Dear Friends,
I would like to buy a set of upper case alphabet stamps and wonder
if some of you have had experience with them. I bought a set of
decorative stamps recently and am not particularly pleased with them
because the symbol is too weak, even after annealing the silver. So
I would appreciate knowing if anyone could suggest a brand for some
durable stamps that really make a clear impression and hold up to
repeated use.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Sue in VA
Hi Sue - hopefully I am not suggesting something silly or obvious,
but are you using a heavy dead blow type of hammer? I recently
changed for a monster of a brass hammer and am lucky not to punch
clear thru the metal 
Of course, I also tend to whack 3 times per
stamp. I have had good luck and clear stamping using relatively
inexpensive sets from Rio (in the $30 range). I did splurge and buy a
nice set of punctuation stamps, only to have my kids play with them
and then lose half of them If you need the name of stamps or a
link to the hammer, please email me and I will find them for you.
Again, if I am saying something that you already know/are doing,
sorry for repeating Cheers
Ros
I don’t know what you bought or any brand names, but I’ve seen some
sets of letter punches apparently meant for use on leather and other
sets meant for metals, ferrous as well as softer metals. There is a
great difference in sharpness of detail and in the hardness of the
steel of the letter punches. Obviously the ones meant for metal do a
better, cleaner job of it and last longer. Best place to look for
good ones would be in a shop selling tools for mechanics and
machinists, not in a hobby or craft store.
Good luck
Marty
Sue,
I did a bulk buy for a jewelry group and we bought our stamps from
Things Western in Texas. The stamps are made by the owner, designed
for use on metal, guaranteed. They have 60 different designs, no
alphabet stamps though. They are a very good company to work with.
Pat Gebes
if anyone could suggest a brand for somedurable stamps that really make a clear impression and hold up torepeated use.
I can’t do that, but a search for “steel alphabet stamps” brought up
many. Just “alphabet stamps” was mostly rubber stamps, BTW. Of
course, the $10 stamps are going to be pot metal, but there were
quite a few there that looked OK.
I’ve never seen a set of bent, inside-ring stamps. Those would need
to be custom made, I’d think.
Hi,
I have a few sets. I think it’s pretty much what you hate to hear,
you get what you pay for. There is an obvious price difference in
the ones you can buy at Rio Grande and Indian Jewelers Supply. The
cheap sets from China wear quickly and don’t have as deep a cut. the
sets for $100 last a really long time and have a nice deep cut.
Karen
Rio has alphabet stamps listed… I got my current set from Harbor
Freight for about $5…
Beth Wicker
ch hanson
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/tk
american made steel stamps…many sizes i’ve used them on sterling
and ceramic materials.