Leather Stamping

[vanillanix]

Hi everyone,

I don't have a lot of leather working experience at all so please forgive my inexperience here!

I had a question regarding leather stamping and was hoping you guys could help. Has anyone had any experience stamping store bought wallets? Or anything store bought and then customized by stamping I guess.

I've got a store bought leather wallet that I was planning to stamp with a custom design and initials as a gift for someone but I don't want to do it if it's not going to 'take' properly and ruin the wallet.

The only reason I ask really is because it occurred to me that store bought leather goods already have some kind of sealer or finish on them for the shine and I was wondering if this would hinder the stamp from embossing properly.

If stamping the wallet will in fact work just fine... what other tools may I need? I've got a 1 ton arbor press, the custom stamp and an alphabet stamp set, is there anything else I'm forgetting?

Thanks in advance!

[camano ridge]

Since it is a finished wallet you will probably have a dificult time getting the impression to take cleanly. Especialy if there is a liner with pocket etc on the inside of where you are intending to put your mark. I have had some sucsess heating the stamp with a heat gun then pressing When I have forgotten to put my makers mark on). You did not say if your stamp is metal or derilin.

[Tree Reaper]

You can put concho type initials on it with their initials.

[vanillanix]

Hi, the stamp itself is brass. Will a heat gun work or ruin the stamp? I was thinking to put a thin piece of wood or metal on the inside of the wallet between the piece of leather being stamped and the liner/pocket so that the underside is as flat as possible.

[vanillanix]

Or, is there a way to remove the finish and re-apply after the stamp has been made?

[Northmount]

Look up hot foil stamping. Both here and using google. Still need a level surface to work with.

Tom