1st try with Grey Ghost basket stamp method

[JD Alan]

Here's my first attempt at basket stamping via Grey Ghost Graphics tutorial. It's not an easier method necessairly, 'cause this stuff isn't easy to keep straight, at least for a beginner. Then there's hitting the stamp with the same force, watching the moisture in the leather, etc. The more I do this the greater respect I have for those who do this so well.

Since it was a piece of scrap, I didn't realize it wasn't even width wise, so one side is progressively off. I put a little Lexol on it too. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of of border stamps that look good with basket stamps.

I beveled one side, but not the other. Frankly, I think it looks better without the beveling, but maybe that's because I'm not much of a beveler.

Thanks to everyone who gave me suggestions, I do appreciate your feedback, JD   

[Marshal Will Wingam]

That looks good, JD. Nice and even. The border is fine. There is no right or wrong on that, only a matter of preference. Well done.

[Dalton Masterson]

You can hardly see the un evenness with the way the pattern works. Just practice some more and you will have it down pat. Good job, JD.
DM

[cowboy316]

JD
  Well done bud ive been doing basket stamping for years and i still have trouble so your one up on me LOL
       Cowboy316

[Marshal Tac]

Thats a heck of alot better than my last 3-4 attempts.... I have issues with the dampness of the leather at various stages of the project and it coming out with different depths to the stamp.... that and making the border not look like a 3 year old with a mallet got a hold of my project....   

[mike highgate]

Nice, JD. Looks good.
What tool is that? It doesn't look like a Craftool.

[JD Alan]

Thanks Guys. Coming from the likes of all of you, the comments mean a lot. The stamp is a Barry King I picked up in Novermber at a leather trade show in Pendleton, about four hours east of my home. Barry was one heack of a nice guy, and extremely helpful, no pressure to buy anything. It's probably a good thing I didn't have a couple of grand sitting in my pockets, or it would have ended up in Barry's wallet after looking at all of his tools on display.

The alignment and moisture issues are certainly critical for sure. I'm going to do a few more practice pieces before I make a belt for my good friend at church who requested one with basket stamping. Fortunately he has a 32 inch waist, so I'll have less to stamp than if I were making it for myself!

Thanks again, JD

[knucklehead]

looks great JD.

food for thought. belts are the easiest to basket weave stamp to me because you are doing 3 to 4 rows only depending on the size of the stamp.

just wait till you decide to do a sissy bar bag for the harley. thats a lot of basketweave stamping to do.

i did a bag for my sissy bar and used a stamp simaler to a basket weave and it took alot of hammer wacks to stamp.
i only stamped the front and lid on my bag cause the rest was not going be seen when installed on bike.
and it still took me forever to stamp it out.

[cowboywc]

Howdy knucklehead
Try doing a complete directors chair and bags.
WC

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Nice chair, WC. That's a healthy amount of work. What did you stamp along the line where the two different directions of basket weave are? Is that the BW stamp turned to another angle?

[JD Alan]

Oh Holy Cow WC, that's a lot of stamping, no doubt. I was on the IILG Website a little earlier, and looked at a tutorial of yours on a meander stamp. That is a great instruction piece, very clear, and the pictures are a big help.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

    Howdy JD


         Dang JD, your stamping came out great Pard, much better than my first attempt at the basket stamp, your making wonderful progress these last few months, keep up the good work. 


                                                    tEN wOLVES 

[cowboywc]

Howdy MW
That is a D616 border stamp, X & flower.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks, WC. Much appreciated.

[knucklehead]

dang nice chair WC.

i would be afraid to sit in that chair cause i would not want to put the wear into the tooling.
yes i know its safe and the stamping will not wear off. but just be hard to sit in it after all the work put into it

[cowboywc]

Howdy knucklehead

I've done many chairs over the years and none to my knowledge have worn away the tooling.
My own chair is almost 20 years old and it gets sat in daily.
WC

[JD Alan]

I've seen a picture of a chair Will Ghormley made that is really something. WC I've no doubt that yours are first rate. I grew up in the LA area. If I still had family down there I would sure make a point to get into one of your classes. Thanks for all your great advice, JD

[cowboywc]

Howdy JD
If you or any of you are ever in the area please stop in and visit.

Jeff Mosby will be here Sunday doing a class, I'll let him know how you did with his style of basketweave.
WC