What You Can (and Can’t) Actually Engrave

One of the most common questions we hear is simple: what can you engrave? Closely followed by another: Can you engrave metal like this?

Engraving has a reputation for being limitless. Names, dates, symbols, textures, all cut permanently into metal. While that promise is largely true, engraving is also a craft shaped by material, scale, and physics. Not every surface behaves the same under a cutting tool, and not every idea translates cleanly once it meets metal.

At Custom Fine Metal, every project starts with understanding what engraving does best, and where its limits are. This guide breaks down which materials engrave beautifully, which come with trade-offs, and how to design engravings that last.

The Best Types of Metal for Engraving

Gold 

Gold is one of the finest materials for engraving. Its natural softness allows for clean cuts, graceful curves, and exceptional detail. Both yellow and white gold hold engraving extremely well, making them ideal for heirloom jewelry and intricate designs.

Silver

Sterling silver engraves cleanly and crisply. It strikes a perfect balance between softness and durability, allowing for detailed linework while still holding up to everyday wear.

Carbon & Tool Steel

Tool steel can be engraved, but its condition matters. In a hardened and tempered state, tool steel is extremely tough, often nearly as hard as engraving tools themselves, making traditional hand engraving impractical and risking tool damage. However, tool steel in an annealed (softened) state can be hand-engraved successfully. Hardened tool steel is often better suited to laser engraving than to hand engraving. While it requires special tools and high control, the payoff is sharp definition with a durable finish. It’s an excellent choice for functional items like knives, buckles, and tools; pieces meant to be used, not just admired.

Brass & Bronze

These metals engrave smoothly and develop beautiful contrast over time. Often chosen for plaques, decorative objects, and art pieces, brass and bronze reward engraving with warmth and character.

Metals That Have Engraving Limitations

While many clients ask, “Can you engrave metal like titanium or stainless steel?” The answer is yes, but with important caveats.

Titanium

Titanium can be engraved, but the alloy makes a significant difference. The two most common grades are Grade 2 and Grade 5 titanium, and they behave very differently under engraving tools.

Grade 2 titanium is softer and can tolerate engraving by hand well, producing clean lines and consistent detail when properly prepared. It offers a good balance of strength and workability, making it suitable for high-quality engraved pieces.

Grade 5 titanium, on the other hand, is significantly harder and more resistant to cutting, making it less predictable for traditional hand engraving.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel behaves very much like titanium when it comes to engraving, with the alloy being the deciding factor in how well it can handle engraving. 

The 300 series, commonly used for food preparation surfaces and commercial countertops, has a tough, almost “self-healing” quality. When a cutting tool bites into the surface, the metal tends to resist scratching and close back on itself rather than forming a clean chip. This makes it extremely difficult to achieve crisp, controlled hand engraving.

The 400 series, by contrast, often cuts very well. These alloys allow the tool to form a proper chip, making it much more achievable to achieve clean lines and consistent detail in hand engraving.

Because stainless steel comprises many alloys with very different properties, it’s important to evaluate the specific material before engraving so that the appropriate expectations and techniques can be applied.

Plated or Coated Metals

Because engraving cuts into the surface, plated pieces will expose the base metal beneath the coating. These surface treatments are typically applied to protect the underlying metal from corrosion and wear, but cutting through them changes the material's behavior. 

When engraving breaks through a plated or coated surface, the exposed base metal can begin to oxidize or develop a patina, altering the appearance of the piece over time and leading to uneven coloring or premature wear in the engraved areas.

In some cases, the coating itself creates an even bigger obstacle. Certain intentional oxide or nitride coatings, such as titanium oxide or nitride finishes, can be harder than engraving tools, making it nearly impossible to cut cleanly or control the engraving line.

Traditional plating presents a different issue. Gold plating, rhodium, chrome, and similar finishes are typically very thin and fragile. Once a cutting tool passes beneath the plated surface, the surrounding plating can crack, lift, or chip away, creating ragged edges instead of crisp detail.

For these reasons, plated and coated metals are generally not ideal candidates for traditional hand engraving. Solid metals provide far more predictable results, better longevity, and cleaner detail.

Design Limits of Engraving 

Even when the metal is right, design choices matter. Understanding these limits ensures your engraving remains legible, durable, and intentional.

Text Size Has a Minimum

Letters that are too small may look sharp initially, but can lose clarity over time. Clean spacing and readable proportions always outperform ultra-fine text.

Length Isn’t Always Better

Trying to fit long phrases onto small surfaces often compromises both beauty and legibility. Dates, initials, or symbols frequently carry more impact than full sentences.

Extreme Detail Has Its Limits

Engraving thrives on balance. Overlapping lines, micro-detail, or crowded designs may not translate well, especially on curved or narrow surfaces like thin bands.

Surface Shape Matters

Flat surfaces allow for maximum precision. Curved or tapered areas require design adjustments to maintain consistency and visual flow.

Ready to Create Something Enduring?

The best engravings aren’t rushed or forced; they’re carefully planned, thoughtfully designed, and cut into materials that respect the craft. When those elements come together, the result is something permanent, personal, and built to be worn or used for a lifetime.

If you’re considering a custom engraving and want guidance on material, layout, or design, we’re always happy to help you explore what’s possible. Reach out to Custom Fine Metal to start a conversation and create an engraved piece that’s made to last.