Stamping A Rope Border

[Davm]

PastorBob: I don't know how to post photos but I'll try to explain a little more.  Let's say the stamp has a shaft 1/4" diameter.  As you do repetitive stamping the marks might be angled off angle do to human error.  What you want to do is create a cross bar so you are more aware of the stamp's angle.  You could take a small piece of wood, 1/2" by 1/2" and 4" long and in the middle- 2" from either end drill a 1/4" hole.  Then slid the dowel over the shaft about 1" below the top and epoxy glue it in place at a cross angle to the stamp.  Then, when you are doing repetitive stamping, you are more aware of the stamp's angle.  The stamp essentially has a large T to the shaft- if that makes sense.

If you epoxy glue- then one dowel is needed for each stamp.  You could also make a removable dowel by sawing it lengthwise and using two small screws to attach to the shank.

Tugadude- I like the plexiglass idea- I might try that for basket weave stamping- my lines always wander.

[PastorBob]

On 3/3/2022 at 9:16 AM, Davm said:

PastorBob: I don't know how to post photos but I'll try to explain a little more.  Let's say the stamp has a shaft 1/4" diameter.  As you do repetitive stamping the marks might be angled off angle do to human error.  What you want to do is create a cross bar so you are more aware of the stamp's angle.  You could take a small piece of wood, 1/2" by 1/2" and 4" long and in the middle- 2" from either end drill a 1/4" hole.  Then slid the dowel over the shaft about 1" below the top and epoxy glue it in place at a cross angle to the stamp.  Then, when you are doing repetitive stamping, you are more aware of the stamp's angle.  The stamp essentially has a large T to the shaft- if that makes sense.

If you epoxy glue- then one dowel is needed for each stamp.  You could also make a removable dowel by sawing it lengthwise and using two small screws to attach to the shank.

Tugadude- I like the plexiglass idea- I might try that for basket weave stamping- my lines always wander.

Makes sense.  Thanks for the explanation.

[Cattleman]

@bruce johnson I see that you now use Barry King bevelers to modify for this type of border. What sizes do you get? Do you still use the same rope stamps?

[bruce johnson]

5 hours ago, Cattleman said:

@bruce johnson I see that you now use Barry King bevelers to modify for this type of border. What sizes do you get? Do you still use the same rope stamps?

Actually I haven't stamped for a few years. Once the tool deal took off I just didn't have time for managing tools and doing/selling leatherwork both. Tools won out.  I used a Barry King rope stamp when the 2012 reply was made above. The beveler is a Craftool that I ground the face out with a Dremel to make it concave and fit the rope end curve. Basically a checkered crowner stamp. I started out using HideCrafter and Craftool rope stamps. Because of material and construction those stamps tended to bend up on the ends after a while and eventually would break when they were bent back one time too many. I was going through 5 to 10 of those rope stamps a year. I got with Barry to make a copy of them. He eventually made it a stock stamp. That stamp held up well.  I got a couple other rope stamps through the years. One particular rope stamp had a bevel built into the end of the stamp (possible a CLT stamp) and it is really dimensional. Richard Brooks duplicated it a couple years ago and I sold several of his versions on my website. Richard has since stopped making stamps and rivet setters. They were taking too much time away from his core business. 

[Cattleman]

Thank you @bruce johnson I had just recently read over this thread, then a day or 2 ago a client asked about getting something with a rope border. So I wanted to get as much info as I could, because i REALLY like the way your rope borders turn out. Now I'm off to spend some money at Barry's and Pro Leather Carvers. Thanks again.

[bruce johnson]

2 hours ago, Cattleman said:

Thank you @bruce johnson I had just recently read over this thread, then a day or 2 ago a client asked about getting something with a rope border. So I wanted to get as much info as I could, because i REALLY like the way your rope borders turn out. Now I'm off to spend some money at Barry's and Pro Leather Carvers. Thanks again.

Always glad to help people spend money! Here is an early Celtic rope stamp thing I did from 2009, the early days of leatherworker.net. I came across this picture tonight looking for something else. As I recall Bert or Ernie (one of the "Clay's") set up a challenge with a Celtic pattern. I tried it with rope. This was pretty rough but I learned a bunch about beveling, sliding the rope stamp around curves and making sharp bends with that stamp. I did a bunch of the cowboy headstalls with that border also and an example of I used tipped impressions on the curve - keep the outside full impression and tip to narrow up the inside curve. the beveler will clean up the inside. The other is a quick and dirty example of ending a rope.