Crosshatch Stamping tool

[onegooddriver]

In William Judt's book called "Inspirational Relief Carving" he mentions that he uses Stamping Tools that he made that have a crosshatched pattern. He uses these to create little dots in the background to make an area look darker and different than the rest of the Relief Carving. (pg. 50 of his book)
Does anyone have a clue as to where a person could buy Stamping tools like this? I have tried numerous searches online, including looking at Woodcraft.
I cannot find anything like this.

[Bandaid]

Check out Lee Valley, they have a set of stamping tools.

[mpounders]

I have some old Tandy leather stamping tools and I have used one of the smaller background tools for the same purpose on wood., I think I've seen some cheap leather tools at hobby lobby.

[Just Carving]

A source like Lee Valley, go to Wood Carvers Supply, Inc.

and search on Background punch set.

Search on "texturing" in this forum and you'll get some more leads.

You can easily make your own just using a file, and cut grooves diagonally on a nail head.

Bob L

[DADDIO]

i have used nails, use a dremel or file cut your pattern in the head of the nail,then tap on the pointed end,works pretty good and is cheap enough,also have used small eyeglass repair philips head screw drivers and just small phillips head screw drivers ... take a nail and round the point down to make it into a dimpleing tool... about anything can be used ...i always like making what i can,but that's just me.

[onegooddriver]

WOW !!! You guys are great ! Wood Carvers supply also sells EXACTLY what I was wanting : 5 piece Background Punch set.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU !!!

[Kate]

I bought a set of these and am horribly disappointed by them.
5PC BACKGROUND PUNCH SET-Wood Carvers Supply

They have a few issues, for my use.
They are too long in the shank for me, making it difficult to position them accurately. I've considered taking a chop saw to them and shortning them an inch, but am still on the fence about it.

Second, though they look like they will work well, mine never stamp a clean pattern. I can whack them pretty hard and still get nothing but uneven dots. I've taken a needle file to them to clean up the pattern and though it helped a little, they still do not stamp to my satisfaction. The only exception is the smallest one, it seems to work fairly well but it is just two rows of "teeth" by four rows. The round one is just "ok" but better than the larger ones. The worst of the bunch is the large square, it's about worthless.

I work primarily in walnut, that might be the issue. Maybe if it were a softer wood the results would be better.

I bought a cheap punch at Tractor supply, shortened it up to fit my front paws and then made my own texture on the tip of it. It works beautifully and is easy to handle.

[Just Carving]

For $27 dollars, I would think they'd be good tools. Most tools that are worth anything are made of tool steel--similar to knives, files, drills, etc. If a cheap material is used to make the tool, or the tool isn't made correctly, obviously it won't do what it's suppose to do. The points should be sharp and should easily make a "cut" into any wood. Try using them on a piece of scrap of basswood. If the impression doesn't meet your expectations, I'd send them back. Anything that can't cut basswood cleanly either needs sharpening or should be tossed--or in your case, returned.

Sounds like you're doing better with the tool you made. BTW--your cheap punch is probably made of tool steel. If it was hard to file the texture into it, then it is probably a good tool steel. And the punches you bought from Wood Carvers Supply should be of good quality tool steel and be ready out of the package to do the job. Make sure you let them know why you are unhappy with them--no point in them selling a bad product.

Bob L

P.S. I just looked closer at those tools, and they're not sharp. The square one looks to be the sharpest and that won't do the job. The tools should be sharp enough to begin to leave a mark on the wood if you just pushed on the tool into the wood by hand. And they should remain sharp with minimal cleaning and maintenance afterwards. Just my opinion...

[RUssL.]

I have the set from Lee Valley and they work the way everything that comes from Lee Valley does : Great!

RussL.

[Donsexton]

I have some back ground texture punches I think they are from Spain they have been with me for over 30 years looked old when I got them. I have not used them in years. I have used a tool called a bush hammer it attaches to a hilti hammer. The thing looks like a meat tenderizer we use it to pulverize humps in concrete. I think I have seen them at harbor freight to use in air tools. When I use mine I dont use the hilti hammer on wood I strike it with a mallet. If it can be used on concrete walnut should be no match.