Logo On Work

[TexasLady]

This is such a useful discussion. I'm so glad Shaunread started it. I'll begin creating for myself a small stamp for small items, and a more wordy logo for larger items, possibly incorporating the small stamp within the larger one. Also, that idea of using a rubber stamp with ink, like King's X said, in some applications sounds good. I'm glad you all chipped in with these suggestions.

Edited May 21, 2015 by TexasLady

[ConradPark]

Never underestimate the power of advertising and branding is just that! However, as you noticed everyone have their own opinions and you will never be able to please everyone so at least you should please yourself.

And don't worry about others copy your work. First of all, unless you have a world distribution of thousand of goods on an annual basis, I'm pretty sure that you will never be economically affected in a negative way if someone would copy your design.

Secondly, I'm sure you have noticed that most people and companies are actually using more or less the same designs anyway, what sets them apart is normally - you guessed it, branding. Then sometimes you have a difference in workmanship as well, but not as often as one as a consumer could hope for.

Anyway, you should brand all your items, but it doesn't have to be on the front if you don't want to. A makers mark stamped with ink on the flesh side inside a pocket would definitely be fine. Many brands do it this way already.

Good Luck and remember to have fun!

Edited May 22, 2015 by ConradPark

[TexasLady]

This question of mine should probably go somewhere else other than on this Thread, but here is where I started thinking about it, so I'll ask it here,...

Would a logo carved out of cow bone be strong enough to stamp onto leather with a mallet? Or would it just shatter or disentegrate when hammered? Is there any material other than metal that might hold up to reusing it, say, 20 times?

Edited June 5, 2015 by TexasLady

[ConradPark]

This will depend on so many factors, foremost depending on how detailed your design/carving will be. While I'm sure it can work if it's a simple design and the leather is veg tanned and damp enough, you should ask yourself if it's worth the work, considering how cheap it is to have an embossing plate made today.

A small square inch zinc, or magnesium plate will hardly cost you much more than a few dollars and will last you for hundreds of stamping sessions.

Another way, if you want to copy an existing pattern is to use Plasticine. Make a quarter inch thick square, press the pattern into the dough on one side and harden the plasticine in the oven. The pattern will be negative, so if you want a positive pattern you need to use the first mold as a master for a second imprint. If cured correctly the Plasticine will last surprisingly long, mind you that it's brittle, so smaller sizes (2 inch) and an arbor press, instead of pounding it with a hammer, works best.

Good Luck.

Edited June 5, 2015 by ConradPark

[TexasLady]

Do you think the Plasticine would last longer than cow bone?

Also, I have a dremel set. I've made Chinese seals in onyx, reverse image, using my dremel, but that was for stamping with red ink, not for pressure stamping as on leather. So, I know how to do the 'art' part. It would just be the matter of using a material that's sufficiently hard enough and durable enough to make a nice deep impression on veg tan.

Edited June 7, 2015 by TexasLady

[King's X]

I mark all of my work.

[lwm803]

I may be the only one, in which case my opinion does not matter, but a makers mark on the show side of any product is an immediate deal breaker for me. I do not want your mark displayed on my personal property regardless of the quality of work. The key fob idea is an excellent one, in fact come to think of it, I have a small stack of Tony Lama "coins" which come attached to the boots by a bead chain and are easily removed, but would never wear a boot with the brand name clearly displayed. But that is just me.

[AndersenLeather]

I may be the only one, in which case my opinion does not matter, but a makers mark on the show side of any product is an immediate deal breaker for me. I do not want your mark displayed on my personal property regardless of the quality of work. The key fob idea is an excellent one, in fact come to think of it, I have a small stack of Tony Lama "coins" which come attached to the boots by a bead chain and are easily removed, but would never wear a boot with the brand name clearly displayed. But that is just me.

So you dont have a car a tv a mobilephone or any power tools?

[lwm803]

So you dont have a car a tv a mobilephone or any power tools?

There is quite a difference between handmade leather goods and cars, tv's, and power tools. I do not get your comparison here.

I did not suggest that you not put your makers mark front and center on everything that you make. I only suggest that I, and probably at least a few other people, would choose a plain unmarked item over one that resembles an advertisement for the shop that made it. I have seen many nice items which were severely cheapened, TO MY EYE, by a prominent makers mark. I am simply not a customer for that item.

Edited June 11, 2015 by lwm803

[chriscraft]

I was approached a couple years ago by a motorized bicycle builder and ask if I was interested in building leather seats for him. He would supply the custom steel seat pan and these would be drop shipped to me and I would complete the rest of the seat build. In his initial deal he did not want me to mark or brand my name/ logo on his seats. They were to only have his logo visible on the top of the seat. I really thought hard about this any did not like his idea. If he was just simply looking for a worker to simply stitch two pieces of leather together and stamp his logo on it then I would understand his concept. This was clearly not the case and I was not supplied with any building materials, tools, molds, measurements or even instructions on how to accomplish this seat. I was given a simple vintage photograph of said seat to be built. I accepted this challenge on building this with the acception that they would bare my makers mark under each seat hidden away from view when mounted on his motorized builds. I also had no clue on how long it would take to construct one seat but we agreed on a price and began the build process. The first few seats were all different as each was too short or too wide and we finally got it proportioned and sized to his builds by the fourth prototype seat. I decided to serial number each seat to keep track of each build. After building 12 seats I quickly realized it wasn't working out for me an we parted out separate ways. No harm done and it was a great challenge to create something. The motorized bike builder used my plans and soon found another leather craftsman to continue building his seats.

A few days ago I received an email from one of his customers that was not happy with the current leather seat. He was able to track me down by my makers mark that was on his friends seat. He stated he was impressed by the quality of his friends seat that he finally decided to order one and was now disappointed in the lower quality. He was returning the seat for a refund but still wanted to purchase a quality leather seat. He informed me that his new said seat didn't have a makers mark on it. I was sorry to inform him that I did not build this seats and all of my previous seats had my makers mark along with serial number and also came with my warranty.

I nerver invisioned running into this situation but it was quickly resolved by my decision to include a makers mark.