Stamp depth on a buget

[BUB]

I am a beginner to leathercraft. I just started 3 days ago and have only done practice pieces. I have a floral stamp 1/2 inch square and I can not get any depth no matter how hard or how many times I hit it with my mallet. I read on here about using different types of presses, but this early in my hobby I just can not afford the expense of one. Does anyone have any tips for a beginner?Any other tips you would like to pass along would be greatly appreciated(I know nothing).

BUB

P.S.I LOVE THIS SITE

[iwannabeacowboy]

It has to be veg tanned leather for tooling. You also have to case the leather, the process of getting moisture into the leather. Look in the "How do I do that" forum.

Edited October 3, 2009 by iwannabeacowboy

[UKRay]

I am a beginner to leathercraft. I just started 3 days ago and have only done practice pieces. I read on here about using different types of presses, but this early in my hobby I just can not afford the expense of one. Does anyone have any tips for a beginner?Any other tips you would like to pass along would be greatly appreciated(I know nothing).

Bub,

I would second the good advice you just got from iwannabeacowboy - especially the bit about looking in the forums for information - and add the following suggestion:

Enjoy the feeling of being new to leatherwork for as long as you can - relax in the sure and certain knowledge that the money in your pocket is not committed to hand tools, machinery or large lumps of dead animal. Enjoy not having an overwhelming urge to abandon your family and friends and shut yourself away in a room that smells of chemicals - okay, I know they are nice smelling chemicals... Feel good about being able to buy a round of drinks without being angry with yourself that you just spent enough money to buy four new embossing stamps.

In short, you have all this to come - right now your problems are simple and inexpensive to resolve - trust me things can only, and will only, get worse!

Ray