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Tools from ImpressArt


I was contacted recently by ImpressArt to see if I would like to try out any of their metal stamping tools.  What perfect timing!  August is metal clay month, but whenever I start thinking about metal clay, invariably I also get caught up in metal fabrication and wire too, to a certain extent.




I quickly checked out the website, and found it very easy to navigate and helpful.  You can check out all the wonderful letter stamp sets, which are now also available as a starter kit including a brass hammer and a small steel block.  These Stamping Kits were selected as one of CHA's "Hot 20 New Products of 2012"!  Very very cool.  There is a full online catalog, plus a list of online retailers you can buy from.  If you'd prefer to shop a local store, there is an email address where they will help you find one near you.  I also liked a feature of the website called a "Viewer", where you can try out your designs interactively before committing them to metal! 

Although I already have a ball peen hammer, I read about the brass hammers and found out that steel striking steel is more likely to bounce minutely and give you a double strike image.  The softer brass does not bounce off the top of the metal stamp. 



Another thing I learned is that when you choose thicker metal pieces to stamp, especially if they are soft metal and/or you've annealed them to be soft, you're more likely to get a ring around your stamped letter from the stamp going too deep (you can see this faint outline in the little piece above).  This is also the case with polymer or metal clay...the stamp can sink in deep, so be aware of that and use a lighter touch.  The metal blanks that I received from ImpressArt were thin enough to avoid this problem.

Tomorrow, I'm going to share a couple of pieces that I made with you, and show you how easy it is to make an original charm, pendant, or bead for your designs!

As regards FTC disclosure guidelines: I have received these tools free of charge from ImpressArt in order to write a review and/or create a project free of charge for you.  I have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received.


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Comments

Interesting...thanks for the tip about the brass hammer! I think I see about buying one!

Cheers
Leah said…
I didn't know that about using a brass hammer - good to know! Looks like you got lots of fun tools to play with.
gelfling50 said…
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us all. Goes to show we learn something new every day. Thank you so very very much and love all the tools and things and have always wanted to try the whole metal stamping thing...bye for now and Happy Stamping