper were you applying to the logo ?

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks for watching! I don’t remember exactly which grit I used at this point, but I’d say the highest grit you can get away with that will do the job. Probably something like 220. Presumably, your piece is mostly sanded by the time you’re branding, so you wouldn’t want to make any unnecessary scratch marks or ruin the brand with too low a grit.

[@PinetopJackson]

Love your logo! I'm hoping to have a branding iron made this year, but I'm a little worried my logo isn't 'clean' enough

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks! It's pretty amazing how much detail they can get into the brass. You'd definitely have to be careful with the heat/time though or everything might start bleeding together

[@baschibeats2075]

@@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith I have this problem all the time. Leaving it on too long obviously burns the wood, but I have an issue of the inside backing plate behind the logo leaving a slight heat signature. Tip no. 3 should help with that, thanks!

[@robothandshess4959]

Solid tips! I never thought about marking the branding iron or doing crosshairs. What song is that? It’s a bop!

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks! The song is called New Moon by Bad Snacks

[@CoffeeGirl203]

How many seconds do you leave the iron on?

[@NiXcustomSigns]

What depth was your brand cut? Standard or Deep?

[@jeffiebear007]

May I ask who made your stamp (design) I’m finding it hard to find a company to do mine. Thank you

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Hey Jeffie, thanks for stopping by! Years ago when I still lived in Denver, I commissioned a local artist to make my logo for me.

[@donrichards494]

What type of oil do you use and how long to you put it in the bath? Love your work!

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Hey Don! Thanks for stopping by. In the video, I was using Walrus Oil because I happened to have some on hand. I typically just use mineral oil. The time to soak all depends on your board(s) and your preferences. An end grain board will drink up a LOT more oil than an edge grain board and it'll take longer to do it. 20-30 minutes is all it'll usually take for edge grain boards like these.

[@t-rex4211]

Does it work well on end grain?

[@johnnyfletcher1961]

That’s cool how you put your rubber feet on the bottom !

[@grincreepy1011]

Very helpful video. My question is where did you get your spray bottle?

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks! My wife found it for me a while ago at a salon supply store

[@sprntkr]

Looks nice. Who designed ur logo? And can you give us info on a company who makes the iron where u can send logo to ? Thanks! New sub

[@gaigesmith9674]

Did you ever find out??? Please let me know 🙏

[@grampsoutdooradventuresdal7104]

Thank you, nice video

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks for watching!

[@philackerly3174]

My wood surface is painted flat black. Can I still brand it and have it look good? I don’t care if it’s not as noticeable as on unpainted wood.

[@shellbacksclub]

what type of oil do u use?

[@MrPotato2]

Thanks for the info. Where did you buy your branding iron and what format did you need your image to be in when you ordered it?

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

I got my branding iron from Gearheart Industry. I think I actually sent them a .ai file (Adobe Illustrator), but I’m pretty sure any vector file would work. You may even be able to get away with a high resolution jpeg, but that would probably be a last resort

[@MrPotato2]

The Whiskered Woodsmith thanks for the tip!

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Of course!

[@wileybucey1740]

do you think it's OK to put a brand on the side of an end-grain cutting board? Not directly on end grain, but on the other side. My boards are about 1.2" thick. I guess i'm worried about curvature with a flat iron.

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

I have branded the side of thicker and grain boards before with no issues. In my case, the board has to be closer to 2” thick to accommodate the height of the brand, which isn’t always the case. But if your brand fits, I’d say good for it

[@beckerg04]

Suggestions in who to buy a stamp from? I see alot of etsy

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Tungston Mine came from Gearheart Industry and I've been very happy with it

[@t-shirtguy7845]

It's funny, I could almost smell the wood burning! Thanks for the water tip

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

That walnut smells so good too!👃🏼 Thanks for watching!

[@andymastercarpenter2380]

Nice job 👍

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks Andy!

[@forkshootertb96]

Great tips! I got the torch model. Wish I'd got one like yours. Probably handier overall. The finish looks good! What kind of oil did you use?

[@kevinempson9892]

Mineral Oil

[@nima3220]

Thank you

[@akhtermanek4549]

thanks for the tips what are the dimensions of your iron head?

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Roughly 1 3/4” x 2 1/4”. It’s pretty much just an arbitrary offset from the logo itself, which is 2” tall and 1 1/2” wide

[@robertrodriguez3202]

Love the squirt bottle

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Me too!

[@PatriotMango]

do you find it better to countersink the feet slightly, vs not?

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

I don’t think it makes much difference in functionality, but it’s a nice touch and it lets you dial in how high you want the board lifted off the surface

[@akhtermanek4549]

hi How many watts is your iron, or your recommendation based on your experience thanks in advance

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Hey Akhter - sorry for the delay! I'm actually not sure how many watts my iron is. I got mine from Gearheart Industry. It's one of their standard electric branding irons, but I upgraded the standard aluminum head to brass.

[@akhtermanek4549]

Thanks

[@philipbujar2694]

Can you tell me, which wood you are using there?

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Those boards are walnut or walnut/maple right where I’m branding them

[@someafternoonwhiskey]

Can you/has anyone ever branded after fully dry three coats of tung oil/beeswax ??

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

I’m terrible about actually remembering to brand pieces *before * adding finish, so yes I’ve definitely done it after adding mineral oil/beeswax with no issues. Please be careful with tongue oil products! If it’s 100% pure tongue oil, you’re good (but that’s also much more expensive than mineral oil). *But if it’s just “tongue oil finish”, there’s likely little to no real tongue oil in it and it’s probably not food safe.

[@jacobsamples8864]

Logo is awesome, do you have any hats?

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Thanks Jacob! I don't have any at the moment, but I've been thinking of ordering some since I've been asked quite a few times

[@jacobsamples8864]

The Whiskered Woodsmith put me down for one! I just had some sweet leather patch ones made up and already sold out!

[@t-rex4211]

Good vid. I would’ve gone in a corner for a chopping board so knives don’t remove the brand over time

[@t-rex4211]

Ahhh that’s the back 👍

[@seanc6468]

Put "Top "in Permanent marker on the wood handle

[@scottbarrass8267]

I have a tip for you. The screws on the iron face you for the correct side..

[@sjeverett75]

I was going to say the same thing. Noticed that the first time he picked it up.

[@olfertpoelen]

2:14 Tip 2.5: you dont need to mark your top or bottom, since the screws in the iron show the bottom??? Thanks for the water Tip!

[@yinyangguitars6456]

tung oil?

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

Just regular mineral oil on cutting boards usually. You definitely don’t want to use anything that’s not food safe

[@frenchie7777]

Great video, I think this channel should have stayed alive

[@christianhasler5138]

Is that guy wasting jack daniels on his table :)

[@TheWhiskeredWoodsmith]

🤣

[@andrewrussell26]

The screw goes towards you.