Metal Stamping: New Tools, Techniques, and Ideas
Metal stamping is a jewelry-making technique at the forefront for many of us. And just when you think you’ve seen it all, there is more NEW to be had and more NEW to be learned! We’ve teamed up to share some of our favorites from the new metal stamping products that have come across our benches and no doubt will soon be your favorites (if they’re not already).
New Metal Stamping Products: Straightliner Jig
by Tammy Honaman
Danny Wade, metal-stamp designer and maker, and jewelry designer in his own right, has developed a new stamping tool that is hot and hard for him to keep in stock! His straightliner jig does just as it promises and just as the name suggests — it helps you stamp in a straight line!
Funny note: I follow Danny on Facebook and loved the story about the magnets he ordered to make these tools. There was a conversation between Danny and his supplier regarding breaking the shipment into multiple boxes so the package didn’t attach to other things during transit, and concern over the impact the package would have on all the instruments it would come in contact with. The things you need to think about!
This tool is a game changer for those of us stamping borders along the edge of metal blanks or just wanting to to be precise in placement of any stamped impression, and likely in ways we have yet to realize.
You can find one of Danny’s custom stamps in the New Directions in Metal Stamping Collection, which is filled with other great stamping resources, including the Stamped Metal Jewelry book by Lisa Niven Kelly.
New Metal Stamping Font
Speaking of Lisa and Beaducation…Lisa’s latest stamp set is titled Serendipity–a font I’m just over the moon about. The font is somewhat classic with a little whimsy added in and available in upper and lowercase letters. The other really cool thing Lisa did with this set is remove the excess metal around the letter. You can actually see the letter as you’re placing it onto the metal. As you can see above–the difference is amazing!
Metal Stamping Trend: Layered Stamped Components
by Kerry Bogert
I’ve been noticing a trend recently in stamping with layering. This is not the type of layering where you use one stamp on top of another to create a new impression, but layering the stamped components themselves on top of one another. Usually, the stamped layers mix base metals and are connected to each other with rivets.
In New Stamped Metal Jewelry, authors Liven Niven Kelly and Taryn McCabe share several beautiful layered projects. The Peekaboo Necklace features a stamped silver heart layered behind a sparrow blank for added depth. We see this style of layering again with the floral eyes of the Dia De Los Muertos Pendant. Both the Flower Ring and Riveted Plaque Ring show how to layer mixed metals together for unique effects. While the Riveted Plaque Ring is nearly flat and hugs the finger, the Flower Ring is dimensional and sits high off the hand. Lastly, in the simple Riveted Bangle we see how to feature a stamped word in a framed component layered on a base bangle.
If you’re looking for news ways to add depth, texture, and interest to your every day stamping, I can’t recommend New Stamped Metal Jewelry enough. Download a copy today and discover the possibilities!
Personalize Your Favorite Jewelry Style with Metal Stamping
by Karla Rosenbusch
Personalization will never go out of style! Using stamps to add words, names, or really cool designs to your metal jewelry designs is an incredibly popular trend–one that shows no signs of slowing down.
When most people think of stamped metal jewelry, the first thing that comes to mind is a fantastic cuff. And they’re not wrong. Stamps are perfect for creating cuffs like Aisha Formanski’s Classic Stamped Cuff. Aisha used a range of various stamps for her design, including feathers, ferns, flowers, arrows, and more. Just think what you could do with your own favorite stamps.
But why limit yourself to cuffs and bracelets? Stamps can also be used to make gorgeous rings. Sure, the metal surface — and the stamps themselves — are smaller and may be a bit tougher to work with, but the results are worth it. Check out Jeff Fulkerson’s lovely hammered copper Friends Ring! You can change the wording, add your name, add a friend’s name, and/or change the heart to something else. And you’ll have an awesome piece.
Another fantastic stamped ring project — and one of my personal favorites — is Kieu Pham Gray’s Stacking Rings with Stamped Messages. It’s actually three rings in one! Add your own message, and voilà! Instant personalization.
Personally, I tend to forget about earrings when considering adding stamps to my jewelry. And I’m wrong! You can personalize your earrings with metal stamping just as well as you can any other piece of jewelry. For example, Theresa Fosdick’s Stamped Copper Dangles are simple but super! Just look what you can do with washers, jump rings, and metal stamps. Magnificent!
But, if you really want to go big with your stamped jewelry designs, how about an entire necklace of stamps? I really love Jeff Fulkerson’s Stamped Bib Necklace. It turns disks and washers and shapes into an amazing statement piece. And with letter and picture stamps? It can say or be whatever you want!
Improve Your Metal Stamping with Handy New Tools
by Tammy Jones
It’s going to be hard to limit myself to two fun new metal stamping supplies, but I know you’ll love these two from Impress Art as much as I do!
Impress Art Scratch Protectors
Isn’t it frustrating when you stamp on a blank and that scratchy-blurry-marry thing happens on the back? You can’t stamp on the back then and plus, it’s not so pretty. Impress Art has a solution with their new Scratch Protector sheets. Plus, they’re stickers! They adhere (not so much to leave a sticky residue, not so little as to move around) onto your steel block and help protect the back of the metal or blank you’re stamping on. They come in packs of 20 and are the perfect size for Impress Art’s small stamping block, which I also love for its handy size and ease of use (and it doesn’t count toward my two new products!). I use mine for all my stamping and leave the heavy-duty steel bench block on my workbench.
Impress Art Texture Stamper Heads
Favorite new metal stamping product number two is an attachment to a tool I already love: the Texture Stamper. I originally loved the Texture Stamper for it’s ability to turn a stamp into a hammer face. You just loose it, insert your stamp, tighten it up and hammer away. So you can “stamp” any of your design stamps quickly in a random “hammer” pattern. Baby feet or hearts or T’s or flowers or swirls, all over the place, easily.
Now, Impress Art has made the Texture Stamper even more convenient and handy. With the new Texture Stamper Head hammer faces, your Texture Stamper serves double duty as a regular hammer. Chasing, ball pein, nylon, and brass (not shown) heads are available and insert into the Texture Stamper just like a stamp. So convenient! Now if you don’t want to carry a bunch of hammers with you to a class or on a trip, you won’t have to!
Find your favorite new metal stamping tool or technique then create your own new jewelry design.
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