Materials Needed:
Small Steel Bench Block (or anvil)
1b Brass Hammer
Steel Letter or Design Stamps
Metal Stamping Blanks
Hole Punch Plier (if your blank does not have a bail or hole)
Optional Chasing Hammer (for adding texture)
Patina Solution (such as Black Max)
Cotton Swabs
Steel Wool (superfine #0000)
Polishing Pads or Cloth
Step 1: Set Up Your Workspace
Find a sturdy desk or table in your home, and lay down a beading mat or folded towel, placing your bench block on top. The towel will act as a buffer between the table and bench block, and allow for a slightly deeper impression. Gather your stamping blanks, 1 lb hammer, and stamps.
Step 2: Prepare to Stamp
Place a stamping blank on top of the bench block, and take out your first letter. With the steel stamp in your non-dominant hand, place the letter on the blank in the spot you’d like it to appear. (For beginners, it can be easiest to create straight words by following along the bottom edge of the blank. If you’d like to go across the center of a blank, try putting a piece of masking tape across the center, and stamp just above the line the tape makes. Do not stamp on the tape, and simply remove it when you are done. Another tip if you are trying to center a word is to start with the middle letter.)
Step 3: Stamp Firmly and Consistently
Hold the steel stamp so that it is touching the blank, and strike it firmly and consistently with your brass hammer. The stamp should touch the blank the entire time – before, during, and after you strike it. You may need to tilt the stamp slightly to get a good impression on both the bottom and top of the letter. Beware of tilting too far, though, or you may leave a mark from the stamp above or below the letter.
Step 4: Complete the Word
Repeat the stamping process until the blank shows the entire word. If it isn’t perfectly aligned, don’t worry! Sometimes that can add to the handmade, rustic charm of a piece. Hand stamping can take a lot of practice to perfect, so be sure to try it out on copper, nickel or brass blanks before moving to sterling silver and gold-filled.
Step 5: Add Texture, If Desired
Texture and detail can be added to your piece through the use of design stamps or a chasing hammer. Try covering the blank in swirls for a unique look, texturing just the edges of a blank to add character, or even doming the blank using a dapping block.
Step 6: Add Patina
Patina solutions such as Black Max or Liver of Sulphur can be used to emphasize letters and texture in hand stamped jewelry. While Liver of Sulphur is known for its rotten egg aroma and takes a while to work, Black Max is nearly odorless, works instantly, and can be easily applied to just the letters themselves with a cotton swab. Wipe away any excess with a paper towel, and then polish with steel wool so that just the letters or texture remain darkened. Finish with a Pro Polish Pad or polishing cloth.
(Hint: If you do not have a patina solution on hand, you can also give it a try using a hard-boiled egg. Place the stamped blank and egg – shell and all – in a plastic bag and seal. Crush the egg so that the yolks are exposed, and leave it all in the bag on the counter overnight. By morning, the blank should be completely black. You will be able to polish with steel wool and a polishing pad as described above.)
Step 7: Incorporate Into Your Design
Using a hole punch pliers, put a hole in your blank and add a jump ring. Attach to a chain, and you’re ready to go! You can also add additional hand stamped pendants, wire-wrapped birthstones, pearl dangles, or charms to make your piece even more unique. Soon, you’ll be adding hand stamped elements to all of your jewelry designs!