Custom Leather Label

[Tshepiso]

Hi guys,

I would like some helping in tackling leather patches/labels,

I am trying to make leather patches to use on beanies, 5 panel caps etc....

I already bought my custom stamp,

I am struggling to get crisp two tone (for lack of a better word) impression, I tried using soldering iron (60w) no temp adjustment on both veg tan and chrome tan leather.

I also tried using as hand stamp on both veg tan and chrome tan.

I am sure there is something wrong I am doing or using wrong type of leather....

I have uploaded my outcome and desired outcome.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Tshepiso

[Martyn]

Silly question but did you case the leather (veg tan) first?

I'm no expert, but I dont think chrome tan leather will work without maybe hot stamping.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Martyn

[Tugadude]

+1, chrome tan doesn't stamp well. Casing is a learned skill. Follow the directions on these forums but the specific leather you use can have different results. Are you wetting the leather or soaking the leather?

[Tshepiso]

+1, chrome tan doesn't stamp well. Casing is a learned skill. Follow the directions on these forums but the specific leather you use can have different results. Are you wetting the leather or soaking the leather?

I would like think I am wetting it, I am using a sponge to wet. more dabbing until changes colour.

Silly question but did you case the leather (veg tan) first?

I'm no expert, but I dont think chrome tan leather will work without maybe hot stamping.

Hot stamp as in foil?

+1, chrome tan doesn't stamp well. Casing is a learned skill. Follow the directions on these forums but the specific leather you use can have different results. Are you wetting the leather or soaking the leather?

Which forums?

[Martyn]

I would like think I am wetting it, I am using a sponge to wet. more dabbing until changes colour.

It needs to penetrate, it needs to be quite wet, wetter than you think, but not sopping wet. Give it a fairly heavy wetting with a sponge and then let it dry till it's 80% dry and almost back to the original pale tan colour. Then bash away. This is the quick and dirty method and not proper casing of leather, but it will work.

Use the search function and search for casing leather and read up on how to do it properly. This will give you the sharpest and cripest results.

...or just get a bigger hammer. :D

Edited March 14, 2016 by Martyn

[Tshepiso]

Thanks Martin, this might seem silly but I am really new(that new new) I have read a coupler threads on casing and read Bob's casing tut.. I am still not sure how to apply it to making leather labels.

Maybe I should get a bigger hammer lol, fyi I am using a mallet on a 30mm square stamp.

Thanks Martin, this might seem silly but I am really new(that new new) I have read a coupler threads on casing and read Bob's casing tut.. I am still not sure how to apply it to making leather labels.

Maybe I should get a bigger hammer lol, fyi I am using a mallet on a 30mm square stamp.

Thanks Martin, this might seem silly but I am really new(that new new) I have read a coupler threads on casing and read Bob's casing tut.. I am still not sure how to apply it to making leather labels.

Maybe I should get a bigger hammer lol, fyi I am using a mallet on a 30mm square stamp.

[Martyn]

Trial and error with the casing. Do a few samples, wet each one to a different extent, from quite dry to soaking wet. Leave to dry for varying amounts of time and try em out.

You should be able to get a decent impression with a hammer, but you might need to tilt left, strike, tilt right, strike, tilt up, strike and tilt down, strike. On big stamps though, the best impressions will be from using an arbour press. You could try it with a vice if you dont have a suitable press. But if it's for a business and you'll be doing a lot of em, I would invest in a press. They are not expensive.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Martyn

[Sonydaze]

I work mostly with chrome tan leathers and emboss all of my products. To get a good impression, you need a hot stamp machine. Both heat and pressure are required.

[AndyL1]

I use my shop press to apply my logo to my items. I've been thinking hard about getting one of these:

http://brandingirons.com/product-category/products-from-branding-irons-unlimited/electric-drill-press-heating-tools-for-branding-irons/

It would work great on a variety of leathers I expect.

[veedub3]

That drill press branding iron is really nice. If they made it where I could change the fonts out for personalized orders when needed I would totally grab one.

I have a Franklin Hot Foil Stamping machine and I agree that heat and pressure is a must with Chrome Tan.

Karina

[Tugadude]

Try this link, tells how to case leather. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=19121

For chrome tanned leather, a heat gun and arbor press can work wonders. Check out Ian Atkinson's video on Youtube explaining his method. Works great and isn't cost prohibitive.

[Tugadude]

Ian Atkinson has great videos on his website and/or Youtube. Check out his tutorial on hot stamping. Not expensive the way he does it.

http://ianatkinson.net/leather/videos.htm

[AndyL1]

That drill press branding iron is really nice. If they made it where I could change the fonts out for personalized orders when needed I would totally grab one.

I have a Franklin Hot Foil Stamping machine and I agree that heat and pressure is a must with Chrome Tan.

Karina

If you get something like this you can easily change letters as needed.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/112742933/customized-alphabet-letter-stamps-for?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_a-craft_supplies_and_tools-leather_crafts-other&utm_custom1=86765079-423e-476a-ba9a-b8d4eba5c677&gclid=Cj0KEQjwwpm3BRDuh5awn4qJpLwBEiQAATTAQdQqHgXePUQ5PX4T6tU69IybpjSGaFK4cqYI-kFceScaAj2T8P8HAQ

[veedub3]

If you get something like this you can easily change letters as needed.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/112742933/customized-alphabet-letter-stamps-for?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_a-craft_supplies_and_tools-leather_crafts-other&utm_custom1=86765079-423e-476a-ba9a-b8d4eba5c677&gclid=Cj0KEQjwwpm3BRDuh5awn4qJpLwBEiQAATTAQdQqHgXePUQ5PX4T6tU69IybpjSGaFK4cqYI-kFceScaAj2T8P8HAQ

I talked to that guy years ago and he said that will only work with the letter stamps that come with it. He couldn't guarantee that other letters used would fit. I have tons of letter press type sets sized from 6 points all the way up to to 72 points in about 20 different fonts, so that really was not what I needed, besides I do quite a few pieces that are monogrammed with two and three lines of text.

My Franking Hot foil machine works great, and even when pressing Horween Chromexcel it comes out beautiful, it's just a tad small and I would love a bigger work surface.

Katrina

[Tshepiso]

Thank you for the info guys, I truly appreciate it, there I was think I will just blast away I will try all methods suggested and see what works best for me.

I will post images when I have got it right.

One last question

What type of leather is used for jean leather patches?

[Martyn]

What type of leather is used for jean leather patches?

The best tooling leathers are veg tanned and oil tanned. But big companies will use an electric hot press. Heat and a few tons of pressure will make a mark in almost anything.

[SmokeyPoint]

To the OP - I have one of these and went through the same exercises you're engaged in. Trial and error for the temp/pressure for chrome tanned. Every leather will stamp differently and with varied success.

If you are stamping veg tanned, which I suggest for the type of label you're looking for, then case the leather as others have pointed out and leave the heat off. It will burn the leather due to the moisture, it generally won't burn it consistently by hand, and... it's not necessary. Just make a jig to align the stamp on the patches, line it up and press down hard. Start with a five second press and go up or down from there.

-Sean