Need to vent a little...

[MatthewD]

I have a basket weave pattern that is from Kelly Tools in NZ that I love... does anyone have a number for them?

[whinewine]

I have a basket weave pattern that is from Kelly Tools in NZ that I love... does anyone have a number for them?

I believe that Kelly is no longer in business, as are Baron and Basic Tools also non-existent. The '70s were the heyday of the many leather tool manufacturers who made a variety of stamping tools that don't exist anymore today. They are as non-existent as fur hippie vests and wooden clog soles, except that they occasionally show up on ebay.

russ

[bruce johnson]

I would have to agree with every said so far. I have/had stamps from most everyone mentioned already plus a couple. A few things in Tandy's defense, they are selling stamps for $4-6. I can't buy a decent bolt for much less than half that, let alone something with a design. Their stamp prices have not appreciably changed in several years. The quality is not what it used to be, but the price is. Maybe it is time to raise the price and the impression quality at the same time. I have never damaged a Tandy stamp in use, I can't say that for another supplier's line that cost more.

That said I buy several Tandy stamps a year. Like more than one guy has told me, they sell a nice making of a stamp. They already have the knurling and the shank. A little metal saw, file, grinder, or Dremel work and I've got some pretty usuable stamps for a purpose not intended. Although I have also done some grinding on a couple of Barry King, Hackbarth, and Jeremiah Watt stamps too, the Tandy ones gave me that confidence.

I also will buy a Tandy stamp to see if I can run a pattern decently or even like the pattern once it is on the leather in front of me. It is better to find out with a $5 stamp that you don't like a triweave, basket, or waffle stamp, than with a $50 or $100 one. You can always trade up.

[CitizenKate]

That said I buy several Tandy stamps a year. Like more than one guy has told me, they sell a nice making of a stamp. They already have the knurling and the shank. A little metal saw, file, grinder, or Dremel work and I've got some pretty usuable stamps for a purpose not intended.

Hmmm... that's an interesting point. I've been shopping around for tools and machines I can use to try to make some of my own stamps, and this sounds like a good way to start experimenting. Thanks for the tip!

Kate

[Billy P]

I have a couple of the Craft-Japan tools from HC's too. I have found them to actually be a better tool than the Crafttools, but funny thing is from what I have heard/been told, Craft-Japan is at least partially owned by Tandy/Crafttool. I don't know this as fact, but like I said have been told this by at least one good source. I also have some tools/stamps that came from stleather.com in St Louis that I have found to be at least as good as the Crafttool stamps, if not better. They are marked IVAN. I have been told and have seen it advised on another group that I'm in to get a magnet and see if it will stick to the tools and how strong it seems to hold on. If this is and indication of a better tool then the IVAN's do have a better metal in them. The Ivans that I have, have given me pretty decent impressions and you can't beat st's price. Order one tool and $3.79 order 3 to 9 and $3.59, 10 to 49 $3.39, ya'll get the picture. I am not connected with St leather in any way, but I do order some stuff from them, and as I can't afford alot for tools and such right now, quality wise and price wise I like the tools that they offer. Sorry to ramble on so and that's all for now. Billy P

[GregGaub]

Ok then, if money were NO OBJECT, what would you knowledgeable people say is THE BEST tool maker. If I were to trade up to the top, who should I call first?

Or, is it basically a wash between all the top tool makers, and any of them will be as good as the other on average?

[abn]

You should probably prepare yourself for a number of different opinions anytime you ask a question that starts with "who/what's the best..."

[Johanna]

Greg, if money were no object, you'd need one of everybody's. It's Fords and Chevys, wine and women- some are better than others, some are just different. It would be great if you could get to a trade show and look at them, hold, them, tap a little. You may want different tools by different makers depending on your style of working and the look you want to get. It's hard to say "better", impossible to say "best". They all do certain things very well, which is why their tools cost more than Tandy tools.

The Hidecrafters tools were made in Japan by a company named Kyoshe Elle (I may have spelled that wrong!) if I am remembering correctly. George Hurst liked the quality, and the price was still less than the individual makers. I remember those tools as leaving very crisp impressions, but on a whole they were smaller than some of the comparable Tandy tools. Maybe somebone with a better memory than mine can fill in the details?

That said, I have seen Jim Linnell, Tony Laier, Karla Van Horne and others randomly pull tools off the rack of whatever Tandy store they are visiting and create precise and beautiful works of art. Go figure.

Johanna

[Jordan]

Kinda like the old blues masters, they could make an old plywood box and a 2x4 sound like the best guitar ever made!

[rickybobby]

Johanna is right,

When you are a master at something, you can make it look good almost no matter what tool you use, these folks have mastered the ART. That said for the rest of us that do this (the best we can) Some of the other makers tools help us by not leaving bevel marks, untrue, crooked borders, basketweave that does not line up, ect. because these tools have inherent caracteristics that help us avoid these things with our less than perfect techniques. This is not a put down to anyone (me included) but I have used several makes of tools on the same piece of leather and had different results. The custom makers tools made my work look better!!!

I own more Craftools then any others, and I use them everyday, I also have some that were made in the 60's next to same tool made lately (no comparison) the older are cleaner and crisper, closer to the custom makers tools. I weigh the service, cost, quality, when I buy tools and if one makes my work look better and it is easier to use, I make the investment.

Like Bruce said, I file, grind, sand the $6.00 tool it makes it better or if not I don't mide tossing it and looking for another answer (custom maker stamp). Use the tools you have and perfect your techniques, if you continue to have problems maybe search elsewhere. For me the other makers BEVELS helped me a bunch. And after using a custom makers basket stamp, I will continue to build my tool collection with what works best for me and my customers.

Rick Jorgenson