How To Make A Leather Stamp In 4 Easy Steps

A leather stamp is an essential tool for every leathercrafter. However, it poses a few issues - price, availability, and design. Would you like to know how to make leather stamps in 4 easy steps with tools you have at home?

To make a leather stamp, find a good stainless steel bolt, then sand off the head. Mark off your design using a marker or an etching solution, and cut the negative spaces around your image. Finally, sand off the uneven and sharp edges for a cleaner, more distinct stamp.

How to Make Your Own Leather Stamps

What You’ll Need

• Dremel Lite with accessories
• Dremel disc cutting accessories
• Stainless steel bolts
• Sharpie
• File
• Sandpaper 

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Sand off marking on the bolt head

Take the bolt and sand off any marking on the head. Start with a coarse grit, then switch to a finer grit for a smoother finish. 

2. Mark off your design

Once you have decided on the design, darken the stainless steel bolt head using a fine-point marker. Next, etch the design you want with an awl. 

3. Cut your design with the Dremel

Use the Dremel to cut out your design. If you have a disc-cutting accessory, that will make this step easier and faster. You can also use the diamond-engraving bit of the Dremel to create irregular patterns on your custom stamp. 

If you don’t have a Dremel, you can use a metal file and sandpaper to remove the negative spaces on your design. It may take a bit longer, but it works.  

4. Sand to finish 

Sand off any rough edges with sandpaper or a fine grit file. It helps if you dip the bolt head into a water basin during sanding to achieve a finer result.

Alternative Methods for Custom Leather Stamp

You can also make a leather custom stamp with a 3D printer or etch your design on the metal before drilling off the excess metal to show the positive image. 

• Custom Stamps Using a 3D Printer

To create stamps for leather, you’ll need an excellent quick-curing resin, a 3D printer, a UV light setup, and 3D modeling software on your computer. However, we only recommend this DIY if you already have the material, equipment, and software with you. 

Directions

1. Layout your images in black and white, using black for the image and white for the negative space for embossing effect. If you want to deboss, reverse this layout. 
2. Print your image, then cure it according to the normal process.
3. For small images, you may mount them to a metal rod for easy stamping. But leave it as is for larger images. You can sandwich it and the leather between press plates, then press it in your arbor press.  

• Custom Stamps Using Metal Etching

If you know how to do metal etching, you can also create your own stamps by etching your images directly on the stainless steel piece, then taking the negative spaces with your Dremel or metal file. This simple etching needs only salt, rechargeable batteries,  and battery clips.

Things You’ll Need

• Stainless steel sheet, 3mm thick
• Alkaline batteries, AAA
• Battery clamps

Directions

1. Prepare your image and stencil it on sticker paper.
2. Sand the stainless steel sheet, then position the stencil over the area you want to etch before removing the release tape. 
3. Set up your battery pack (4 AAA batteries), then connect the (+) wire to the stainless steel and the (-) wire to the drill bit as the electrode. 
4. Mix a small amount of salt with water until dissolved. 
5. Add some salt water to the image, then etch with the electrode for 30 seconds or so. 
6. Clean the etching with a paper towel and remove the stencil. 
7. Remove the negative spaces in your stamp using the Dremel cutting accessory, drill, or file until you’re satisfied with the quality. 
8. Sand off to refine the stamp.  

Custom Leather Stamps Common Issues

Making custom leather stamps for your DIY leather projects is not without challenges. We don't want to grope in the dark, so here are some practical answers to the most common issues with a custom leather stamp.  

• The design is not as crisp as it should be

You can't expect your DIY leather stamps to be perfect and crisp, especially if it's your first time to work on projects like this. However, you can improve its look by using suitable material and starting with simpler images. 

To deal with it, you need to lower your expectations first. Don't beat yourself at something that is not within your control. 

Second, use the right tool. A metal file and a sheet of sandpaper work wonder at making your custom stamps look professional. It also gives you more control over refining the image on your own stamps. 

• The stamp does not make deep impressions

When you're into leather stamping, your primary aim is to get as deep an impression on your vegetable-tanned leather. It has more form so that it can handle stamping and heavy tooling. Leathercrafters use it for custom leather saddles, sheaths, belts, and similar leathercraft. 

However, it is also tougher to stamp, especially if the leather is thicker than 2mm. For your DIY stamps to make a deep impression on your tanned leather, you need to create one from high-quality stainless steel or brass so it won't rust, cause the leather to discolor, or bend during the stamping process. 

Make sure your design is simple and not too crowded unless you're going for a pebbled effect. Make the impressions deep, at least 1mm, and clean around to remove parts that may cause the stamps to 'float' over the leather. Use the right tool when hammering down your stamp so you can transfer your pattern to your leather project. 

• You are limited to less complex designs

Not necessarily. The complexity of your patterns, though, remains mostly on your equipment and your expertise. For crafters who own a 3D printer, making custom patterns on your own leather stamps is a lot easier. Your ideas are good as done with this machine. 

Don't worry if you don't have sophisticated tools. With a Dremel and a good swivel vise, you can make quality stamps from a piece of stainless steel or brass scrap. You can even create stamps that you can use on your hand press machines without worrying about the price. 

Conclusion

If you’ve ever considered making a custom leather stamp, we hope this post has given you some inspiration. From the simple design to the more complex one that requires a few extra tools and steps, DIY leather stamps are possible for everyone.

What designs do you want to try in leather stamping? Share with us your ideas by leaving a comment below.