Using alphabet stamp sets

[Johanna]

Is there an idiot proof way to stamp regular Tandy alphabet sets and avoid getting the little boxes around the letters? I have mauls, mallets, the huge striker and the ones that come in the sets. Any and all tips appreciated. Sometimes I can hide the marks with a modeling tool, sometimes I can't.

I'm a Boy Scout and a Girl Scout leader this year, and I've decided leather is going to get me through this successfully.

Johanna

[pepin1948]

Well, I'm a fool, 'cuz I have the same problem sometimes (not every time, but some) What I do is use Peter Main's modelling tool to smooth out the marking.

[abn]

Johanna, I've experienced the same thing. The only trick that helps me is to go easy on the mallet. I try not to whack it so hard the outline hits the leather. With the alphabet sets, you can usually strike the stamp lightly first, take a look at the impression, and if really careful, be able to place the stamp back in the impression for a second strike, if necessary.

Good luck, -Alex

[bruce johnson]

Johanna,

I do a fair amount of alphabet stamping on my award orders. A few considerations to prevent the halo marks from the edge of the stamps. I letter stamp the leather pretty dry. I have cased it normally, and really let the color return to almost or looking dry. I do the same with my basket and geometric stamps. This is where knowing your leather is a plus. Gives me good tool burnishing color. It also helps to prevent the tool from sinking in too far and leaving the halo. The impressions are a ton better. They are more "rounded" looking, they have a nice round look instead of a square pressed in look. Of course I do my lettering first, so often I may need to go back and rewet my leather a bit to finish tooling or stamping.

Another factor is stamp size and even which letter you are using. The bigger stamps can take more force. Smaller letters within a size can take less force. I try to hit my "i" with less force, and sometimes still bottom out and leave a halo.

Bruce Johnson

[Johanna]

I feel better that I am not the only one who has had the problem with the boxes. I try to be very careful, but as you all said, it's easy to mess up. I saw some small stamps in the Tandy flyer today that look to be striking tools- simple letter impressions, no blocks. I'm going to check them out. I've noticed the 3-D stamps seldom box because they are raised more, and the area is wider (impact is spread evenly). Bruce, I was shown to use letter stamps with as little water as possible, so I think we're on to something with that trick. Maybe that will help someone else. Hey Holly, when you get time, post a pic of Peter's modeling tool, please? I've heard nothing but good things about them, and I'm sure others will want to see one, too. TYM.

Johanna

[45LC]

Is there an idiot proof way to stamp regular Tandy alphabet sets and avoid getting the little boxes around the letters? I have mauls, mallets, the huge striker and the ones that come in the sets. Any and all tips appreciated. Sometimes I can hide the marks with a modeling tool, sometimes I can't.

I'm a Boy Scout and a Girl Scout leader this year, and I've decided leather is going to get me through this successfully.

Johanna

Johanna,

I'm new to the forum so I've been reading previous posts and recently had experience with this problem. I had the boxes and decided to get rid of them. Well, I pretty much got rid of them. My solution was to grind the shoulders off the stamps. You have to be very careful not to grind on the letter but it can be done. I did a few today and for the most part if you keep the stamp handle straight and hit it without trying to drive it through the leather you can eliminate the boxes. I did mine on a 1" belt sander that I use every day for leather work. Holding the stamp very carefully on the edge you can radius or eliminate the corners that are causing the problem. You may need to keep an eye on the stamps for rust. They're easy to keep oiled slightly and not difficult to clean up. I've noticed some discoloration on a basket stamp that I removed half of the pattern on. Try it on a couple of stamps you don't use much like Q or Z and see what you think.

[Brigid's Forge]

I agree grinding is the way to go.

We have the same problem if we order commercial metal stamps. The shoulder cuts into the metal (it has more to do with the springiness of the material, not just how you hold the stamp), and modeling tools won't do anything to smooth that out. So all new stamps have the shoulders ground off before we even start.

Our letter stamps are zinc die cast stuff, which can corrode a bit but not really rust. Somewhere I have the instructions for chrome plating tools, if anyone is really interested. However, I find frequent use is the best corrosion prevension in our workshop, even for the very corrodable high carbon tool steel we make into our own stamps.

Leaving the backs completely alone for aligning purposes, I did grind off the shoulders and face corners. No edges except on the letter shape. I used a flex-shaft tool and Mizzy heatless grinding wheels. Easier to control what is removed that way, and it's fast on die-cast. A few got a good polish after that, but the rest did not, as it did not really seem to matter. I would use a file before a belt sander, just so I could see what was going on.