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Post by fernwood on Nov 2, 2019 6:18:51 GMT -5
I am trying to get organized. Well, at least planning organization, lol. Have over 20, 1970's era leather stamps. Mostly small designs. Also a complete alphabet set in a Western design. Both have received little use. They appear to be high quality steel. Was thinking I could use the smaller ones for stamping silver. For size reference, the flower in the lower right is about dime size. The holder contains most of my leather stamps/tools, minus the alphabet. I was able to use some for stamping copper a few months ago. It took a very light touch with leather mallet, but worked. Opinions appreciated.
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agatemaggot
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2006
Posts: 2,195
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Post by agatemaggot on Nov 2, 2019 6:27:43 GMT -5
Made my own stamps with a fixture I designed to fit in Metal lathe to cut patterns in the heads of Nails and grade 5 bolts. The stamps I made were soft metal and held up in Copper and Brass. Your tools are hard plated which should be fine if you don't get carried away with a huge hammer ! I would use an end grain wooden block for backing the Silver, I used a block made from the bottom runners of an Oak Pallet , pallets are harder than the hubs of He** for some reason, Maybe made from Green wood and age that way ? Might want to sand the surface well so you don't get the wood saw pattern on the back of the Silver !
Forgot to mention anneal first, sorry !
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Post by rockjunquie on Nov 2, 2019 6:27:48 GMT -5
I had a ton of them from my father in law from the 60's-70's. I tried using them on silver, but it didn't work out too well. I did not anneal first, though. I bet if you did they would work.
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Post by fernwood on Nov 2, 2019 6:39:11 GMT -5
Great, thanks. I love using the leather mallet for the soft touch.
Anneal. A memory from the past. I found it a pain at the time, but I am much older, wiser and more patient now than I was then.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Nov 2, 2019 9:17:29 GMT -5
The stamps need to be hardened steel for using on sterling. Ideally you should have a polished steel bench block for stamping. If the stamps are not hardened steel, you may ruin them stamping on metal eventually. Sterling will take more to make a mark with a stamp than a leather mallet.
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Post by greig on Nov 2, 2019 13:30:15 GMT -5
I bet you could temper the punches yourself to make them harder. There are videos about how to do it on Youtube.
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Post by Pat on Nov 2, 2019 16:56:07 GMT -5
I’d use a polished steel bench block, and a brass mallet.
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Post by opalpyrexia on Nov 3, 2019 10:14:17 GMT -5
I bet you could temper the punches yourself to make them harder. There are videos about how to do it on Youtube.
Minor quibble — tempering reduces the brittleness that results from hardening.
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