Help! Stamping Metal?

[Smokey Plainsman]

Hey

I recently bought a northwest trade gun and I’d like to add a sitting fox stamp on the lockplate. The originals were stamped with this neat symbol. I’ve got a stamp coming from Track of the Wolf:

Here’s an original with this stamp:

Here is my lock. As you can see it is flat which hopefully should make the job a bit easier:

I have never done any metal stamping before so I am looking for any recommendations on doing this. I’m going to disassemble the lock and have read to use a heavy 2-4 lbs hammer for the task. Any other tips to ensure success? Thanks gang!

 

[44Bro]

Make sure to use a VERY HEAVY backing anvil. A trailer hitch ball still on the truck works quite well. You don't want the plate to have ANY flex at the stamp point. Be prepared to have to slightly straighten the plate afterwards, as the stamp may cause it to warp.

 

[billraby]

Practice a few times on some scrap metal the same thickness as the lock plate.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Thanks, gang.

 

[ZUG]

Strike it once with authority and squarely on the end of the stamp.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

There's a thread currently running on the ALR on this very subject.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

There's a thread currently running on the ALR on this very subject.

Yep, that’s me. But I know some post here and not there and vice versa, so just trying to get a variety of tips.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

We used to do a ton of metal stamping in my Dad’s business. We put blue painters tape where it needs to be stamped, which helps hold the stamp in position before and as you whack it really well, using the advice previously posted.

 

[Rich44]

Practice a few times on some scrap metal the same thickness as the lock plate.

This is a absolute must. To get a good impression will take experimenting to get what you would like without messing it up.

 

[Mcat]

I’ve found when stamping leather that a dead weight mallet mitigates stamp bounce. Never done metal. Good luck. I really like the sitting fox on a trade gun. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Rob M.]

Hey

I recently bought a northwest trade gun and I’d like to add a sitting fox stamp on the lockplate. The originals were stamped with this neat symbol. I’ve got a stamp coming from Track of the Wolf:

View attachment 227180

Here’s an original with this stamp:

View attachment 227181

Here is my lock. As you can see it is flat which hopefully should make the job a bit easier:

View attachment 227182

I have never done any metal stamping before so I am looking for any recommendations on doing this. I’m going to disassemble the lock and have read to use a heavy 2-4 lbs hammer for the task. Any other tips to ensure success? Thanks gang!

Okeydoke .... As you said disassemble the lock . Find a stout steel back ground , dead flat , and put the plate down on it and slide it down till the edge is against the lock bolter , thick part . Now ... On flat plates its easier .... Find the spot you want to put the stamp , mark it if needed , make sure your not near the bolster because it isn't supported . Then you hit it with a stout hammer . It doesnt need to be huge but do not use a light hammer . First hit is most important ... Now ...you have to make sure this first hit is , where you want the stamp , natch , the stamp is straight up and down , no tilted foxes ! LOL ... Oh yeah , make sure you have glasses on ...its hardened steel hitting hardened steel . The punch will start coming apart , I'm on my third punch now . Now ....to try and get your first , and most important punch. The best it can be .... Take your punch and go to the grinder . Grinder on roll the punch in your fingers with shaft of the punch against the wheel . This scruffs up the punch so you can hold onto it better , the are slick and will come right out of your fingers . Next ... With paint or a marker . Look straight down on your punch and with which ever you choose mark the top and bottom of the stamp on the shaft sides . This is for when you are setting up for your punch you can tell if it is straight without having to keep picking the punch up and looking at the face of it . On round face surfaces and locks ... You set the stamp where you want it , check your marks make sure stamp.is straight up and down and hit it ... Pop ....now you look at the fox and only half of it is on there . So you put the stamp back on the spot and very slightly , slowly , twist the stamp round ....you'll feel it fall back into the first hits ' lines ...dont move your fingers ....your ready to hit it again ....smack it again . POP ....check out the fox again . Now ....two thirds of the fox is present. Repeat the set up process and pop it again . After you do this a few hundred times you can try to concentrate dome of the blow to one side or another of the stamp to help but not right away , just do straight down hits at first ...and do it as many as you nerd until the whole fox is present and stamped nicely , prominently . I use the back side of my vice , the flat anvil spot and it works well . Now ...round face locks . Stay away from the bottom because the rounded edge is pretty abrupt there . Its tougher on rounded things . Get your set up all ready and pop the stamp ... The bottom won't be present so redo the top a few times to make it deep. Easier to get the stamp back in their ...then ... Set up for a regular straight down POP but , just before you hit it ...you ever so slightly pull that stamp in the direction that the impression is missing ....EVER so slightly ...POP ....take a look at it . Repeat as necessary ....When I was lusting after those cool stamps years ago I never knew they would be such a P.I. T. A. ! LOL .! Good luck ....

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Thanks, gang:

Perfect? No, it’s not. But I tried my best. Luckily from my research it seems plenty of originals had crooked or twice struck stamps as well, especially on trade guns were perfect fit and finish were not top priority. So I don’t feel too bad! And I quite like it. Added some visual interest to the plain lock face.

 

[TDM]

I think it looks great!

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I think it looks great!

Thanks, TDM!

 

[Rob M.]

Yeah , it does look good . Good idea to add it