Basket weave

[Davm]

I'm having trouble stamping a good looking basket weave. I do a cross line and stamp along that but then the next lines get out of line and in the cross wise direction the lines don't match.  Any tips?  Are there any basket weave stamps that make the job easier.  I thought doing a basket weave pattern would be easy- not so. (at least for me)

[YinTx]

Barry King and Robert Beard stamps are easier to run for me.  Sergey makes some basket stamps also, I suspect they are easier to run also.  I have had good luck with the older basket stamps from Craftool, as well as the Craftool Pro baskets, tho they are usually pretty big. A lot of practice is needed to get really good at basket stamping, even then it gets out of line.  Can be frustrating!  Having a bad stamp will always frustrate you, and it is hard to see if there is a tiny bit of angle off on it until you get along your work.  Best way to know is get another stamp and see if you have the same issues.

YinTx

[BigSiouxSaddlery]

To add to Yintx's good advice, splayed end stamps are harder to run also, angled stamps a little less so.  The easiest are the stamps where the ends are parallel to each other and the center portion is 90° to the edges of the stamp.  Practice with one of those in a high quality stamp, then once you've become proficient with it, move on the the others.  

[toxo]

Some stamps have more pronounced bits on the corners so you line up by putting the raised bits in the dimple made by the last imprint.

[tsunkasapa]

Something that I found helpful was to mark one end of the tool with tape, nail polish etc and always keep it oriented in the same direction. If there is any difference between the ends (there SHOULDN'T be, but I have found some) that keeps everything the same.

[Davm]

Okay, a trick of the trade. On a repetitive border stamp I took a short square piece of wood, 1/2" x 1/2" and 4" long and drilled a hole midway and epoxy glued the stamp.  This gave me a very good sense of the tool being in line as I stamped.  Sort of crazy but it worked for me.  I like historical holsters, etc. and years ago a fish scale pattern was common so I have done the fish scale and it is actually fairly easy, I was surprised the basket weave requires more skill to look right.