What are Leather Stamping Tools?

Article by Rick Lejeune

Leathercraft Leather Stamping Tools are intricately designed metal tools designed to speed up your leatherwork and gives it a high-quality professional look. You will be amazed at the fine detail that you can create in your leather designs by using these kinds of stamps. These stamps are great for giving new leathercrafters of any age with a chance to create more intricate and stunning patterns.

Leather Stamping tools are utilized to create creative impressions into your leather designs. Generally the raised look you see is done by pressing down on the particular areas we don’t wish to be raised. To ensure that the impression remains in place, proper moisture content is essential when you’re striking the leather. Leather which is too wet or too dry may cause the impression to rise back up with time.

These tools work by either a single downward action or a double (down up) action with each strike with the mallet. Single action tools are held firmly down so that they cannot bounce back up. They are often leaned right or left, front (towards the toe) or back (towards the heel) that will give just a partial impression.

Double action tools are also known as walking tools. You would hold the tool firmly in your hands but exerting no downward pressure. This will allow the tool to bounce back up from the leather right after striking and creating your impression. You will use the recoil to move the tool down a line unhindered, making a steady continuous impression in the leather.

The Camouflage stamp – The camouflage stamp is a single action tool that is employed to depict a variety of textures to stems, leaves and flowers.

The Pear Shader stamp – The pear shader stamp is a double action tool which is used to depress the leather to produce concave parts.

The Beveler stamp – The beveler is also a double action tool. It is used to give relief to the various objects that are within the pattern.

The Veiner stamp – The veiner is also single action tool and it’s used to provide the effect of veins in leaves.

The Seeder stamp – The seeder is used for making the seed pods of flowers and it is another single action tool.

The Backgrounder stamp The backgrounder may be used as either a single action or as a double action tool on much bigger areas. It’s used to mat down the background area of the pattern.

Geometric stamps – Geometric stamps can be used for a lot of decorative and special effect purposes. By using even one single geometric tool, you are able to cover a considerable area with a nice design in minimal time.

Border Stamps – Border stamps can be used by themselves to create a decorative frame around leatherwork. They’re also used all around basketweave or geometric patterns to fill in any unevenness around the leather project’s border areas.

Figure carving stamps – Leather figure carving stamps were fashioned to help you create leather carvings that illustrate animals, plants and landscapes. Also, a number of these stamps can also be used for border designs, too.

Stop stamps – Stops are mostly used right at the end of swivel knife cuts, on a floral pattern, to enhance its appearance. They are used at the base of flower petals, leaves and lots of other areas to show more definition to your design and also to create special effects.

Flower center stamps You can Create attractive arrangements using the flower and leaf stamps together or apply them on their own to create a decorative floral border.

Leaf Stamps – Use these leaf stamps in combination with the flower center and veiner stamps to make bouquet designs or you may use them by themselves to make a decorative leaf border design.

For more detailed explanations and some videos of each tool, please see our website article Leather Stamping Tools – What Are They Used For?

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Tags: Leather, Stamping, Tools

Posted in Leatherworking Tools