Description:

Recently, I upgraded my hand stamping set up here in my studio and I thought that I'd share my equipment and techniques here at jewelrylessons. I do a lot of hand stamping of small letters on bracelets and was using a 4oz ball peen hammer on a 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" steel benchblock on a 6" leather pad filled with bbs for my work. For several years, this setup worked for me and I consider it a decent one for a beginner who is simply using small letter stamps and little else. I still bring my small benchblock and leather pad in my toolbox to shows so that I can forge while in my booth.

After a while, you want to spread your wings and start using some of the larger design stamps for your bracelets, pendants and rings. I discovered that a heavier hammer really makes a difference when using the larger stamps. Moving up to a 1 pound brass hammer was the right move to make. Why one pound and why brass? First off, while you do need additional weight to make a cleaner impression with your steel stamp, if you are going to be stamping for any length of time, you don't want a super heavy hammer that will give you arm fatigue. Also the one pound weight allows you to retain more control of your hammer strike. As to the brass, this material is softer than the steel ball peen hammers and it will put less stress on your steel stamps, allowing the stamp to last longer. Pick a hammer that has good balance and a smooth striking surface. Usually, they are mallet shaped.

Choosing a new anvil to work on was more of a challenge. Originally, I was going to buy a larger steel benchblock, but then I did some research on anvils and changed my mind. In the end, I purchased a 13" steel railroad track that had been re-purposed into a small 10 pound anvil. My flat work surface is 2 1/2" wide by about 10" long and is perfect to lay a cuff bracelet length of metal on to decorate before forming its shape. It is sturdy, smooth on top and the horn looks to have been used for many years. It is an antique made from leftover track from the coal mines of Kentucky.

Why use railroad track as apposed to a Harbor Freight Anvil Shaped Object (ASO)? First off, it steel that has been tempered into super hardness by trains rolling over it for many years. It has springback that helps your hammer return to your hand, giving you less fatigue at forging. The hardness of the steel also gives you a clean impression when you strike your stamps. My anvil rings like a bell when I strike on it and I've put a piece of leather under it to help dampen the noise, but I confess that the sound is not unpleasant to listen to. The cast iron ASOs at Harbor Freight and other hardware stores are softer metal and will eventually become full of dings. Most experienced metalsmiths don't recommend them and consider them to be doorstops.

You don't need to get a track that has been formed into a horned anvil, although I do recommend that if you can find one. Buying a piece of full sized railroad track that has been custom cut to fit into your studio is also a good way to go. The top surface will be smooth from the trains and the base will be sturdy on your table. The only drawback is that one side of the track will be curved due to the force of the trains over it down the the years, but if it bothers you, you can sand the upper surface flat just as you would smooth out the face of a dinged up hammer.

I have discovered that there are a few vendors that will custom cut a slice of railroad track for you on ebay. Put "railroad anvil" into your ebay search box to find them. Think about how much space you have in your personal studio for an anvil and order accordingly. I would purchase as large of one that you can for your space, at least 12" in length. They are reasonably priced and usually go for far less than what you would pay for an ASO even with shipping included. Another option is to go to your local shipping yard and see if they have leftover track available. Often times, you can get a piece of track for free, but this also means that you will need to cut the track yourself.

Finally, the last reason that I like using a re-purposed railroad track is that it is recycling. This is less metal that is going to lay out in a field somewhere rusting away. Why not put some of that old forged metal into a new use? Have a piece of history in your studio.

Anyway....happy stamping.