carving/ stamping old leather

[fluffchucker]

Hi one and all.

Need a new belt. Want to stamp/engrave progress. It will be worn as things progress. So I make the belt. Stamp/engrave up to now (deer, snipe etc. But could be anything. It's a story in the making). BUT I need to wear and protect it then add more designs as and when. How could this be done? Will oils/wax's stuff up the stamping etc? Consider it an ongoing story.

Cheers FC

[byggyns]

Yes, the finishes will mess up any future tooling or stamping. To tool or stamp, you need vegetable tanned cow hide, and it needs to be wet. The oils, waxes and finishes will block the water from getting inside the leather. You can tool pre-dyed veg tan, but you get a better look when you color the leather after tooling/stamping.

My suggestion is to make 2 belts. Make one to wear now - just a plain belt- then make one the way you want it without the worry of needing it to wear before it's done properly.

The only other option is heat embossing, which can be done to chrome tanned and finished leather. However, the equipment to do that is not the cheapest, and the final look is not the same.

[fluffchucker]

Thanks for that. Had a feeling that was going to be the answer but you never know what you don't know.

Cheers FC