Logo / Maker's Mark / Hot Press or Cold Press?

[SewMuchToLearn]

I am pretty new to leatherwork, making bags and purses using only veg tan, mostly Horween Essex and Dublin. I want to add my logo to my projects, and I plan to get a custom metal stamp to do this. I expect my logo to be pretty small, like maybe an inch square, maximum.  I looked through the forums but couldn't find the answers I'm looking for -- feel free to direct me to any relevant posts that I overlooked.

1) For the leathers I use, how would I choose between using a hot press machine or cold stamping? I know that a hot press machine also allows me to use foil, but that is not a concern right now, so is there an advantage to getting a hot press machine since it seems like the more expensive option? Will the mark look better using heat? Will a hot press make it look darkened like it's been branded? The look I'm going for is just a clean impression, with no color change if possible.

2) If I don't use a hot press machine, I think my non-heated options would be to wet the leather and then either use a mallet to hammer in the stamp or an arbor press to apply the force. Are there other options that I'm not aware of?

3) Depending on the answers to 1 & 2, is there a particular type of metal that I should get the stamp made out of? I think I've seen aluminum and brass mentioned...what do you recommend? I hope to use this stamp for a long time.

4) Depending on the answers to 1 & 2, what kind of backing shape should I look for on my stamp? Maybe a threaded screw sticking out the back, a flat back with a hole, or something else? I don't know what the options are, and I don't want to get the wrong thing for my needs.

Thank you for any advice you can share. I had hoped to attend a trade show or two by this point in my leatherworking career,  but with Covid, I've had to rely on the internet instead.

 

[fredk]

2 hours ago, SewMuchToLearn said:

I am pretty new to leatherwork, making bags and purses using only veg tan, mostly Horween Essex and Dublin. I want to add my logo to my projects, and I plan to get a custom metal stamp to do this. I expect my logo to be pretty small, like maybe an inch square, maximum.  I looked through the forums but couldn't find the answers I'm looking for -- feel free to direct me to any relevant posts that I overlooked.

1) For the leathers I use, how would I choose between using a hot press machine or cold stamping? I know that a hot press machine also allows me to use foil, but that is not a concern right now, so is there an advantage to getting a hot press machine since it seems like the more expensive option? Will the mark look better using heat? Will a hot press make it look darkened like it's been branded? The look I'm going for is just a clean impression, with no color change if possible.

1. Its almost impossible to make a decent mark in chrome tanned leather just by cold pressing or hammering. You don't really need a hot machine, a good interchangeable tip soldering iron or pyrogravure will do

2 hours ago, SewMuchToLearn said:

2) If I don't use a hot press machine, I think my non-heated options would be to wet the leather and then either use a mallet to hammer in the stamp or an arbor press to apply the force. Are there other options that I'm not aware of?

2. I prefer a press, an arbor will do the job

2 hours ago, SewMuchToLearn said:

3) Depending on the answers to 1 & 2, is there a particular type of metal that I should get the stamp made out of? I think I've seen aluminum and brass mentioned...what do you recommend? I hope to use this stamp for a long time.

3. Brass all the way. Long lasting, will heat up easily

2 hours ago, SewMuchToLearn said:

4) Depending on the answers to 1 & 2, what kind of backing shape should I look for on my stamp? Maybe a threaded screw sticking out the back, a flat back with a hole, or something else? I don't know what the options are, and I don't want to get the wrong thing for my needs.

4. I get my stamps made in brass with a flat back and a 5mm tapped hole in the back centre. Then I can, if I want, put a 5mm threaded rod (usually supplied) in and slip it on to the soldering iron

[SewMuchToLearn]

Quote

1. Its almost impossible to make a decent mark in chrome tanned leather just by cold pressing or hammering. You don't really need a hot machine, a good interchangeable tip soldering iron or pyrogravure will do

What about making a decent mark in veg tan leather, like Horween Essex or Dublin?

[fredk]

11 minutes ago, SewMuchToLearn said:

What about making a decent mark in veg tan leather, like Horween Essex or Dublin?

I don't know those leathers, I have no experience of them

If they are veg tanned; cased, veg tanned hand stamps easily, arbor pressed the stamp can make a good impression in dry or cased, cased is better but it can be done dry as well

[cbossio]

This is my stamp on horween derby (dublin and derby are essentially the same thing). You can get a decent impression but don't expect to achieve it with the usual casing with water and mallet. That won't do much to this leather. This was a brass stamp pressed in with a cheapo harbor freight 1-ton arbor press.

If you want to be even cheaper and your forearms are up to the challenge, you can skip the arbor press and get a decent impression with a couple of clutch wood clamps (no trigger or spring clamps) and something solid and flat like a cutting board.