Leather basics

[khmetalwork]

I want to incorporate some leather into my work. I am stamping the leather and don't understand why some of the impressions are dark (before stain or dye) and some aren't. Same tools, same techinque..the letters are especially darker than the designs.

Plus, any advice on highlighting only the tooling? If i were doing metal work i would apply the oxidization and remove from the high spots leaving just the details dark, not quite sure how to do that with leather. Suggestions on techniques or resources?

[VkLeather]

If a stamp has a simpler design it requires less pressure than one with a lot of filigree say...also some stamps are cut deeper and easier to make an impression with, you just have to play with the amount of force you need to strike at for different stamps. It also depends on the age of the leather and how well you have moistened it before stamping.

Dye highlights the stamp, when you apply some and wipe away youll see that it will stain mostly, or all in the indents.

Its literally a matter of grabbing a whole load of scrap and playing around until you get the required effect, leather isnt consistent at all.

Good luck!

[Former_Member]

Yep to what Rebecca said - there is a LOT of trial and error with learning leatherwork - play around til you find out what works for you. Also there are products that are designed to "highlight the tooling" (although it's more like the tooling will be darker than the rest). Quite honestly I can't recommend a specific product as I no longer use that and things have changed a lot since I started leatherworking. (Environmental laws have since outlawed some of the dyes etc that I used to use and there have been a lot of new products and brands coming out that I am not as familiar with). Also some products vary in availability by country.

Also there is a lot of good info on the forum at http://www.leatherworker.net (although I have learned that if you ask a question about leatherwork there are going to be 20+ different ways that something can be done and no two leatherworkers will agree. Many of us are self taught and as a result came up with "our way" of doing things.)

I hope I haven't confused you further. :)

[khmetalwork]

Thank you Rebecca & Awun.

looks like I'm headed back to the store for a bag of scrap...thank you both.

[art4living]

your damping the leather first right. If so then its just practice. The larger stamps you have to hit WAY harder then the smaller ones.

[khmetalwork]

Again, thank you for all the replies - I've google'd and YouTubed and can't find the information - tomorrow off to the library.
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Yes, I am getting the leather damp. ...accustom to working with metal, if anything I'm hitting the stamps harder than necessary. I am using my metal(working) stamps on a steel bench block with a hard plastic mallet.

While the leather is damp, I can easily see the details of the stamp, but once the leather has dried and has been dyed, none of the detail are showing - it's there - the stamp has definitely left the impression, but it's all just one color.

For example, https://www.etsy.com/listing/51113484/chrysoprase-necklace-green-gemstone

in the third picture, the back of the pendant, the Lucky Cat design - is there any way to get the detail of the cat on leather? Short of using a ultra thin sharpie and drawing in the lines after they've been stamped?

If I were working with metal, I'd stamp the design into the metal, oxidize, then remove all the extraneous dark color from the high spots with an abrasive. Any thoughts of using the same technique on leather? Would the smooth finish of the leather be totally ruined by the abrasive?

maybe I can find an old belt to practice on....

[VkLeather]

Ooooh thats a very fine stamp, I dont know how much success you are going to have tooling that into leather - i would struggle, as the leather dried it would likely gobble up the imprint. Ive also never used metal stamps, they may not have the same density as leather stamps (anyone know?)

Think of leather as being like wood, no two hides are the same and the 'grain' twist and turn, it absorbs and moves constantly (reason I cant work in extreme heat, it just wont behave) Its a totally different experience as working with metal which has a uniformity to it.

and yes, the abrasive would completely ruin the leather.

Why do you want to imprint? Would stencilling the design on it be adequate for your needs?

Sorry, Im out of my depth on this one and Ive been working with leather for decades...

[khmetalwork]

Why do you want to imprint? Would stencilling the design on it be adequate for your needs?
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I never thought about stenciling, I just used the tools and techniques I knew.

I am looking for ways to add an element of tension to the metal work - hard and soft. Coming to the conclusion that the problem is not the stamps or leather, but an idea not well thought out.

Thank you Rebecca.

[VkLeather]

I am looking for ways to add an element of tension to the metal work - hard and soft. Coming to the conclusion that the problem is not the stamps or leather, but an idea not well thought out.

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I love using leather with other materials.....so am not giving up yet lol.

I had a thought, you could probably use that metal stamp to emboss leather if you have the energy to look into the process. Ive done some very fine embossing successfully on leather, doesnt require much to get it to snug into the leather with longevity.

[Former_Member]

Looking at the stamps you are using I can see why you're having trouble - they are very finely detailed which works for metal but may not work as well on leather. Usually the lines on leather stamps are wider and more substantial. I'm assuming you're looking to do something like this where the indented lines are darker than the rest;
http://www.etsy.com/listing/93214991/personalized-luggage-tag-tan-leather
As you can see though the lines are quite a bit wider than the stamps you are working with. My guess about getting the darker color is some kind of antiquing stain where you rub it on and wipe off the excess. Abrasion is not what you want to do - just wipe off before it dries.

Also as for wetting the leather before stamping - play around with it a bit - if it's TOO wet when you tool you will lose more of the detail - the trick is to wet it just the right amount and allow it to soak in before stamping.

[khmetalwork]

Thank you both - I really appreciate the help.

I think I am getting the leather too wet and like as suggested as the leather dried the impression shrunk and the stamps are probably too small.

Understanding a little more. thanks again for the help!

[Former_Member]

I don't know that I can add much to what's been said. What you can do is sponge the leather on the flesh side and then on the top and then let it sit until it's still cold but not quite as wet and see if that helps. You can also put the leather in a ziploc and leave it for a couple of hours and then check it.

How thick is the leather you're working with? Thinner leather never provides as much depth as thicker leather which might be part of the problem if you're using a very thin leather--I use extremely thin leather for my hardcover books but I glue them to the board before tooling them which adds an extra layer of depth and keeps me from actually cutting all the way through.

Also, you can definitely use highlighters or antiquing gel to bring out the design. I usually get either the Eco-Flow highlighters from Tandy or any of the antiquing gels they have available. The highlighters will pool in the indentations in the same color as you're staining the leather but a little darker. The antiquing gels come in various colors (dark brown, mahogany, etc.)--you apply them thickly and then wipe them off and they will leave a translucent layer of color over the top of the leather and pool in the indented areas, as well.

However, if the stamp you use doesn't give you a deep enough impression, it's very hard to get the pooled stain to stay in the indentations when you wipe it off, which might be part of your problem because it looks like at least part of that cat design is not very deep at all.