Cuttng In Lettering...

[los7883]

Ok first time posting and i'm hoping you guys can help. I am trying to put someone's initials and a nickname into a wallet and a bracelet and i'm trying to figure out the best way to do that. I dont really like the font of the stamps out there for leather so i tried doing it on my own. I first wrote on the leather with a pencil and then tried to come back with a swivel knife but the curves in the script were too tight and the knife would just chew up the corners. I've tried following it up with an awl to press it in, didnt work, tried a stylus which worked better but didnt groove the lettering as much as i had wanted...the only thing that has come close is using a pen and softening the leather and just writing it over and over till it presses down somewhat deep enough, my only concern with that is the ink bleeding or fading away. So my question is this, is there a way to carve my lettering into the leather better than what i'm attempting to do? Size of lettering i'm doing is 3/4 to 1 inch lettering...thanks in advance.

[BigMatt]

I assume that you are using a flat bladed swivel knife. They also have angled blades for these knives. I like to use them on tight curves that would be impossible with the flat blades.

[MonicaJacobson]

Yeah... that's one reason I have never done lettering. People usually use small single letter stamps. You know, the bracelets that say, "fly!" or whatever. Anyway, from what I've seen, people usually only use stamps for smaller letters and cut in larger letters.

I did do one name at the size you're talking about... 3/4 - 1 inch, but it was really annoying. (http://monicajacobson.com/?p=320) I also have an angled blade for my swivel knife, and I couldn't have done it without that. I have a pretty slender beveling tool, which certainly helped in the tight corners.