How to Stamp Leather

Co-authored by Mallika Sharma

Last Updated: September 19, 2022

Cutting and Wetting

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Stamping

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Ensuring Quality

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Expert Q&A

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Things You'll Need

Leather stamping can be a fun project to create things like leather name tags and more. While it may sound complicated, it's surprisingly easy to stamp leather with the right supplies. All you need are leather stamps and a hammer to create custom stamped pieces of leather.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Cutting and Wetting

1
Cut your leather into the desired shape. Before stamping your leather, cut it into the shape you want. For example, if you're making leather name tags, cut your leather into the shape of a name tag before stamping it. You can use a straight-edge rotary cutter or an x-acto knife to cut leather while it's lying on a flat surface.
- You should always cut leather on the "flesh side." This is the wrong side of the leather, meaning the side that you will not be stamping as it will not be the exterior of your leather project.
2
Wet your leather. Leather is a tough material, so it needs to be moist for stamps to stick. Get a sponge moist with water. Then, press the sponge onto both sides of the leather. Wet the flesh side first and then the front of the leather.
- The leather should be damp, but not soaking wet.
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3
Make any other alterations to the leather. If your project requires you make any other alterations to the leather, do so before stamping it. For example, if you need to punch a hole in leather for a name tag, do so before stamping your leather.^{[1]
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Research source}

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Stamping

1
Place the leather on a firm surface. You should always stamp leather on a firm surface, as you'll need to use a considerable amount of force to get the stamps to stick. It's a good idea to place a piece of hardwood down on a flat surface. Stamp the leather on the hardboard.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Mallika Sharma
Certified Leather Care Technician
Expert Interview. 7 January 2021.}
- You can purchase blocks of hardwood at most department stores.
2
Position your stamp on the leather. Take your leather stamp. Place the stamp down where you want the image or letter to appear on your leather. Hold it in place with one hand. Make sure the leather is perfectly flat.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Mallika Sharma
Certified Leather Care Technician
Expert Interview. 7 January 2021.}
- You will need to buy leather stamps. You can buy them online or at some craft shops.
3
Use a hammer to press the stamp on the leather. Use your other hand to hammer down on the stamp. This will secure the image or letter into the leather. Give the stamp a few firm strikes with the hammer until the image or letter transfers.
4
Repeat the process to complete your design. Once your image or letter has transferred, repeat the process again with the second image or letter. Press the stamp down where you want it on the leather and then give the stamp a few firm strikes with a hammer to transfer the image.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Ensuring Quality

1
Do some test stamps first. It's always a good idea to test your stamps ahead of time. Cut out a small test scrap of leather, moisten it, and apply some stamps to it. See roughly how many times you need to strike the stamp with the hammer to get the image or letter to transfer.^{[4]
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Research source}
2
Rewet the leather during the process as needed. If you notice your leather is drying out, re-wet it as needed. If you're only stamping on one or two images or letters, you probably will not need to re-wet the leather. However, larger projects will require you to occasionally stop and rewet your leather.
3
Let leather dry completely after stamping. Once you've transferred your images onto the leather, set it aside. Allow the leather to dry completely before doing anything else with the leather, such as sewing it. Drying times vary depending on the types of leather and how wet your leather got during the stamping process.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you prepare leather for stamping?

Mallika Sharma
Certified Leather Care Technician
Mallika Sharma is a Certified Leather Care Technician and the Founder of The Leather Laundry, a niche spa service for luxury leather gear in India. Mallika specializes in leather cleaning, coloring, repairing, and restoring for shoes, handbags, jackets, wallets, belts, and sofas. She holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Investment from the University of Edinburgh Business School. Mallika is a certified Professional Leather Care Technician and trained with the globally reputed leather care company, LTT in the United Kingdom.

Mallika Sharma

Certified Leather Care Technician

Expert Answer

The leather should be cleaned and flattened out to make sure there are no wrinkles.
Question

If I sew two pieces of leather together with one strand of leather lace, how do I tie the knot at the end to stop unraveling?

T. Chinsen

Top Answerer

Depending on where the knot will end up, it may be necessary to thin out the leather. Like sewing with thread, a granny knot may not be enough to hold a seam. Make sure the knot cannot be pulled out, and thread the lacing backwards for at least 2". If there is enough room, loop over a stitch and pull it forward. This creates a zigzag that will prevent the seam from opening up.
Question

Can I stamp finished leather, such as a belt?

T. Chinsen

Top Answerer

A finished belt may be extremely dry and difficult to stamp. Wetting leather expands it so that the stamping will take and then retains it when it dries. A softening agent such as lanolin can make leather more pliable for stamping. More force may be needed to get an impression as the leather, although softer, is also denser with the added lanolin.