Artimus Report post Posted August 28, 2012 am new x 10. What hammer should I use to stamp into leather? Letters (1/4 inch), numbers (1/4 inch) and symbols, etc. I thought I'd read that you shouldn't use a metal hammer, so I happen to have a rubber mallet. Tried that first. It worked, somewhat, but it's too soft. I got a rawhide mallet, but after a few hits already, the leather in the mallet head is deforming. I've read somewhere on here about a dead blow hammer, too. For clarification, I'm stamping, not carving. Just pounding an image into the face of the leather. In the end, what hammer, relatively inexpensive, to use for stamping letters into thick leather? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted August 28, 2012 The rawhide should work fine, don't pound the leather, wet the leather well first, then let it dry back til the surface is just beginning to lighten back up, then start stamping. You don't have to hit hard, if you're deforming a leather mallet, you're hitting way too hard. Most mallets these days are Poly but many still use the rawhide mallets. Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Artimus Report post Posted August 28, 2012 Then I must not have the leather wet enough. because I think one side of the leather mallet is toast. And one of the stamps (a foot symbol) never did leave a deep impression in the leather to even be seen. So more water? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MDC Report post Posted August 28, 2012 what kind of leather are you trying to stamp? If it is chrome tanned garment or upholstery leather I could see damaging a rawhide mallet, but you should have no problem stamping cased veg-tanned leather Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted August 28, 2012 what kind of leather are you trying to stamp? If it is chrome tanned garment or upholstery leather I could see damaging a rawhide mallet, but you should have no problem stamping cased veg-tanned leather X2, you shouldn't have any trouble with Veg Tanned by wetting, waiting, stamping. Carving requires a more detailed wetting process called casing but for stamping only, thouroughly wetting with a sponge and water, and then waiting for it to dry back close to normal, it should stamp like butter. Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Artimus Report post Posted August 28, 2012 Maybe that's the problem. The type of leather. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
