stamping before molding, or after?

[biker55]

Hello all, if I want to stamp something, do I do it before, or after molding? I'm thinking that since both process involve wetting the leather, that the stamp or shape of the mold would be affected. thanks 

[JLSleather]

I've done it both ways.

 

[biker55]

4 hours ago, JLSleather said:

I've done it both ways.

 

Thanks

[Spyros]

After is better if possible.  In my experience molding can stretch or distort the stamp.

[Hags]

On my holsters, I stamp the reinforcing piece before I sew it on the front. Then I wet mold.

[327fed]

Some stuff you can’t stamp after( or I don’t know how). For example the front of a holster as the leather is folded and no hard surface to stamp. Other items perhaps. 

[stelhrse]

Just to add my 0.02 here but I tried tooling after wet molding a large cellphone case. Total disaster but that may be because my carving skills are not great. When I carved and tooled another piece before I wet moulded it, it turned out much better. I only had slight stretch to the pattern. You may have to try each way to see which works better for your projects.

[JLSleather]

13 hours ago, 327fed said:

the front of a holster as the leather is folded and no hard surface to stamp

actually, I've tooled holsters with the gun mold in the holster.  takes a bit longer, maybe, but ... yeah. Glock 27 "curved panel" holster, lined, outside dyed with custom color mix but inside left 'natural' (undyed).  This was fun, but maybe not what you want to do all the time

 

In other news... consider the swells on a saddle ...

[chuck123wapati]

13 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

actually, I've tooled holsters with the gun mold in the holster.  takes a bit longer, maybe, but ... yeah. Glock 27 "curved panel" holster, lined, outside dyed with custom color mix but inside left 'natural' (undyed).  This was fun, but maybe not what you want to do all the time

 

In other news... consider the swells on a saddle ...

where there's a will there's a way!

[biker55]

that's a really nice holster! maybe one day. anyway will have to figure it out for each project. Thanks all