Adding names, monograms, poetry, song lyrics, or little love notes on your work is such a sweet way to personalize and make a one-of-a-kind gift. Plus, leather stamps are just really fun to play with. 😊
Stamping a name or a message into leather is super easy, and all it needs is a set of leather stamps, a mallet, and a little water!
I love making bags for people, and one of my favorite things to do is stamping a little personal message on the bag somewhere.
What You Need to Stamp Leather
Three things: a set of leather stamps, something to strike them with, and a little water. Our stamps come in two sizes, Small (⅛") and Large (¼"). The letters slide into a strike post, which is the holder you slot each letter into and hit with the mallet.
Every bag maker needs a high-quality mallet. Those rubber mallets you find at the hardware store just don’t cut it, and a metal hammer can damage your metal tools. Work on a hard, solid surface so the strike isn’t absorbed underneath.
How to Stamp Letters Into Leather
- Dampen the leather. Wipe the spot with a wet paper towel. It doesn’t need to be soaking. Damp leather receives the stamp better than dry leather does.
- Slot your letter into the strike post.
- Check it isn’t upside down. Look at the letter before you set it down and make sure it’s facing the right direction for the message you’re writing.
- Hold the strike post upright against the leather, with a little bit of pressure.
- Whack it once or twice with the mallet. No need to hit it really hard, multiple times.
- Eyeball the spacing as you go, and work through your message one letter at a time.
Does the Stamping Have to Be Straight?
Not really. Part of the charm is that you hand-stamped it yourself, so I don’t care that much if the letters come out a little bit crooked. Keep an eye on the spacing between the letters as you go, and even if it’s slightly off, that’s okay too.
What Can You Stamp?
Stamp leather tabs, straps, handles, keychains, leather trays, and any other leather project you can dream up. Especially great for gifting!
Bags are a kind of talismanic object that you carry with you throughout your day. With things like patches, stamps, and scraps of meaningful fabric, there are lots of ways to weave an extra layer of meaning into your work. ❤️
We use them all the time for little projects in the studio, too, like a mason jar and the leather handles on our fabric storage drawers. It’s such a fun way to label things.
▶️ Let’s Talk Bag Hardware covers every other way to finish a bag: snaps, rivets, buckles and rings.
SHOP LEATHER STAMPS
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