Leathersmith​/Archer

Stamping

 

Stamping is the process of creating a pattern or design on leather and typically causes geometric patterns accomplished via a metal tool. Stamps come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Probably the most common stamp is the basket weave stamp. The tool is basically a rectangle and, as would be expected, comes in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. The basic basket weave has two “wings” going out each side with a cross over section in the middle that results in the appearance of a fiber over lacing, i.e. basket weave. However there are also basket weave stamps that have flowers, circles, etc. in the center instead of the over lacing pattern. And there are also basket weave stamps in triangles instead of rectangles. But for this discussion let’s restrict ourselves to how do we create a basket weave stamping pattern over a large area using the basic stamp.

 

Let me make a point here about stamping. To get the cleanest possible impression from you tool learn to make a single smart smack of the hammer. I have several sizes of hammers or have developed how hard I hit the tool depending upon the size of the tool used. And please DO NOT use a metal hammer. This will ultimately peen over the end of your tool. Use either a leather hammer or a plastic hammer. They both deliver the strike needed but do not peen over, that is roll over, the end of you tool making it useless over time. Your work surface must also be a very hard surface. That does not mean a table or a piece of wood. The best stamping surface is a slab of marble. My workbench has a piece of marble that was supposed to be s step in some government building. I put it to better use………. J

 

Your first step is to case the leather. This simply means get it wet. I use a flower mister/sprayer for the job. You want the leather wet but not dripping wet. Next I decide how wide I want the margin around the edges of the project to be and using a set of dividers scribe a line lightly. Next scribe a straight line across your project. As an alternative you can scribe this line at a diagonal across you project for interest. Eithe way this will be used to create the base line which is the most critical part of successful basket weave stamping. Now carefully lay your basket weave tool along side this line at one end being very careful to have the long edge of the tool line up with the scribed line. Smack the tool leaving an impression. Now on the OTHER side of the scribed line align the ends of the tool with the ends of the previous impression overlapping the “wings” of the previous stamp with the “wings” of the tool. Smack the tool leaving an impression. Go back to the original side and create a third impression. Continue until you have stamped along the entire scribed line. What you should now have is a line of stampings that alternates on each side of the original scribed line which is now covered by the stampings. From this point all you need do is line up the “wings” of your stamp with the impression left by the previous stamps. As you are stamping you will come to the edge of your project and the previously scribed edge line where the tool will not fit completely within the project. That is, if you stamped it flat the impression would extend beyond the scribed edge line. Tip the tool at an angle and tap to create a partial impression. Don’t worry if it goes over the line a little bit. We’ll fix that later.

 

Once you have the entire area stamped get a camouflage tool. These are basically half round tools that create a fan like impression. Select a tool that is about as long as your basket weave stamp long wise. Now go around the edge of your project stamping on the scribed edge line. The trick is to line up the inside of the tool’s curve along the edge of your scribed edge line. When you make the next stamp, set the ledge of one wing of the camouflage tool into the impression previously made. This way you have fan-like impressions that slightly overlap and create a continuous scalloped edge that also covers/obliterates any slight over stamps from the basket weave tool.

 

For geometric stamps where you want to create a repeating pattern scribing a grid onto your project often assists in keeping the tool in perfect alignment. One issue with stamping is that if you get off even the slightest amount and are not able to correct it will compound across your project and in short order your entire grid is totally out of alignment and looks terrible.

 

Another type of stamp that is in common use are large single stamps. These typically come separate from the tool used to hammer the impression into the leather. The extension tool is often called a sheep’s foot. These tamps are usually Celtic knots, animals and sometimes symbols.

 

 

There are, of course, stamps to make barbed wire and other interesting borders. One tool of this nature looks like the letter T with rounded edges. By stamping one set of t’s thus TTTTTTT, you come along and stamp a line opposite your first line where the T’s are now upside down with their “tails” in between the previous stamped line. The net result here is a wavy line, that is, the T’s get lost in the pattern of the wavy line. Very interesting.

 

Tandy often has pictures of different things you can do with stamps. One very interesting thing that can be done with the basket weave stamp is to stamp the impressions in a vertical line with each stamp leaning right at a 45 degree angle. The next line to the right is vertical with the stamps leaning to the left at 45 degrees. When you are finished right down the middle of the two vertical lines are arrow heads! Doing the same with another type of stamp creates rows of hearts. That’s the fun of stamping, experimenting. You can come up with some very interesting designs.

 

Check out my article including pictures on basket weave stamping on this web site.