Carving leather tool

McMillen has been in business a long time and the most prolific, so odds are good most of the unmarked stamps were made by them.

However we can't count out the other good makers of the day who made just as good a stamp. Bruce Johnson Leather Tools. S - — Leather Wrangler stamping maul, 1. Stamping Tools. Basketweave Stamps.

Geometric Stamps. S — Barry King geometric stamp , in. Border Stamps. WJ — — Jueschke 8 seed flower center. WJ - Wayne Jueschke seed cluster flower center. Matting Stamps. Veiners and Wigglers. S — unmarked cam inch base. Seeder Stamps. Before you get frustrated in your results, especially when comparing them to someone else's results, you need to first compare what tools you are both using and how much time you've each had using those tools.

As I said at the beginning, there are no shortage of options in higher quality tools and I have definitely not tried them all. The only thing that out numbers the tool options are the different opinions among the industry.

With an artisan craft there is not one right answer. In my experience though, the best tools to step up to are Barry King Tools out of Wyoming. Barry offers high quality tools, great customer service, and easy online ordering.

I've broken my recommended list into two sections. The first section is what I would put together as a starter kit. If you are creating a custom image, just draw it out ahead of time so you can transfer it over to your piece. When stamping, you will want to figure out your spacing and decide where your design will land.

To prep the leather to receive impressions you will need to get the leather fairly wet, but not soaking. Using your sponge, apply water in a circular motion making sure to apply evenly, this allows the fibers in the leather to loosen and swell, allowing you to shape it. Apply the water evenly and allow to dry slightly before beginning your work. Should the leather dry entirely before you have finished, simply remoisten it again. If you are just stamping and not carving, you will not need the following info.

You are ready to start stamping now. Place your stamps where you want them, check your spacing, and get cracking! Transfer the image on to your leather using your pencil or a stylus to indent the leather. You can also lightly draw the design directly on your leather if you feel confident in your design and layout but be mindful that it is not easy to remove these marks should you draw too hard and make a mistake.

There are a number of folks out there who will jump straight into cutting and do their designs on the fly. This takes a lot of practice to get to that point, so for now, plan ahead! When carving, make sure your swivel knife is sharp before you begin, and then use it to follow the outline and main lines of your image. You will want to create a groove that is half the thickness of the leather. Take your index figure and rest in the cradle that's located at the top of the knife.

Your index figure is the one that dictates how deep your cut will be. While applying pressure using your thumb, middle and ring fingers to maneuver around the corners. Note: Be sure to take your time and cut towards you. This will help with making the depth of the cut the same throughout and give you more control.