How best to make word stamps more visible?

[jcwoman]

So I know I can paint them and I can use antique....  but I'm wondering what is the best method to make a stamped name on a leather strip more visible and pretty.  I got a set of letter/number stamps as a gift last month.  I tested it and it works great, but I'll use it for sellable products so I want to make sure the letters are visible and attractive.   The letters are just slightly taller than 1/4".  I don't think I have the dexterity to hand paint them and "stay within the lines", so a better method might be something that I can wipe over the whole strap and then polish away the parts outside of the letter imprint.

I usually dye the straps black, but for this i can go with brown or whatever, because I know you can't easily put a lighter color over the top of black.  What would you guys recommend?

[Gezzer]

Block dying might work if you are going to dye the piece to begin with . With natural I don't know of anything but a brush and dye/paint .  

[fredk]

Use gel-ink paints to write in the lines, then seal over the ink

[mdawson]

Hi JC

Weaver Leather just did a video on Enhancing Letter Stamps, not with colour as you're looking to do but by adding more stamps to make a sort of panel.

Just another option.

Mark

[jcwoman]

Thanks all!  I'm going to look for some more videos showing these techniques.

[Bert03241]

I found fine tip acrylic paint pens work great let dry and seal over them

[PastorBob]

The stamps you describe seem rather small for a typical width belt.  I made one for my Dad and carved his name so the letters were larger. What width belt are you making?

[jcwoman]

Yeah, they're small.  I work on 1/2" wide straps, so the letters are about the right size for that.  Not as ornamental as stamps commonly used for belts and such.  I make straps for dog muzzles and special-purpose collars (they hold the muzzle on, for smart dogs that figure out how to slip the muzzle strap over their heads).  It's the collars that I'm thinking of stamping, to personalize them a bit.

[Handstitched]

@jcwoman

I have in the past bevelled  around each letter with both a beveller & modeling tool  to help ' raise' the letter. Its fiddly, but effective .

HS

[fredk]

On 8/27/2022 at 3:59 PM, jcwoman said:

. . .    The letters are just slightly taller than 1/4".  I don't think I have the dexterity to hand paint them and "stay within the lines", so a better method might be something that I can wipe over the whole strap and then polish away the parts outside of the letter imprint. . . . 

 

On 8/27/2022 at 10:21 PM, fredk said:

Use gel-ink paints to write in the lines, then seal over the ink

A test; These letters are about 6 or 7mm high. About the size the ones you have. Then I used an ordinary writing pen with gold gel ink to just write inside the letters

[jcwoman]

Nice!  That will work!