Gomph-Hackbarth Stamping Tools

[Michael Sheldon]

My issue with the cheaper tools isn't that they're weak. I haven't damaged one yet.

My issue is that they are poorly cast, leaving a blurry, poor quality imprint, and requiring a much harder strike to get it. The better quality tools leave clean, sharp impressions with less effort. They are also much easier to get lined up properly when doing border, linear or area patterns. All of this results in a better quality product, that takes less time and effort to produce, with a much lower chance of error.

[BradB]

I read about someone burning off the chrome of the crafttools and it made the impressions a lot crisper, does anyone here do that and how would one go about doing it?

[Art]

Hi Brad,

You have to get the heat quite high to "burn off" the chrome, high enough that any temper will be gone. Wire brushing after that is pretty much out of the question. I really don't know much about which metal is used in them, I suspect it has changed quite a bit over time, and not necessarily for the better. I have no problem at all sacrificing a tool to the fire gods, especially a craftool, but without a little of the underlying chemistry it is simply a sacrifice. The chrome may be the only way they accomplish a little hardness with some inferior metal. The body of the tool may have reasonable utility, even with inferior metals, but the thinner sections that make the impressions may not be long for this world.

Don't be hesitant to buy craftools, they are cheap and of reasonable quality. However, one by one as you find yourself using a particular tool a lot (whatever beveler you seem to use all the time), switch over to a Bob Beard, Barry King, or an Ellis Barnes tool of the same or similar purpose and see what a difference they make.

Art

I read about someone burning off the chrome of the crafttools and it made the impressions a lot crisper, does anyone here do that and how would one go about doing it?

[BradB]

Hi Brad,

You have to get the heat quite high to "burn off" the chrome, high enough that any temper will be gone. Wire brushing after that is pretty much out of the question. I really don't know much about which metal is used in them, I suspect it has changed quite a bit over time, and not necessarily for the better. I have no problem at all sacrificing a tool to the fire gods, especially a craftool, but without a little of the underlying chemistry it is simply a sacrifice. The chrome may be the only way they accomplish a little hardness with some inferior metal. The body of the tool may have reasonable utility, even with inferior metals, but the thinner sections that make the impressions may not be long for this world.

Don't be hesitant to buy craftools, they are cheap and of reasonable quality. However, one by one as you find yourself using a particular tool a lot (whatever beveler you seem to use all the time), switch over to a Bob Beard, Barry King, or an Ellis Barnes tool of the same or similar purpose and see what a difference they make.

Art

Thanks Art, yeah I would be worried about ruining any temper on the tool also, to bad they dont tell us what it is made of so we could re-temper it (I used to make knives, haven't in along time but am familiar with several types of tempering). I bought one of the Tandy kits which came with a bunch of stamps, some of them being crap so I may sacrafice them to the fire gods! hehe

If I do I will post my results! I purchased several bolts today and am breaking out the files and dremel tool I may attempt to make some of my own stamps.

[electrathon]

I bought a set of these tools. For $125 this is a heck of a deal for high quality tools.

[MattW]

Sorry, Gomph-Hackbarth

Hey Matt!

Who's head knife are you talking about, Hackbarth or Seigel? It wasn't clear in your post.

rickeyfro,

I can't answer about membership to order from Seigel. I know Carlos has a tax number and can order from Weaver's, but I don't think that Seigel requires one. If you would rather, you can call Ellis Barnes at the number in my first post and talk directly to him. From his note he sounds like quite a character.

Mike

[TheTrooper]

Hey Guys.

does anyone of you have the email adress of Ellis Barnes of Gomph-Hackbarth ?!?

Cheers,

Marcel

[cowpounder]

I read about someone burning off the chrome of the crafttools and it made the impressions a lot crisper, does anyone here do that and how would one go about doing it?

The easy way to take the crome off is to use Hydrochloric acid. This will take it off in a hurry.

[Mike Craw]

Hey Marcel!

The email address at the tool factory in Arizona is:

lon_von@hotmail.com

Lonnie Height is working with Ellis Barnes and takes care of the emails. I've talked to both of them on the phone, and they're great to deal with.

Mike

[TheTrooper]

Hi Mike thank you so much.

I will contact them and here about this great offer !!!

Cheers,

M.