jbird Report post Posted May 15, 2009 so i make about 20 wallets a month and I put big initials on them but this person wants his initial and in the corner his wife's and kids very small like the size of a bigger news paper print is there an affordable option for me I need the letters ( T. M. J. ) Thanks Josh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jbird Report post Posted May 16, 2009 Any got some ideas i am really hoping so Josh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildrose Report post Posted May 16, 2009 so i make about 20 wallets a month and I put big initials on them but this person wants his initial and in the corner his wife's and kids very small like the size of a bigger news paper print is there an affordable option for me I need the letters ( T. M. J. )Thanks Josh I have a set that were, I believe, metalworker tools. I got them from a woman selling her husband's shop stuff when I volunteered with 4H. If you can't find something similar, I'm willing to ship them to you as a loan. I have to use them this week to make a "plaque" for the inside of a box, so I can send you a pic of how big they are. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted May 16, 2009 Josh, Sometimes a guy can find old letters in different fonts from printers. What I use for small letters are ones from Harbor Freight or other industrial suppliers. They are pretty cheap and hold up for leather. Like a lot of HF items, they are over-stated and under-rated for what they are sold for - metal in this case. I think they have them in a few sizes. TLF used to sell a set of small letters too. They still might. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hidepounder Report post Posted May 16, 2009 (edited) Josh....if all else fails, what about using that little cutter thingy with the spinner on the top of it.....you know....whad-ya-callit.....a.....a......a......................oh yeah!...................YOUR SWIVEL KNIFE!!!!!!! Just joshing with ya!!!!! ("and the hits just keep on coming!") Bob Edited May 16, 2009 by hidepounder Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jbird Report post Posted May 16, 2009 Holly thanks a lot I really am grate-full, but i think I can find some, I hope Josh I have a set that were, I believe, metalworker tools. I got them from a woman selling her husband's shop stuff when I volunteered with 4H. If you can't find something similar, I'm willing to ship them to you as a loan. I have to use them this week to make a "plaque" for the inside of a box, so I can send you a pic of how big they are. Great stuff thanks Bruce i will check it out Josh Josh, Sometimes a guy can find old letters in different fonts from printers. What I use for small letters are ones from Harbor Freight or other industrial suppliers. They are pretty cheap and hold up for leather. Like a lot of HF items, they are over-stated and under-rated for what they are sold for - metal in this case. I think they have them in a few sizes. TLF used to sell a set of small letters too. They still might. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jbird Report post Posted May 16, 2009 (edited) Josh....if all else fails, what about using that little cutter thingy with the spinner on the top of it.....you know....whad-ya-callit.....a.....a......a......................oh yeah!...................YOUR SWIVEL KNIFE!!!!!!! Just joshing with ya!!!!! ("and the hits just keep on coming!") Bob Hay Bob I need my ribs Man and there sore now from laughing I would but I like the look that you get with small letters pressed in but any way I guess My skills are not in the same Ball PARK as you. Edited May 16, 2009 by jbird Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kevinhopkins Report post Posted May 16, 2009 Hi...Bruce has got it! Harbor freight usually sells metal stamps for stamping letters into steel, and they work ok on leather. The only thing is that they're a bit difficult to use without getting some outside border markings on the leather. You'll want to practice first for sure. Normally, they've got 1/8th and 1/4". And for what it's worth, they're hard to beat on compressors too.... Kevin Hopkins Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UKRay Report post Posted May 16, 2009 I agree with Kevin, Josh. Try to find a set of metal worker's stamps and if you get some border markings lose them under some very light background stamping. I get the same problems with the larger 3D and letter stamps but it is an easy matter to use a background tool to cover the border marks. Ray Hi...Bruce has got it! Harbor freight usually sells metal stamps for stamping letters into steel, and they work ok on leather. The only thing is that they're a bit difficult to use without getting some outside border markings on the leather. You'll want to practice first for sure. Normally, they've got 1/8th and 1/4". And for what it's worth, they're hard to beat on compressors too.... Kevin Hopkins Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillB Report post Posted May 17, 2009 Jbird, I have several sets of Metal Type Print that I purchased at antique stores and on line on Ebay. Although I have done the swivel knife bit (I have not even tried to do 12 pitch with a knife) as well as the leather stamp bit (smallest is 1/4 inch letters), I prefer the Metal type print since I can have a range of fonts and lots of letter so I can do full names and phrases at one time. The best of all is that some of them interlock so that the spacing and line level is consistent. The sellers on ebay that I watch are letterpreservation239 and rembrandtlobell. BillB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteveBrambley Report post Posted May 18, 2009 Hi...Bruce has got it! Harbor freight usually sells metal stamps for stamping letters into steel, and they work ok on leather. The only thing is that they're a bit difficult to use without getting some outside border markings on the leather. You'll want to practice first for sure. Normally, they've got 1/8th and 1/4". And for what it's worth, they're hard to beat on compressors too.... Kevin Hopkins I also use several different size sets of letter stamps for leather, but I never use a mallet with them. Instead I use a small, hand press (Label Punch), with this I can control the pressure exactly, and so avoid the border marks. Steve Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CowboyDon Report post Posted May 23, 2009 If you get a set of Metal Stamps - Clean them really good before using. I ordered mine from Amazon and got all the mm they had. The tools came from India and were an oily mess. But after some cleaning they were fine. But as mentioned earlier you have to practice with using them as you can get more imprint than the letter if you hit to hard. I actually used my hand pressure to apply the letters to properly cased leather and avoided any issues. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CowboyDon Report post Posted May 23, 2009 (edited) Deluxe Number and Letter Stamping Set $49.95 search at Amazon - These are the ones I bought. Edited May 23, 2009 by CowboyDon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jbird Report post Posted May 23, 2009 thanks for the help every one. Josh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TwinOaks Report post Posted May 23, 2009 I suppose it's too late to suggest grabbing a cheap manual typewriter from a junk store and collecting the letters from it? Good advice on the metal stamping sets. Definitely clean them, and if you find you're getting impressions from their shoulders.....well, what are grinders for anyway? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
