Design stamps

Jewelry Discussion
1

Regarding Design stamps, I am looking for a cross and a heart stamp
for sterling silver. Does anyone have a source for such stamps?

2

Tami, Rio Grande has them but you may have to buy a set that has more
than you want.

Joel Schwalb
@Joel_Schwalb
www.schwalbstudio.com

3

I bought a selection of heart stamps (not a set) from Indian Jewlers
Supply. Another suggestion I have is that you can buy at least 2
sizes of heart punches and 1 of stars and 1 moon. If you use manila
file folders and punch out heart/star shapes/moon, then run your
metal through with the file folder you get a nicely frosted surface
with raised, shiny stars/hearts.

Donna in VA

4

While I don’t know of any specifically for sterling (which doesn’t
mean they don’t exist somewhere), you can use stamps made for
leather-crafting, which come in a huge range of shapes and sizes;
crosses and hearts are pretty common. The smaller sizes would
probably work better for metal. Here’s a major leathercrafts retailer
that stocks stamps: www.tandyleather.com . Of course, if you can’t
find exactly what you want, you can get a custom stamp made by
someone like Microstamp: http://www.microstampusa.com/ or even carve
it yourself into a piece of steel, using a flexshaft tool and
carbide burs.

Andrew Werby
www.unitedartworks.com

5

Andrew,

I don’t know if you have actually tried using leather stamps for
metal, but I have. Once. Didn’t work. The metal used in leather
stamps was much too soft. At least it was in the stamps I used. They
came from Tandy.

Jerry in Kodiak

6

Tami, Indian Jewelers Supply carries a wide variety of design
stamps, sold individually. (1-800-545-6540).

7

I don’t remember the start of this thread but if you are using them
for texturing with a rolling mill and file folders, you can also use
stick on stamps and there are a lot of shapes to choose from. You
can also stick them on the metal and lightly hammer them to make
impressions.

marilyn

8

Hello,

Frei and Borel has individual metal stamps with both a cross and a
heart for $5.50 each.

HTH
Mary Linford

9

Tami; A lot of the enjoyable part of silver stamping comes from
using hand made stamps, this is not that hard, there are several
good materials available and it isn’t really rocket science, plus
it’s fun but you will need a torch, you’re going to need one any way
because stamping work hardens the metal, more in the areas that are
stamped, so you have to aneal the metal before you can really shape
it or any thing. Old cold chisels, Square air hardening drill rod,
old files, these things all make great stamps.

I have some where around a hundred stamps, About 20 or 30 favorites,
If you aren’t into the work part of it, Indian Jewelers Supply in
Gallup New Mexico carries a lot of hand made design stamps, and they
are a catalogue item, The great thing is they all have minute
differences because they are hand made, they also carry many many
machine made stamps and as always, =93No connection other than a
customer Here are a couple of pieces I did a while back that are deep
stamped designs. The images are clickable for better views

Kenneth Ferrell

10

I didn’t get into the beginning of this thread but Oscar Branson’s
Indian Jewelry books have illustrated descriptions of how to make
steel stamps, hope this helps,

Indian Jewelry Making (Jewelry Crafts)
By Oscar Branson

Price: $14.93

Media: Spiral-bound
Manufacturer : Treasure Chest Books
Release data : 01 February, 2001

Sam Patania, Tucson
www.patanias.com

11

To the more knowledgeable members…

I think I was once told (in a metalsmithing class?) that it’s
possible to harden the leather stamps, using some combination of
heating and quenching. I didn’t pay much attention, since I was
having enough trouble just doing the basics, but I now wonder if this
is true. I’m certain several of you know the answer to this one! At
least John Burgess does…

Lisa Orlando
Aphrodite’s Ornaments
(about to leave for Elk, CA)

12 
   I *think* I was once told (in a metalsmithing class?) that it's
possible to harden the leather stamps, 'm certain several of you
know the answer to this one! At least John Burgess does...

You rang, Modom Lisa? If the ‘leather’ stamps are of brass, I can’t
help. But if they are of mild low carbon steel (like nails) then you
can buy a compound called Kasenit or similar from your friendly
welder’s supply which will case-harden the steel. You make the stamp
red hot then dip it in the Kasenit powder, reheat it when it will
bubble, fizz, and show you little yellow and purple flames. Repeat
the dipping and reheating a number of times then quench from a red
heat into a bucket of cold water, swirling the piece around so it
cools quickly. Try not to breathe the fumes. If you have done it
right, a file will just slip on the surface, but remember you have
only hardened less than a millimetre; which will be ‘glass hard’ but
the inside will still be relatively soft. This is excellent for
items like stamps which must not be brittle hard. What you have
done is diffuse carbon atoms into surface of the soft steel.

You can also use potassium ferrocyanide, but hardening compound will
be easier to get!

Cheers for now,
JohnB of Mapua, Nelson NZ

13

Hello Tami Many of the suppliers mentioned have design stamps. You
can also try Harper Manufacturing

http://www.harpermfg.com/hm_designs.html

They will also custom make stamps. No Affiliation, just a happy
customer.

Harper Manufacturing at Ganoksin
https://www.ganoksin.com/resources/detail-harper_manufacturing-1898.html

Help others make informed buying decisions with Harper
Manufacturing. We welcome your opinions and experiences with
ordering, customer service and and over all satisfaction.

Write an Anonymous Review
http://www.ganoksin.com/resources/review.php?id=1898

Karen Bahr “the Rocklady” (@Rocklady)
K.I.S. Creations
May your gems always sparkle.

14

I like Sparks Steel Stamps. They’re in Long Island City, just across
the East River from Manhattan. Web site here:
http://www.sparksstampingdies.com/

I spoke to Vincent Licata. He took a lot of time to talk to me and
understand what I wanted. And what I thought I wanted when I first
contacted him was not what I needed, which I figured out as we were
talking. The stamp was a large (~5/8") one, of a hand. I certainly
will go back to him for any other stamps.

Sparks Stamps
https://www.ganoksin.com/resources/detail-sparks_stamps-1900.html

Help others make informed buying decisions with Sparks Stamps. We
welcome your opinions and experiences with their products, ordering,
customer service and and over all satisfaction.

Write an Anonymous Review
http://www.ganoksin.com/resources/review.php?id=1900

Christine in Littleton, Massachusetts