Aulmin Vs Stainless Steel

[tankerman1967]

Hi yall

Quick question. I am about to start making some homemade stamps

what are the pro and con of aluminun and stainless steel..

Thanks

[Northmount]

Aluminum is soft, easy to cut and file. Clogs up your grindstone if you are using a grinder. Tends to clog files too, but is easy to clean up. Aluminum deforms easily. If you accidentally hit the stamp you worked on against the granite or something hard, it will damage the profile.

SS is fairly nice to work with (depends on the various grades) and is harder than aluminum. If you do a little searching here, you will find others making some of their own stamps. Some start with SS bolts from the hardware store.

CS (carbon steel) works too, but will rust if it gets wet. If not cleaned and polished well, can leave CS particles in the leather, and you know what happens with iron and tannin. You get blue/black spots due to the chemical reaction.

Tom

[electrathon]

I would suggest starting with stainless bolts.

[cradom]

Stainless. When aluminum oxidizes it leaves a whitish powder all over which may be just as bad as rusty steel.

[oltoot]

Stainless. There is a pretty good reason that you don't see sheets of aluminium used much anywhere in the tack business.

[tankerman1967]

Ok. Thanks for all the advice. But as long as I have yall's attention part 2 of the question.

I know aluminum is easy to work with and make things. If I go with aluminum is there or would be there andy residual from the aluminum that would transfer to my leather?? Like staining or something???

Thanks

[Bob Blea]

Pure aluminum is very reactive to oxygen, so exposed surfaces tend to oxidize fairly quickly. Aluminum Oxide is a very inert substance and it doesn't tend to react to much at all, however it can react somewhat with strong acids. I don't think any of the acids that remain in leather would be a problem as they are probably too mild. Aluminum Oxide is used as a protective coating in many industrial and chemical applications because of it's hardness and lack of reactivity. However, that hardness isn't enough to make aluminum a good choice for a stamping tool.

Aluminum is very reactive to acids. That's why it's a poor choice for a cooking pan. The acids in tomatoes are enough to leach aluminum from the pan and introduce it to your food. That's not good for people to eat but I don't think it does anything to leather like the discoloring you get with steel and leather.

[tankerman1967]

Pure aluminum is very reactive to oxygen, so exposed surfaces tend to oxidize fairly quickly. Aluminum Oxide is a very inert substance and it doesn't tend to react to much at all, however it can react somewhat with strong acids. I don't think any of the acids that remain in leather would be a problem as they are probably too mild. Aluminum Oxide is used as a protective coating in many industrial and chemical applications because of it's hardness and lack of reactivity. However, that hardness isn't enough to make aluminum a good choice for a stamping tool.

Aluminum is very reactive to acids. That's why it's a poor choice for a cooking pan. The acids in tomatoes are enough to leach aluminum from the pan and introduce it to your food. That's not good for people to eat but I don't think it does anything to leather like the discoloring you get with steel and leather.

Ok . Thats what I was kinda thinking. I am still gonna try my hand at some stamps. Got some aluminum and stainless rods. Gonna see what I can do. Thanks so very much. I am amazed at the amount of knowledge yall have and are willing to share.

[TwinOaks]

Be wary of Aluminum DUST as you're grinding/sanding/filing it.

[silverwingit]

Be wary of Any DUST as you're grinding/sanding/filing it.

Michelle