Using quality stamps

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi All

Can anyone tell me how to use the bent quality stamp on the
inside of a ring? I haven’t come up with a way to hold the ring
stable in the first place and the stamp sides to the edge of the
ring when I hit it with a hammer and messes up the edge. Of
course, the stamp isn’t ledible.

Thanks

2 
 I haven't come up with a way to hold the ring stable in the
first place and the stamp sides to the edge of the ring when I
hit it with a hammer and messes up the edge.

G’day, Claudia; Try to stamp the ring’s inside surface before
turning it to a circle and soldering. Failing that, get a lump
of lead (junk shops sell old lead piping) and melt it into a tin
lid. Place a tissue or two on the surface of the lead, (it is
fatal to contaminate precious metals with lead) then hold the
ring vertically on the lead surface, using the same hand to hold
both ring and punch in place. Then TAP the stamp or punch
whilst rocking the (hammering) end gently about. That way you
should get an even indentation into the ring; don’t hit it hard
at any one blow; the marks don’t need to be very deep. Try it
first and experiment with bits of copper piping - you may need to
anneal it first - and you’ll soon get the hang of it. Put your
mark(s) a little away from a join and well away from findings,
because if the ring has to be sized at a later time, the marks
won’t be lost. I can’t keep my nose out of things, can I? Cheers,

        /\
       / /    John Burgess, 
      / /
     / //\    @John_Burgess2
    / / \ \
   / (___) \
  (_________)
3

Can anyone tell me how to use the bent quality stamp on the
inside of a ring? I haven’t come up with a way to hold the ring
stable in the first place and the stamp sides to the edge of the
ring when I hit it with a hammer and messes up the edge. Of
course, the stamp isn’t ledible.

A lead block works well- and once positioned give the stamp
several light taps instead of one hard rap.

Rick
Richard D. Hamilton

Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography

http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

4

Use a lead block ( a divers weight, a lead pipe melted down
into a sardine can using lots of ventilation). If you like
you can put a latex glove over the lead block to avoid lead
contamination of you and your your metal. The lead supports
the ring while you strike. Also, you can strike with less
force if you hold the stamp hard tilted slightly to one
side, hit it, rock it slightly over, hit it again and finally
tilt it slightly the other direction and hit again. A number
of short taps while tilting the stamp from one side to the
other will do the job. Always watch out for distorting your
ring and allow for an easy sanding and repolish if you did
dent things out a bit. Take into account any potential damage
to outside textures etc. Never put the stamp opposite the
head of the ring because this prevents easy later sizings of
the shank, always stamp slightly to one side or on the side
of the ring. Charles

Brain Press
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email: @Charles_Lewton-Brain

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