Makers stamp

[fishguy]

Got my stamp from Gray Ghost too, pretty nice. I keep thinking of making some kind of press, but I use a jig to hold my stamp steady. It is two peices of 3/4" pine glued together with a hole the exact diameter of the stamp drilled through it. My stamp is a simple cylinder, for those big-head stamps you would make the hole the diameter of the shaft, and then add a couple of "legs" so it will clear the head. I push the stamp through the hole and set it on the work to get it lined up, then slide the wood down so it is in contact with the work and then give it a whack. Helps prevent bouncing and evens out the pressure a bit (I have the same problem with uneven stamp). Every time I get in a rush and don't use the jig, it comes out crappy, double stamp, one side much deeper, so I think it is a good thing.

[TomSwede]

A jig sounds nice and some sort of press would be great to for those late night leather sssions. I got nieghbours to think of.

Tried the stamp on a "sharp" work yesterday and starting to look better now.

Tom

[esantoro]

I just got mine from Grey Ghost (Jeff Mosby) on Saturday. It's great. At the last class I attended someone had a great idea for a makers stamp hammer. They bought a dead blow hammer. I tried it and liked it. No bounce so you don't accidentally get a double stamp.

ArtS

Hi Art,

I'm about to get a 4 lbs dead blow hammer from harbor freight for the stamping of a 2" by 1.25" logo. Do you think this one will work well?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Disp...temnumber=33907

Thanks,

Ed

[ClayB]

Somebody told me to use a steel hammer with the Delrin maker stamps and that seems to make a big difference. The mallets and mauls used on regular leather stamping tools seem to cause bounce when hitting the delrin tools. I switched to using a heavy steel ball peen hammer I had on my bench and it seemed to make a lot better impression with out the bounce, double image, etc.

[esantoro]

Somebody told me to use a steel hammer with the Delrin maker stamps and that seems to make a big difference. The mallets and mauls used on regular leather stamping tools seem to cause bounce when hitting the delrin tools. I switched to using a heavy steel ball peen hammer I had on my bench and it seemed to make a lot better impression with out the bounce, double image, etc.

Thanks , Clay. My stamp will be of delrin. I will get the heavy steel hammer.

What do you think about this three pound hammer? It's half the price of the 4 pounder. It seems maybe a good idea to stick with the heaviest head I can manage accurately and safely.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=46967

ed

Edited May 25, 2008 by esantoro

[dbarleather]

I get my best imprints using my maul. The secret to a good impression with delrin (ecytel) is to make sure the leather is cased properly and you a have a good surface under your leather ie marble or granite.

[esantoro]

I get my best imprints using my maul. The secret to a good impression with delrin (ecytel) is to make sure the leather is cased properly and you a have a good surface under your leather ie marble or granite.

dbar,

Which maul do you use?

ed

[dbarleather]

I use a Barry King maul.

[ArtS]

I use the 3lb hammer and it works great.

ArtS

Thanks , Clay. My stamp will be of delrin. I will get the heavy steel hammer.

What do you think about this three pound hammer? It's half the price of the 4 pounder. It seems maybe a good idea to stick with the heaviest head I can manage accurately and safely.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=46967

ed

[esantoro]

I use the 3lb hammer and it works great.

ArtS

Thanks. I ended up getting a 4 lbs. short-handled sledge hammer . I think I might get a 4lbs. dead blow hammer for cutting out the 2"-wide logo leather.

ed