Basket weave stamp questions

[DaveP]

Which one would be best for a new to stamping tools and work? So far I've only made a few sheaths.  Plain with no decorations. I'd like to start adoring my projects.  

Thanks again for the help!

David 

[billybopp]

Basket weave stamps need to line up precisely, so quality makes a difference there.  Barry King makes some nice basketweave stamps.  Not cheap, not super expensive, but worth what you pay.  Tandy is not up to snuff, nor are the Chinese stamps.

- Bill

[DaveP]

Thank you Bill.... I'll look at his.

[AzShooter]

Check out Montana Leather. I just bought a set of basket weave stamps from them and am very happy with the set. Four different sizes.

[DaveP]

Thanks AZShooter 

[Arturomex]

I'm going to echo Bill. He's dead on the money. This is one place you don't want to cut corners. Precision counts in the stamp and the way it's applied.

I've read advice directed at novices that "basket weave stamping is a great place to start leather crafting." And it might well be but it's also probably driven people using cheap stamps away from leather work out of sheer frustration. It damn near did me.

This is not one of those, "any tool in the hands of a master craftsman will make it look good" situations. Poorly made stamps are mushy don't line up. And then nothing lines up.

There are some great tool makers out there but my choice, like Bill's, is Barry King. I think it's good value for the money. If you ever get a chance, take a quality stamp and compare it to a cheap stamp of similar size. That'll tell the whole story with a couple of mallet taps.

Regards,

Arturo

[DaveP]

Good advice Arturo. I'm going to look for a better stamping tools!

 

[chrisash]

You don't have to pay silly prices like Barry King,  Sergey Neskromniy makes first class stamps at a more reasonable price

[Arturomex]

Yes, Sergey makes some fine stamps and some very unique ones but apples to apples here, Sergey's stainless steel basket stamps run at around $32.00 US and King stamps of similar size in stainless run at around $55.00 US.

Sergey's estimated shipping time to the US is three to five weeks. Don't know if that time period includes the five day order processing time. Whenever I've purchased anything from King it shipped the same or following day.

I'm not sure what kind of duties, if any, would apply in the US. If you're not in a hurry and the duty thing isn't a problem, chrisash's recommendation is worth looking into.

Regards,

Arturo

Edited May 31, 2020 by Arturomex

[Rhale]

I own Sergey, Barry King, Robert Beard, Wayne Jueschke, Hackbarth and others.  Wayne Jueschke , in my opinion, makes the best basket stamp! That said all the above make very good stamps!  Barry probably has the best choices of different styles and sizes, some are more expensive than others, but you get what you pay for.   Buy the best you can afford and happy stamping! Thanks Rodney 

Edited June 1, 2020 by Northmount
Edited to remove certain remarks that seem to inflame others