I'm not picking on you, but you bring up a teaching opportunity with that knife image.  The teaching opportunity being.... the mark you chose to apply to the knife.

  I've seen a lot of individuals who mark their knives with initials,  an image, or some obscure logo, and it just makes no sense.  The whole idea of placing a maker's mark on a knife is so that it is/can be recognized as being made by a specific Bladesmith/Knifemaker, and it SHOULD be a way for interested parties to be able to easily find the Bladesmith/Knifemaking, should they wish to order or purchase a knife.  All too often these days, it seems Bladesmiths/Knifemakers mark their knives with some obscure logo....that supposedly has some deep meaning to the Maker.... but isn't known, and makes absolutely no sense to anyone else.

  To that end, I believe it is important to at least apply your last name, and if there is room, a city & state.    The idea being that most folks these days will simply do a google search.... and if there isn't a name they can use to search with, they will just move on, to the next Bladesmith/Knifemaker that is easier to find.

  Some might argue that by using a logo or something other than their name, they are separating their knives/knife business from their person.... again, that makes no sense to me.  Unless the individual maker has something to hide, or doesn't have enough confidence in his/her work to put their name on it....

    Others might argue that they want their business to be known, and not themselves, I'd say to that... It's one more "layer" of information that potential customers must go through to actually find you/your knives.  Business names or logos often take DECADES to become widely known.    

EXAMPLE:  I stamp one side of my blades with "CAFFREY", and as far as I know, I am the only person with the last name "Caffrey" in the ABS, and the other side is marked with my MS stamp.  And I'm positive that I am the only person with that last name and a MS rating.  What does that mean?  It means that anyone can do a google sears using the words "Caffrey" and "Mastersmith".... and I'll be the first one that pops up.... see where I'm going?  😉  

   If you're goal is to someday test for, and achieve your JS and MS stamps, the name is imperative.  Having judged at both JS and MS level testing, I can tell you that I have seen people failed at the JS level for very obscure/poorly applied, or no mark at all.  I, along with several judges, during JS judging, made the comment.... "If the person isn't proud enough to put a mark on their work...then it's not JS level work."

  Again.... I am not picking on you in any way, just taking advantage of a teaching opportunity, which is what the ABS is all about. 😉