New Leather Stamps

Before I start making leather sheaths, I decided to make a few new leather stamps.

The basic material for these were old hook nails and 12 mm rebar from which I cut 120 mm pieces. I rounded those on one end and I forged, hammered, and filed the desired stamp design on the other.

I made three different basket weave stamps, one stamp for straight lines and one with a rope pattern.

I tested quickly all stamps on leather offcuts and I filled the designs with a black patina for contrast. The results are not marvelous but they are useable. I will use a lighter patina for the sheaths themselves, the black one is a bit too intense for the design I have in mind.

Now I am fully in the "making sheaths" stage. I have three finished knives, but I still did not draw the design for one of them. I have to sort that out first before I start sewing.