fun with stamps...

[oiseau metal arts]

just wanting to share one of this weeks fun orders. normally i cut these out of old files, but this one needed to be just a bit larger than any of the files i had cut up. so i reached for a piece of 1/4" O-1 bar stock.
0720121317.jpg0720121301.jpg

now back to the knives....

[mrthe]

Wow this is great! , is something that i want to try to make in the future, thank you for share!

[JohnR]

Very nice and looks fun to do. I'd like to try it also. Can you give a brief discription of the process and metal prep/finish. I this done with graver and rotary tool? Thanks.......JohnR

[McAhron]

Bravo

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

could this work using ivory?

arnhand

[oiseau metal arts]

johnR....
ive got a couple others in the works. ill try to remember to take pics BEFORE im nearly done with the thing.
the basics of it is an annealed piece of steel. (i use mostly cut up old files, or O-1)
prep the surfave to desierd finish (400-1500grig you pick what works well for you)
coat with sharpie marker, and dab with modleing clay.
i divide into a 4x4 grid before i start drawing on the patern with a needle.
most work is cut with 70 degree, or onglettes.
bulk material around edges is removed with a carbide bur.
when cutting is done i dress up sides with a tiny punch that has been tapped on 600 grit diamond wheel for texture.
next is hardening, clean off with wire brush, and a few passes with buffing wheel. (no worries about removing detail because because its hardened)

HARDENING
stampping into metals, hardening is a must... if stamping into leather not so necessary... using to burn into wood, dont bother. (railroad spikes wotk great for wood burning and leather stamps)

[bronc]

Very nice!

Stewart

[monk]

great ! i know how to anneal files and make wood lathe chisels and such. don't know if i could get them soft enough to cut with a graver. i gotta give that a whack, and see if i can do just a primitive texturing punch. thanks for a very interesting post.

[oiseau metal arts]

monk......

i just take a torck to them and let them cool slowly. moer than soft enough after that. ive even got a set of gravers ive made from old jewelry files. funny its the tools i make that become my favorites to use.

[monk]

in my early days, after getting the meeks book, i made several gravers from needle files. i did this as i couldn't afford to buy the good stuff.