Leather Logo Stamping

[jrprottas]

How do you execute your Maker's Mark on leather?  I will be using 90% Horween leathers.  No foils at this time. Just consistent crisp logos.

Will  a simple arbor press produce decent results?  Does an adjustable heated arbor press produce far superior results ie is it worth the investment in your opinion?

If you're be so kind show us a photo.

 

Edited August 4, 2019 by jrprottas

[fredk]

I had a 2cm wide brass stamp made. I use it with a Tandy press. This press; https://www.tandyleather.eu/en/product/craftool-pro-hand-press

dampen the leather, set stamp in place, cover with a 3" square of 3mm steel plate, use press to press the stamp into leather, viola. . . .volia. . . . err, roberts your mother's brother

brass stamp:

 

Impression on leather; (bottom right)

 

[LeatherLegion]

This was done with a Tandy hand press too.

[jrprottas]

17 minutes ago, fredk said:

This press; https://www.tandyleather.eu/en/product/craftool-pro-hand-press

Thanks. I didnt know that Tandy had a press for fasteners that would also do logos.

[dougfergy]

I don't have a press and have always used a large C clamp and a large square piece of brass for the back of the leather piece, wet the entire piece of leather lightly so I don't get a spot around the stamp, then sponge the spot for the stamp so it gets soaked a little deeper, wait for a few minutes and put the stamp on the top, the brass on the bottom and tighten.  Often I get my wife to help with the clamp while I line up the hardware.  It comes out nice and burnished.  This pic is after I antiqued so it is pretty stark, but you get the idea.

[xderiwx]

On 8/8/2019 at 4:22 AM, dougfergy said:

I don't have a press and have always used a large C clamp and a large square piece of brass for the back of the leather piece, wet the entire piece of leather lightly so I don't get a spot around the stamp, then sponge the spot for the stamp so it gets soaked a little deeper, wait for a few minutes and put the stamp on the top, the brass on the bottom and tighten.  Often I get my wife to help with the clamp while I line up the hardware.  It comes out nice and burnished.  This pic is after I antiqued so it is pretty stark, but you get the idea.

That looks great! Do you happen to have a picture of the clamp you use? Also, how long do you find you need to leave it clamped to obtain a good impression? Does this method only work on plain veg tan?

I just ordered a stamp and until I can find an arbor press, I’ll be trying to stamp with just a hammer, possibly clamp. 

[dougfergy]

4 minutes ago, xderiwx said:

That looks great! Do you happen to have a picture of the clamp you use? Also, how long do you find you need to leave it clamped to obtain a good impression? Does this method only work on plain veg tan?

I just ordered a stamp and until I can find an arbor press, I’ll be trying to stamp with just a hammer, possibly clamp. 

It is just a basic 6" C-clamp like the one pictured below.  I tried to hammer the stamp into wet veg tan and it didn't make a good impression.  Once I tried the c-clamp I was done trying.  I only leave it clamped in for maybe 10 seconds but I think with the pressure a c-clamp provides, you could just tighten it and immediately loosen it and it would be just as good.  Never tried it with anything but veg tan.  I do use a flat piece of 1" x 1" brass that is about a half inch thick under the piece of leather because my c-clamp isn't wide enough in the surface areas to back the leather completely for the size of my maker's stamp, and when using the c-clamp alone, the edges of my stamp would be shallow and less defined.

 

[xderiwx]

23 hours ago, dougfergy said:

It is just a basic 6" C-clamp like the one pictured below.  I tried to hammer the stamp into wet veg tan and it didn't make a good impression.  Once I tried the c-clamp I was done trying.  I only leave it clamped in for maybe 10 seconds but I think with the pressure a c-clamp provides, you could just tighten it and immediately loosen it and it would be just as good.  Never tried it with anything but veg tan.  I do use a flat piece of 1" x 1" brass that is about a half inch thick under the piece of leather because my c-clamp isn't wide enough in the surface areas to back the leather completely for the size of my maker's stamp, and when using the c-clamp alone, the edges of my stamp would be shallow and less defined.

 

Just picked up a C clamp. Gonna give your method a go soon!

[fredk]

Have either of youse thought of using a one-handed clamp?

They don't tighten up as much as a regular C cramp but tight enough for the embossing

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quick-Grip-Ratchet-Vice-Bar-Clamps-4-Inch-100mm-Rapid-Clamp-Spreader-Freepost/231842810316?hash=item35fae889cc:g:L0kAAOSw0PBdAQkz

[Halitech]

On 8/3/2019 at 9:45 PM, jrprottas said:

How do you execute your Maker's Mark on leather?  I will be using 90% Horween leathers.  No foils at this time. Just consistent crisp logos.

Will  a simple arbor press produce decent results?  Does an adjustable heated arbor press produce far superior results ie is it worth the investment in your opinion?

If you're be so kind show us a photo.

 

If you are doing Veg Tan leather, you can get away with a standard arbor press, a C clamp or even a pair of C jaw vise grips, and water. If you are doing chrome tan stuff, you really want the heat to give you a good crisp impression because you can't do much with water.

[zuludog]

I don't do a maker's stamp, but some of you might be interested in this stamp supplier. They are British, but say they supply world wide. I found them in the magazine 'Waxing The Thread', produced by GDH Leatherwork

https://www.gdhleatherwork.co.uk

https://www.artisans.co.uk

Edited August 11, 2019 by zuludog

[fredk]

Out of my price range. I get brass stamps cut by an ebay seller. 5cm x 5cm is £24. I provide jpeg artwork and get a stamp back in about 10 to 12 days

The 20mm across stamp I posted a picture of above cost me £14.99

[Dwight]

I bought an arbor press from Harbor Freight https://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-arbor-press-3552.html

I use it for other things as well, . . . but it does my maker's stamp perfectly every time on my belts and my holsters and knife sheaths I make.

May God bless,

Dwight

[dougfergy]

On 8/10/2019 at 12:21 PM, fredk said:

Have either of youse thought of using a one-handed clamp?

I have a couple of those and use them for wood working but I also had three or four c-clamps and I tried that first and it worked for me.  I've been tempted to rig some sort of stand for my c-clamp to hold it in place and then I think I could be OK with only two hands.  Never have time.