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I killed two of my pipes tonight.

I am super excited because I just got my new stamp from Paul at A&M Steel, and it looks fantastic. I immediately set to work experimenting on some of the scrap pipes from my pipe graveyard (sad how many fatally flawed pipes there are in that box...LOL). I found it moderately difficult to get a good clear stamp on the first try, but after an hour or so of monkeying around with it I felt confident enough to take it to a real pipe.

I started with a few of my old pipes which I have made and kept for myself over the past few years. They are all good smokers, and moderately well made, but not good enough to have sold or gifted. Perfect for "practice" stamping. I cracked one in my vise (I kinda figured it was too fragile for a vise, but took the gamble....live and learn), and the other shattered under the pressure of the stamp in my press. BAH!

So, my question is this: can anyone offer me somme good suggestions for getting clear, full imprints of a stamp onto the shank/stummel? This seems especially hard given the rounded surface in place on most pipes. I tried using only my own hand strength, as well as the pressure from my drill press with the stamp mounted in it, but even then the stamp was not always really clearly defined in the wood (and I killed one of my favorite beater pipes...)

I did go on to semi-successfully stamp 5 new pipes I have recently made. I say semi successfully because several of them required multiple stamping attempts (with grouchy sanding sessions in between each failed attempt), and a couple of them have a "final" stamp which I am not 100% satisfied with because it is not as clearly indented as I would like.

Any suggestions you guys have in this area would be most appreciated. It appears that stamping, as every other pipe making skill, has a steep learning curve. LOL

Thanks in advance!

I think it was Jeff that made the suggestion in an earlier thread that he had made himself a new handle shaped like a door knob. This allowed him to spread the pressure more evenly over his palm and get more pressure on his stamp. I followed his advise and it works much better. I o don't put the pipe in a vice. I put it on my work table with an old mouse pad under it. Havent screwed one up since.

Make yourself a new handle - it makes a world of difference in terms of control and the final result.

Other than that, I don't know how other guys do it, but I don't use a vise or press of any kind. I lay a piece of latigo leather on my workbench, lay the shank on the leather, and *roll* the stamp onto the surface in one smooth fluid motion.

Which isn't to say I don't screw it up from time to time.

KurtHuhn wrote:I lay a piece of latigo leather on my workbench, lay the shank on the leather, and *roll* the stamp onto the surface in one smooth fluid motion.

Which isn't to say I don't screw it up from time to time.

Yeah - but have you guys seen the biceps on this bugger!!??

Pipe in left hand, stamp in right. Line it up straight, press bottom inward and roll towards the top with even pressure. Take one pipe and stamp it everywhere, just takes a little getting used to it.

My biggest problem was the oval stamp was placed cock-eyed on the oval end of the bar. My line up was frequently off. I had to re-grind the bar to match the stamp and have had much better line ups since.

I's not easy, it takes a lot of practice. I to killed many a flawed pipe with my stamp. When I got mine I went on a stamping craze. It ended with broken shanks.

I use a bean bag to support the shank. Then use the rolling motion that was previously mentioned.

I made a new handle yesterday, and look forward to using it asap (I went ahead and stained it, so I have yet to finish the project yet). I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Thanks a bunch for the input, everyone. Really appreciate it!

Paul (the stamp maker) suggested to me one time that heating the stamp helps as well. Try this on old pipes and scraps first though.

I haven't tried this, but I have thought about, turning or grinding a solid bar or piece of wood to fit into, and fill the mortise, before stamping it, to reinforce the hollow mortise. Just a thought.

Mike Messer wrote:I haven't tried this, but I have thought about, turning or grinding a solid bar or piece of wood to fit into, and fill the mortise, before stamping it, to reinforce the hollow mortise. Just a thought.

What's wrong with the stem?

Rad

What's wrong with the stem?

Rad

Too easy

I find that the knob from my stem bender (most people call it a "stove") is just the right diameter.

TJ

Okay, so I missed these comments at the time. Better late than never?

RadDavis wrote:

Mike Messer wrote:I haven't tried this, but I have thought about, turning or grinding a solid bar or piece of wood to fit into, and fill the mortise, before stamping it, to reinforce the hollow mortise. Just a thought.

What's wrong with the stem?

Rad

Seems fine to me, and I wondered why no one mentioned this.

ToddJohnson wrote:I find that the knob from my stem bender (most people call it a "stove") is just the right diameter.

TJ

You should see my pipe shop (which most people call a house).

My stamp has fairly broad letters and the only way I have found to get a good impression is by heating it, if you get it to hot you can 'brand' the pipe (I often wonder if that's where the term started).

David.